Indiana, Pa. - Following a brief break to celebrate Thanksgiving, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team got back to work on Saturday evening, taking on the defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Champions from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the 2023 IRMC Thanksgiving Classic. The maroon and gold were relentless in their non-conference showdown with the Crimson Hawks, taking the contest, 81-64 at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex.

STAC improves to 5-1 on the year, while IUP slips to 1-3.

James Patterson led the way for the Spartans, posting 30 points, while teammates Jamal Barnes (18pts) and Ethan Millirons (16pts) also recorded double-digit point totals.

STAC shot 52.5 percent from the field (31-59) and a blistering 51.9 percent from beyond the arc (14-27), while Indiana (Pa.) shot 38.3 percent (23-60) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Ten Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Rich Smith led the maroon and gold with five assists on the evening.
• James Patterson made 12 of his 21 field goal attempts, while Jamal Barnes went 6-for-10 from the floor and 6-for-8 from three.
• IUP out-rebounded STAC by a slim 36-35 margin, with Patterson grabbing a game-high eight boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up 10 steals, with the Crimson Hawks turning the ball over on 12 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in two team statistical categories over Indiana (Pa.): Points off Turnovers (15-7) and Bench Points (22-8).
• The game featured two ties and three lead changes.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• IUP opened the contest with a 7-2 run, before a James Patterson jumper and three-pointer on back-to-back possessions tied the game at 7-7.
• The Crimson Hawks regained the lead and built a seven-point advantage (19-12), but James Patterson, Kyle Pulliam and Ethan Millirons battled the hosts to cut the Spartans deficit to just one point (23-22) with 8:44 remaining in the first half. 
• Jamal Barnes, Patterson and Zion Ruckard led STAC's 7-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to put the maroon and gold up six, at 29-23.
• Indiana (Pa.) tried to regain its earlier swag, but the relentless Spartans matched their hosts, shot for shot. Ethan Millirons, Kyle Pulliam, Rich Smith and Jamal Barnes all hit key shots in the final four minutes of the opening stanza to extend the STAC lead to nine, 40-31 through the first 20 minutes of action.
• James Patterson recorded 12 first half points for the Spartans, while Ethan Porterfield led all scorers, dropping 15 points for the Crimson Hawks in the frame.
• When the teams returned to the court for the second half, an early 7-3 run by IUP helped get them within five, 43-38.
• A James Patterson layup, along with a Jamal Barnes trey quickly extended the STAC lead to 10, at 48-38.
• Again, IUP would fight back, narrowing the scoreboard to six (51-45), before Patterson and Ethan Millirons hit key buckets to keep the hosts at an arm's length, this time by 11 points (56-45) with 15 minutes left in regulation.
• The sides continued to battle, with the STAC lead remaining around 10 to 11 points for the middle part of the frame.
• Maintaining its double-digit lead down the stretch, James Patterson (14), Javion Patterson (2), Ethan Millirons (5) and Rich Smith (4) would seal the victory for the Spartans, combining for 25 points over the final 12:44.
• STAC held its largest lead of the contest, 17 points (81-64) in the final 30 seconds to close things out for the victory.

UP NEXT:

STAC will have a quick turnaround, playing on Sunday, November 26 (3:00 p.m.) against the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown in the final day of the 2023 IRMC Thanksgiving Classic in Indiana, Pennsylvania.