The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team dropped a 67-63 decision at the University of Bridgeport in an East Coast Conference battle of the top two teams in the East Region. The Spartans now stand at 22-5 overall and 12-3 in the ECC with one game remaining, while Bridgeport swept the season series to improve to 22-3, 14-1. UB entered the contest as the top ranked team in the NCAA East Region, with STAC coming in at #2.

Defense was the name of the game in the first half as a 9-0 STAC run erased an early 5-2 deficit to open a 11-5 edge with eight minutes elapsed. Grant Singleton's layup extended the margin to 17-8 midway through the half, but Bridgeport drew even with 2:12 left on a Bakary Camara dunk to make the tally 24-24. Louis Griffith drained a three-pointer and Singleton added a hoop in the final minute to stake St. Thomas Aquinas to a 33-28 halftime lead.

Though the Purple Knights again rallied to tie the score at 44-44 six minutes into the second half, but Brandon Smith's three-pointer keyed a 7-0 STAC answer, but the hosts scored the next eight straight to grab a 52-51 edge with 9:23 left. Osbel Caraballo hit a pair from the line for STAC but Juan Coffi answered with a three and Bakary Camara followed with a bucket as Bridgeport opened a 57-53 advantage with 5:46 left.

Demetre Roberts scored five straight points as the Spartans grabbed the lead at 58-57 with just under five to play. Camara battled back with a pair from the line and another bucket to give UB a 61-58 edge with 3:28 left and after an exchange of hoops, Singleton brought STAC to 63-62 with 2:21 left. The ensuing possession was perhaps the biggest of the night, as Travis Robinson-Morgan put up an air ball from deep, but the offensive rebound was kicked to Camara who drained a three with the shot clock expiring, and a pair of misses from the line dashed any hopes at a late comeback.

Singleton led four STAC players in double-figures with 14 points while Roberts, Caraballo, and Sekou Cisse contributed 11 each. Camara led all scorers with 16, and Robinson-Morgan chipped in 14 as both teams sported a balanced attack in the defensive struggle.

The Spartans wrap up the regular season this Saturday, February 29, hosting the University of the District of Columbia at Aquinas Hall. Senior Day festivities preceded the tip-off, which is set for approximately 3:00 pm, after the conclusion of the women's contest at 1:00. The East Coast Conference Tournament begins on Wednesday, March 5 with quarter-final action at campus sites, and the semi-finals and finals to be held at UDC on March 7 and 8.