Sparkill, N.Y. - Despite outscoring their opponents by a 35 to 27 margin in the second half, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team suffered a tough 64-61 defeat at the hands of Queens College on Saturday afternoon at Aquinas Hall.

STAC slips to 4-13 overall and 2-5 in ECC play, while Queens improves to 8-8 and 3-3.

Karolina Jaruseviciute and Syrita Faraj posted a team-high 14 points apiece for the maroon and gold, while teammate Abby Jacoby (11 points) also scored in double figures. Nkiru Awaka led all scorers with 27 points for the visiting Knights.

St. Thomas Aquinas shot 40.0 percent from the field (20-50), while Queens shot 41.4 percent (24-58) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Five Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Trinity Cheatom led the maroon and gold with three assists on the afternoon.
• Karolina Jaruseviciute hit 6 of her 8 field goal attempts. Meanwhile, Syrita Faraj went 2-for-15 from the floor and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the foul line.
• Queens out-rebounded STAC by 41-31 margin, with Jaruseviciute also grabbing a team-high 13 boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas forced 14 steals, with the Knights turning the ball over on 25 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in two team statistical categories over Queens: Points of Turnovers (27-26) and Fastbreak Points (6-4).
• The game featured no ties and one lead change.
• St. Thomas Aquinas trailed Queens 37-26 at the half and shot just 33.3 percent (9-of-27) from the field.
• Karolina Jaruseviciute led all Spartans scorers with 10 first half points, while shooting 100.0 percent from the field (5-for-5).
• STAC's best shooting quarter came in the final stanza, with the Spartans shooting 60.0 percent (6-10) from the field and 100.0 percent (4-4) from the charity stripe.

QUEENS NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Six Knights logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Nkiru Awaka led Queens with 27 points. Teammate Arianna Lopez (14 points) also scored in double figures.
• Chinyere Ukaegbu led Queens with four assists on the day.
• Awaka went 11-for-14 from the floor and 5-of-9 from the foul line, with Lopez hitting 5 of her 11 field goal attempts and 2-of-3 free throws.
• Nkiru Awaka also grabbed a game-high 17 boards for the Knights.
• Queens picked up seven steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 23 separate occasions.
• The Knights advantages in three team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Second Chance Points (20-12), Points in the Paint (38-30) and Bench Points (8-6).
• Queens had its largest lead of the game (18 points) with just under eight minutes to play in the second quarter, 29-11, on a Sajol Thornhill layup.
• Nkiru Awaka led all scorers at the half with 23 points for the Knights on 9-of-10 (90.0 percent) shooting from the field and 5-of-8 (62.5 percent) from the foul line.
• Queen's best shooting quarter came in the opening stanza, with the Knights shooting 61.1 percent (11-18) from the field.

UP NEXT: 

STAC hits the road for its next two contests, first visiting Mercy University on Saturday, January 25. The Spartans and Mavericks will square off in ECC action beginning at 12:00 p.m. inside of the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.