The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team dropped its second straight game in Puerto Rico, a 106-105 triple overtime heartbreaker against the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. The Spartans dug a first half hole, trailing 39-26 at the break but battled back to take a 67-66 lead with just 1:33 left in regulation before Mayaguez forced the first OT with a 69-69 deadlock.

Justin Brown recorded a career high 37 points to lead the Spartans, who had several opportunites to snatch the victory before coming up short. Mayaguez started on fire, shooting 59% from the field in a first half in which the Tarzanes led by as many as 15 to take a 39-26 lead into the locker room.

STAC still trailed by nine at 62-53 with just 6:55 left before roaring back with a 14-4 run that saw Nick Lopez convert a pair of free throws to put the Spartans ahead, 67-66 with just 2:08 remaining. After Mayaguez tied the score, a Brown field goal with :06 left in regulation put STAC in the driver's seat, but Alexander Molano of Mayaguez converted his own miss with just two seconds left to tie the game at 69-69 and force the first overtime.

Mayaguez would lead by as many as five points in the first OT and led throughout most of the session, but it was a Brown basket "and-1" that tied the event at 81-81 after five minutes of extra play.

Overtime number two would tell the opposite story and end in controversial fashion. This time it was the Spartans jumping to a lead of as many as six points, only to see the Tarzanes come back to take the lead. Omar Kellman made one of two free throws with :28 left to tie the score, but with time winding down it was Brown who drove toward the hoop with a chance to put the game to rest. Replays appeared to show the lay-up attempt hitting the glass before being blocked by UPR-M's Angel Mendez as time expired, but the goaltending call that would have sent St. Thomas Aquinas to victory was not forthcoming, setting the stage for more extra play.

Once again STAC would build a lead of six points on overtime number three and never trailed until Juan Ramos nailed a trey with just 16 seconds left to make the score 106-105, and Lopez's last shot was off the mark.

Omar Kellman contributed 22 points, 11 rebounds for the Spartans, with Lopez (13 points) and TJ Jones (10) also chipping in. Mario Diaz recorded 22 for Mayaguez, leading five scorers in double-figures.

The Spartans now stand at 0-2 and will have a day off on Sunday before wrapping up their swing through Puerto Rico on Monday when the tourney concludes with a tilt against UPR-Bayamon.