Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team put a wrap on its 2023-24 regular season Saturday, with a 120-86 rout of Mercy University at the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center.

No. 14/17 ranked STAC improves to 23-5 overall and 14-2 within the ECC, and now prepares for the upcoming ECC Men's Basketball Tournament. Mercy closes out the year at 2-24 and 1-15.

James Patterson led the way for the Spartans with a game-high 22 points, while teammates Ethan Millirons (18 points), Kyle Pulliam (17 points), Javion Patterson (11 points) and Zion Ruckard (10 points) also posted double figures in scoring.

STAC shot a blistering 54.8 percent (46-84) from the field and 56.8 percent (21-37) from three, while Mercy shot 43.7 percent (31-71) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eleven Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Shaun Arnold led the maroon and gold with eight assists on the afternoon.
• James Patterson hit 8 of his 19 field goal attempts, with five shots going in from downtown. Meanwhile, Ethan Millirons went 6-for-8 from the floor with all six shots falling from beyond the arc.
• STAC out-rebounded Mercy by a 46-38 margin, with Lawrence Foreman each grabbing a game-high nine boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up seven steals, with the Mavericks turning the ball over on 16 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in four team statistical categories over Mercy: Points off Turnovers (30-4), Points in the Paint (42-28), Fastbreak Points (28-17) and Bench Points (63-24).
• The game featured no ties and one lead change.
• STAC's largest lead of the contest came with 3:05 remaining in the second half, when Spartans led by 37 points, 113-76 on a Jordan Green dunk.
• The Spartans held a 53-33 advantage going into the halftime locker room.
• Ethan Millirons led all scorers with 15 first half points for the Spartans, while also shooting 71.4 percent (5-for-7) from both the field and three-point.
• STAC shot 51.2 percent (21-of-41) from the floor and 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from beyond the arc in the first half.

MERCY NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Mavericks logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Alex May led Mercy with 21 points, while teammates Garrett Kirkland (17pts), Taj Chiles (13pts), Sean Conroy (12pts) and Jayden Dewaal (11pts) also scored in double digits.
• Chiles led Mercy with a team-high six assists on the afternoon.
• Alex May went 7-of-12 from the floor, with Garrett Kirkland hitting 6 of his 17 field goal attempts.
• May also grabbed a team-high eight boards for the Mavericks.
• Mercy picked up five steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on seven separate occasions.
• The Mavericks earned one advantage in the team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Second Chance Points (19-15).
• Alex May led Mercy with 11 points in the opening half.
• The host Mavericks only led once in the game, going up 2-0 at 19:07 of the first half.

UP NEXT:

Top seeded St. Thomas Aquinas receives a bye into the semifinal round of the East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament and will next play on Saturday, March 9, against the winner of Wednesday's first round matchup between #4 Roberts Wesleyan University and #5 University of the District of Columbia. The Spartans and Redhawks or Firebirds will tip-off at noon inside of Aquinas Hall Gymnasium on the STAC campus in Sparkill.