Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team used a 16-7 run over the final 3:41 to propel themselves to a 87-79 victory over Goldey-Beacom College on Wednesday evening in the team's 2021-2022 home opener at Aquinas Hall in Sparkill.

Eight different players recorded a point for the Spartans (3-2), with Demetre Roberts leading the way with 28 points. Grant Singleton (15 points), Antonio Vendola (13 points) and Osbel Caraballo (10 points) also scored in double-figures on the evening.

STAC shot 50.0 percent from the field (30-60) in contest, while making 13-of-34 (38.2%) shots from behind the arc and 14-of-16 (87.5%) from the foul line. Goldey-Beacom shot 46.6% (27-58) and made 17-of-22 (77.3%) free throws.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Nine different players recorded double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• DeVante Jamison led the Spartans with 7 assists on the evening.
• Demetre Roberts made 9-of-17 shots from the field and drained 5-of-11 threes taken.
• The teams battled through two ties and three lead changes, with STAC taking over the game on the scoreboard with 3:41 remaining in regulation.
• The Spartans were 13-29 (44.8%) from the field in the first half and 17-31 (54.8%) in the second half.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up seven steals on the night, while forcing 16 Goldey-Beacom turnovers.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Goldey-Beacom came out strong, building a 17-10 lead at the 12-minute media timeout.
• STAC would chip away at the Lightning lead, but the visitors would continue to score, maintaining a seven-point advantage (26-19) with eight minutes to go in the opening stanza.
• GBC built an 11-point lead late in the first half and went into the halftime locker room holding a 44-35 mark through 20 minutes of action
• Demetre Roberts paced the offense for the Spartans in the first half, with 10 points, while Nazem Derry dropped 20 points in the opening frame.
• St. Thomas Aquinas came out of the break, going on an 11-2 run to tie the game at 46 with 16:31 remaining in the game.
• The teams would trade buckets with Goldey-Beacom going up by as much as nine points, before STAC chipped away at the Lightning lead and eventually got within one point with just under five minutes remaining.
• The Spartans took the lead with 3:41 left on a Demetre Roberts 3-point jump shot to make 74-72 and never relinquished it, to seal a 87-79 home victory.
• STAC's bench scored 47 of the team's 87 total points.
• St. Thomas Aquinas logged 14 points off of turnovers and 26 points inside of the paint.

UP NEXT: St. Thomas Aquinas heads back out on the road to face Findlay University on Saturday, November 20. Tipoff is set for 1pm in Ohio.