Sparkill, N.Y. - A strong second half by the St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team propelled the maroon and gold to an 84-65 triumph over Mercy University on Saturday afternoon at Aquinas Hall Gymnasium.

STAC improves to 12-10 overall and 8-2 in ECC play, while Mercy drops to 2-17 and 2-8.

Anthony Daley led the way for the Spartans with a team-high 18 points, as Starrell Hearns (14 points), Derrick James (12 points) and Joshua Michigan (11 points) also scored in double-digits. Meanwhile, TJ Holloway paced the visiting Mavericks with a game-high 21 points.

STAC shot 35.4 percent (28-79) from the field and 81.0 percent (17-21) from the foul line, while Mercy shot 42.9 percent (24-56) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Nine Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Derrick James led the maroon and gold with five assists on the day.
• Anthony Daley hit 6 of his 11 field goal attempts, with 6-of-10 shots falling from long range. Meanwhile, Starrell Hearns went 5-for-15 from the floor and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.
• STAC out-rebounded Mercy by a 61-32 count, with Joshua Michigan grabbing a game-high nine boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas swiped ten steals, with the Mavericks turning the ball over on 16 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in three team statistical categories over Mercy: Second Chance Points (30-5), Points in the Paint (30-22) and Bench Points (33-22).
• The game featured six ties and eight lead changes.
• STAC's largest lead of the game came with just under 90 seconds to play in Saturday's contest, when the Spartans led by 21 points, 80-59, on a Cairo Rivera layup.
• St. Thomas Aquinas led Mercy, 30-27 going into the halftime locker room and shot 27.3 percent (9-33) from the field and 77.8 percent (7-9) from the foul line.
• Anthony Daley led all Spartans' scorers with nine first half points, while shooting 60.0 percent from both the floor (3-of-5) and downtown (3-of-5).
• STAC's best shooting half came in the second stanza, as the Spartans shot 41.3 percent (19-46) from the field, 46.2 percent (6-13) from three and 83.3 percent (10-12) from the charity stripe.

MERCY NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Mavericks logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• TJ Holloway led Mercy with 21 points, while Kohen Rowbatham (16 points) and Jordan Trahan (14 points) also scored in double figures.
• Rowbatham also led Mercy with three assists on the afternoon.
• Holloway went 7-for-12 from the floor, 3-of-5 from long range and made all four of his free throw attempts. Meanwhile, Rowbatham went 5-for-16 from the field and 4-of-8 from the foul line.
• Tyrell Miller grabbed a team-high seven boards for the Mavericks.
• Mercy picked up 14 steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 18 separate occasions.
• The Mavericks earned one advantage in the key team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Points off Turnovers (17-12).
• Mercy's largest lead of the game came with just under 13 minutes to play in the first half, when the Mavericks led by eight points, 13-5, on a Jordan Trahan layup.
• Jordan Trahan led all Mavericks' scorers with nine first half points, while shooting 37.5 percent (3-of-8) from the field.
• Mercy's best shooting half also came in the second stanza, as the Mavericks shot 51.9 percent (14-27) from the floor and 55.6 (5-9) from beyond the arc.

UP NEXT:

STAC hosts Roberts Wesleyan University in an ECC matchup on Friday, February 6 at Aquinas Hall Gymnasium. Opening tip between the Spartans and Redhawks is set for 7:30 p.m.