The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team pulled away late for a 68-52 East Coast Conference victory at the University of Bridgeport. Justin Reyes led STAC to its 17th straight win with 17 points and 10 rebounds as the Spartans improved to 23-4 overall and, 17-2 in the ECC, with UB now at 14-13, 11-8.

STAC stumbled out of the gate, going without a point for over three minutes as the Purple Knights took an early 5-0 lead. Neither team would light it up offensively, however, and Dan Wilson's lay-up gave the Spartans their first lead at 9-8 after seven minutes of play.

UB tied the game on two other occasions but would not reclam the lead, as the Spartans scored seven points over a span of 1:02 to take a 20-13 advantage. That edge would methodically increase to a max of 12 in the first half at 35-23, and the visitors would settle for a 10-point lead at the break.

Once again, scoring was painfully hard to come by in the second stanza, with each team recording just six points over the first seven minutes, and STAC maintaining a 41-31 gap. From that point, Bridgeport would draw to within seven on a pair of occasions, only to see the Spartans answer both times, cruising to a chasm of as many as 19 points at 68-49 in the waning seconds.

Chaz Watler added 14 points and nine rebounds for St. Thomas Aquinas, while Devon Elliott paced the Purple Knights with 14. STAC enjoyed a decisive 41-30 rebounding advantage, while holding UB to only 31% from the field (15-49).

The Spartans wrap up the 2015-16 regular season at Aquinas Hall on Saturday, February 27, when Dowling College visits for a 3:30 pm start. Senior Day ceremonies will take place before the game, after which the Spartans will prepare to take their #1 seed into the East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. STAC will play in the semi-finals at the University of the District of Columbia on Saturday, March 5, with time and opponent to be determined.

- Steve Balsan, St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information

- Photo by Dorice Arden