Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team suffered their fourth straight defeat on Friday evening via a 72-53 East Coast Conference decision against Daemen University at Aquinas Hall.

STAC falls to 4-16 overall and 2-8 in ECC action, while Daemen improves to 15-6 and 11-0.

Syrita Faraj posted a game-high 21 points for the maroon and gold, while teammate Cassidy Mahaney (14 points) also scored in double figures. Ne'vaeh Buntley recorded 21 points for the visiting Wildcats.

St. Thomas Aquinas shot just 30.3 percent (20-66) from the field, while Daemen shot 43.5 percent (27-62) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Nine Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Trinity Cheatom and Karolina Jaruseviciute led the maroon and gold with three assists apiece on the evening.
• Syrita Faraj hit 8 of her 15 field goal attempts, with 3-of-4 going in from long range. Cassidy Mahaney went 4-of-14 from the floor and hit 4-of-6 free throws in the game.
• Daemen out-rebounded STAC by a 48-37 margin, with Syrita Faraj grabbing seven boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas forced five steals, with the Wildcats turning the ball over on 18 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in two team statistical categories over Daemen: Points off Turnovers (17-15) and Bench Points (22-6).
• STAC had its largest lead of the game (one point) with just under five minutes to play in the opening frame, 14-13, on a Syrita Faraj jumper.
• The game featured one tie and two lead changes.
• St. Thomas Aquinas trailed Daemen, 41-28 going into the halftime locker room, with the Spartans shooting just 30.0 percent (11-of-37) from the field.
• Syrita Faraj led all scorers with 15 first half points for the Spartans, while shooting 55.0 percent (6-for-11) from the field and 75.0 percent (3-for-4) from distance.
• STAC has now lost eleven of its last twelve games.

DAEMEN NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Wildcats logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Ne'vaeh Buntley led Daemen with 21 points. Teammates Sophie Auer (14 points), Claire Pikett (12 points) and Morgan White (10 points) also scored in double figures.
• Danielle DiCintio led Daemen with nine assists on the night.
• Buntley went 9-for-18 from the floor and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, with Auer hitting 7 of her 10 field goals.
• Auer also grabbed a game-high 10 boards for the Wildcats.
• Daemen picked up seven steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 15 separate occasions.
• The Wildcats earned advantages in three team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Second Chance Points (9-8), Points in the Paint (30-20) and Fastbreak Points (8-4).
• Daemen had its largest lead of the game (22 points) with just under four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, 71-49, on a Danielle DiCintio three-point jumper.
• Ne'vaeh Buntley led all Wildcats scorers at the half with 13 points on 5-of-10 (50.0 percent) shooting from the field an 3-of-5 (60.0 percent) from the three-point line.
• Daemen's best shooting quarter came in the opening frame, as the Wildcats shot 62.5 percent (10-16) from the floor and 62.5 percent (5-8) from beyond the arc.

UP NEXT:

STAC welcomes D'Youville University to Aquinas Hall on Sunday, February 9. The Spartans and Saints are set to tangle in ECC action beginning at 1:00 p.m.