In spite of a game-high 25 points from Justin Brown and a furious 17-0 second-half run, the St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team fell to the University of District of Columbia, 72-60, at Aquinas Hall. The defeat was the Spartans' sixth straight.

With the win, UDC picks up its seventh consecutive triumph to improve to 9-1 overall and 2-0 in the ECC, while the Spartans fall to 2-6, 0-2.

While the hosts battled to remain within striking distance, UDC recorded the last nine points of the first stanza to enter the locker room with a 37-20 halftime lead. They extended that to 28 points at 56-28 before the Spartans caught fire, reeling off the next 17 points. Brown's second straight three-pointer cut the margin to 11 with 9:45 remaining, but a veteran Firebird squad kept its composure and cruised to the victory.

Irin Stark aided the STAC cause with 13 points, but it was not enough to overcome the Firebird triumverate of Brandon Herbert (21 points, four three-pointers), Dishawn Bradshaw (19 points), and Nigel Munson (14 points, six assists).

The visitors shot 44% from the field on the day (27-62) and added six three-pointers, while the Spartans converted at just 32% (23-71).  UDC outrebounded the hosts, 44-40, and was an impressive 12-of-13 (92%) from the free throw stripe.

Today's game was the second of three straight at Aquinas Hall for the Spartans. The team enjoys a week off before Rockland County rival Dominican College pays a call on Saturday, December 17, at 3:00 pm, following the women's tilt against LeMoyne College at 1:00. If you can't be there in person to be part of the Aquinas Hall Edge, you can catch all the video online via New Media Television Sports and follow along with our new Live Stats feature - just click the appropriate links on the team schedule page.