Bridgeport, Conn. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team got back on track Wednesday evening, winning a low-scoring road affair against the University of Bridgeport, 59-45, at the Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium.
STAC improves to 13-9 on the season, while Bridgeport falls to 6-15 on the year.
Erin Leary led the way for the Spartans, recording a game-high 24 points, while teammates Sarah Ericson (14 points) and Trinity Cheatom (10 points) also posted double figures in scoring.
STAC shot 42.6 percent (23-54) from the field, while Bridgeport shot 37.7 percent (20-53) from the floor.
STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:
- Seven Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the non-conference contest.
- Trinity Cheatom led the maroon and gold with five assists on the evening.
- Erin Leary hit 9 of her 16 field goal attempts, with three going in from beyond the arc. She was also a perfect 3-for-3 from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, Sarah Ericson went 6-of-12 from the floor.
- STAC out-rebounded Bridgeport by a 36-33 margin, with Sarah Ericson grabbing a team-high nine boards for the Spartans.
- St. Thomas Aquinas picked up nine steals, with the Purple Knights turning the ball over on 16 separate occasions.
- The Spartans earned advantages in four team statistical categories over Bridgeport: Point off Turnovers (17-11), Second Chance Points (10-8), Fastbreak Points (10-0) and Bench Points (8-7).
- The game featured five ties and four lead changes.
- STAC's largest lead of the contest came late in the third quarter, when Spartans led by 18 points, 42-24 on an Erin Leary made three-point jumper.
- St. Thomas Aquinas held a 31-20 advantage going into the halftime locker room.
- Erin Leary led all scorers with 14 first half points for the Spartans, while also shooting 75.0 percent (6-for-8) from the field.
- After being tied up at 12-12 through the first 10 minutes of play, STAC outscored Bridgeport 32-17 in the second and third quarters, before being outscored by the Purple Knights 16-15 in the final stanza.
BRIDGEPORT NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:
- Eight Purple Knights logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
- Stephanie McBride led Bridgeport with 19 points, while teammate Shakira Hester (11pts) also scored in double digits.
- McBride and Hester led UB with a two assists apiece on the night.
- Stephanie McBride went 9-for-11 from the floor, with Shakira Hester hitting 5 of her 11 field goal attempts.
- Shakira Hester grabbed a game-high 11 boards for the Purple Knights.
- Bridgeport picked up six steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 15 separate occasions.
- UB earned an advantage in one team statistical category over St. Thomas Aquinas: Points in the Paint (28-26).
- Bridgeport had its largest lead in the game (two points) midway through the first quarter.
- Stephanie McBride led Purple Knights with seven points in the opening half.
- The Purple Knights posted only single digit team scoring totals in the second (8 points) and third (9 points) quarters.
UP NEXT:
St. Thomas Aquinas College hosts Roberts Wesleyan University at Aquinas Hall on Sunday, February 11. The Spartans and Redhawks are set to clash at 1:00 p.m. in Sparkill, N.Y.