Sparkill, N.Y. - Despite narrowing a second half double-digit disadvantage to just seven points late, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team suffered its second straight setback, a 73-65 loss to No. 8 NABC Nationally ranked Fairmont State University, on Tuesday afternoon at Aquinas Hall Gymnasium.

STAC falls to 6-5 on the year, while Fairmont St. improves to 8-1.

Starrell Hearns posted a team-high 16 points for the Spartans, while William Landram II (13 points) and Cameron Codio (11 points) also scored in double figures. For the visiting Fighting Falcons, Drey Carter led all scorers with 21 points.

St. Thomas Aquinas shot 31.0 percent (18-58) from the field and 84.0 percent (21-25) from the foul line, while Fairmont State shot 43.3 percent (26-60) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Cairo Rivera led the maroon and gold with three assists on the afternoon.
• Hearns hit 5 of his 11 field goal attempts and 4-of-8 three pointers. William Landram II went 4-for-10 from the floor and 5-of-8 from the foul line.
• Fairmont St. out-rebounded STAC by a 45-34 margin, with Landram II also grabbing a team-high five boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas swiped seven steals, with the Fighting Falcons turning the ball over on 17 separate occasions.
• The game featured three ties and five lead changes.
• St. Thomas Aquinas trailed Fairmont State 37-33 at the half and shot 33.3 percent (10-30) from the field and 88.9 percent (8-9) from the charity stripe.
• Cameron Codio and William Landram II led all Spartans' scorers with seven first half points apiece. Codio shot 50.0 percent (3-of-6) from the field, while Landram II shot 33.3 percent (1-for-3) from the floor and 83.3 percent (5-of-6) from the free-throw line.

FAIRMONT STATE NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Fighting Falcons logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Drey Carter led Fairmont St. with 21 points, while teammates Miguel Martinez (16 points) and David Jolinder (10 points) also scored in double figures.
• Zycheus Dobbs led Fairmont State with eight assists on the day.
• Carter went 8-for-14 from the floor and 5-of-8from the charity stripe. Martinez connected on 4-of-11 field goal attempts, with 2-of-7 going in from long distance. He also sank 6-of-8 free throws.
• Carter also grabbed a game-high nine boards for the Fighting Falcons.
• Fairmont State picked up ten steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 15 separate occasions.
• The Fighting Falcons earned advantages in five key team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Points off Turnovers (21-12), Second Chance Points (10-4), Points in the Paint (44-18), Fastbreak Points (16-6) and Bench Points (25-19)
• Fairmont St. had its largest lead of the game (18 points) with just under 11 minutes to play in the contest, 57-39, on a Drey Carter tip-in.
• Drey Carter led all scorers at the half with 12 points for the Fighting Falcons, with Carter shooting 57-1 percent (4-of-7) from the field and 80.0 percent (4-of-5) from the foul line.
• Fairmont State's best shooting half came in the second stanza, with the Fighting Falcons shooting 44.4 percent (12-27) from the field.

UP NEXT:

STAC heads to Florida for a pair of games against Eckerd College (Saturday, December 20) and the University of Tampa (Sunday, December 21). Both Sunshine State contests will tip off at 5:00 p.m.