Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team had to fend off a late game rally by Molloy College on Wednesday evening, as the Spartans went on to defeat the Lions, 82-78 at Quealy Gymnasium.

STAC improves to 18-4 and 11-1 in the ECC, while the Lions drop to 7-15 and 6-7 in conference play.

Five Spartans scored in double-figures, as Demetre Roberts led the way with 24 points, followed by Osbel Caraballo (18 points), DeVante Jamison (13 points) Grant Singleton (10 points) and Jamal Barnes (10 points). Darren Fergus led all scorers with 28 points for Molloy. 

STAC shot 50.9 percent from the field (29-57) in the conference contest, while Molloy shot 45.0% (27-60) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven players logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• DeVante Jamison and Demetre Roberts led the Spartans with six assists each on the night.
• Roberts made seven of his 13 field goal attempts. Osbel Caraballo went 7-for-15 from the floor.
• The Spartans were 13-29 (44.8%) from the field in the first half and 16-18 (57.1%) from the floor in the second half.
• STAC out rebounded Molloy by a 36 to 29 margin through 40 minutes of action, with Osbel Caraballo leading the way for the Spartans, grabbing 10 boards.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up six steals in the contest, with the Lions turning the ball over on 14 different occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in two team statistical categories over Molloy: Fastbreak Points (24-10) and Bench Points (12-8).
• The win is the sixth straight for St. Thomas Aquinas and the team's ninth victory in their last ten games.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Molloy led, 8-4, three minutes into the game, before STAC responded with a 11-0 run to go up 15-8 with over 14 minutes to play in the half.
• The host Lions would shrink the deficit to four at 19-15, before STAC would go back up by eight (25-17).
• However, consecutive three's brought the Lions within two, 25-23, with under six minutes remaining in the opening stanza.
• The Spartans then responded with a 9-0 run in the next 90 seconds, to extend its lead to 11, 34-23, just before the four-minute media timeout.
• Molloy would get back within four points at 34-30, before a Jamal Barnes three would give the STAC a 37-30 lead, which they would take into the locker room at halftime.
• Demetre Roberts paced the Spartans in the first half with 11 points, while Darren Fergus led the way for Molloy with nine points.
• Coming out of the break, the two teams traded baskets. St. Thomas Aquinas held a six point advantage, 45-39, with 16:38 left in regulation time.
• Over the next five minutes of game time, the Spartans regained its double-digit lead, 58-47.
• Molloy battled back, cutting the deficit to three, 68-65 with 6:07 remaining.
• STAC responded with a mini 5-0 run to give them an eight point cushion, 73-65, with over four minutes to go.
• The host Lions answered, putting together an 8-2 run to only trail by two, 75-73 with 1:33 left to play.
• A clutch three by DeVante Jamison and two made free-throws Demetre Roberts gave St. Thomas Aquinas a 80-74 advantage with just over 20 seconds to go on the clock.
• Back-to-back layups from Molloy's Kenny Lazo and Darren Fergus made the deficit two, 80-78, with eight seconds remaining. 
• Two Jamal Barnes free-throws with seven seconds left sealed the 82-78 road victory for the Spartans.

UP NEXT:

St. Thomas Aquinas hosts Queens College in an Aquinas Hall Senior Day doubleheader on Saturday, February 12. Opening tip is scheduled for 3pm in Sparkill, with pregame ceremonies to precede the matchup between the Spartans and Knights.