The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team opened the 2015-16 season with a 77-61 victory over St. Michael's College in the opener of the STAC Conference Challenge at Aquinas Hall. Justin Reyes led the charge with a game-high 19 points to go with 10 boards, leading four Spartans in double-figures. Matt Bonds paced St. Michael's with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the season opener for both teams.

Coming off a preseason that featured an exhibition victory at St. John's University, expectations ran high at a packed Aquinas Hall, but St. Michael's didn't get the memo. The Purple Knights kept STAC off the board for over four minutes, with Morrell Gaskins converting a pair of buckets to stake the visitors to an early 9-0 lead.

STAC continued to apply its trademark pressure, however, and proceeded to chip into the visitors' advantage. Chaz Watler's hoop started an 8-0 Spartan run midway through the half, cutting the deficit to 17-16. Still, St. Michael's answered the bell, holding a 23-19 lead with just over six minutes remaining.

Finally, the Spartans' pressure began to take its' toll, with Reyes providing four straight points and Jules deCourtenay giving the hosts their first lead at 25-24 with just under five to play in the half. That was part of a decisive 15-1 run that culminated in a highlight-reel alley-oop dunk from James Mitchell to Reyes that make the score 34-24 and threatened to raise the Aquinas Hall roof.

St. Michael's would trim that margin to 34-27 at halftime, and an early second half exchange of field goals capped by a Matt Bonds three-point play drew the visitors to within 42-40. Once again, a Reyes field goal would proved to be the catalyst, sparking his team on a 13-2 burst that would put the contest out of reach for good at 55-42. The Spartans would open that gap to as high as 19 points while cruising to the win.

Shaq McFarlan was another of the four STAC players in double-figures, adding 14 points, while Watler (11) and Jonathan Lawton (10) contributed to the attack. Gaskins contributed 15 for the Purple Knights, who were forced into 24 turnovers leading to 38 Spartan points.

The Spartans return to action tomorrow, Sunday, November 15, in the weekend finale against St. Anselm's College, with tipoff time set for 4:30 pm. They will host Felician University in a 7:00 pm tip on Wednesday night, before traveling down the road to participate in the Dominican College Tournament next weekend.

- Steve Balsan, St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information