Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team received double-double efforts from James Patterson, Rich Smith and Lawrence Foreman as the maroon and gold scored a 101-84 victory over Roberts Wesleyan University on Sunday afternoon at Aquinas Hall Gym.

STAC moves to 19-3 overall and 10-1 in the ECC, while Roberts Wesleyan falls to 8-10 and 5-5.

James Patterson led the way for the Spartans with a game-high 30 points to go along with 10 rebounds, while teammates Rich Smith (13 points & 10 rebounds), Kyle Pulliam (13 points), Jamal Barnes (13 points) and Lawrence Foreman (10 points & 10 rebounds) also posted double figures in scoring.

STAC shot 50.7 percent (38-75) from the field, while Roberts Wesleyan shot 48.5 percent (33-68) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Rich Smith led the maroon and gold with five assists on the afternoon.
• James Patterson hit 11 of his 26 field goal attempts and went 6-for-11 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Rich Smith went 5-for-9 from the floor.
• STAC out-rebounded Roberts Wesleyan by a 53-32 margin, with James Patterson, Rich Smith and Lawrence Foreman each grabbing a team-high 10 boards apiece for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up seven steals, with the Redhawks turning the ball over on 12 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in four team statistical categories over Roberts Wesleyan: Points off Turnovers (13-7), Second Chance Points (26-10), Points in the Paint (50-38) and Bench Points (28-23).
• The game featured five ties and 13 lead changes.
• STAC's largest lead of the contest came with 2:20 remaining in the second half, when Spartans led by 18 points, 95-77 on the second two free throws by James Patterson.
• The Spartans held a 57-46 advantage going into the halftime locker room.
• James Patterson led all scorers with 16 first half points for the Spartans, while also shooting 60.0 percent (6-for-10) from the field and 66.6 percent (2-for-3) from downtown.
• STAC shot a blistering 61.1 percent (22-of-36) from the floor, 69.2 percent (9-of-13) from beyond the arc in the first half.

ROBERTS WESLEYAN NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Redhawks logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Kevin Constant led Roberts Wesleyan with 16 points, while teammates Jermaine Taggart II (15pts), Isaiah Elmore (15pts), Malik Brooks (13pts & 14 rebs) and Ryan Garwood (11pts) also scored in double digits.
• Elmore and Brooks led RWU with a game-high five assists apiece on the afternoon.
• Kevin Constant went 7-or-9 from the floor, with Jermaine Taggart II hitting 6 of his 9 field goal attempts.
• Malik Brooks grabbed a game-high 14 boards for the Redhawks.
• Roberts Wesleyan picked up five steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 12 separate occasions.
• Isaiah Elmore led Redhawks with 11 points in the opening half.
• Roberts Wesleyan shot 52.8 percent (19-of-36) from the field in the first half. 
• The visiting Redhawks picked up 24 foul calls in the game with both Marlon Pratt, Jr. and Ryan Garwood fouling out late in the second half.
• RWU was able to cut their deficit to just three points on a pair of occasions in the second half, but the powerful Spartans' offense quickly increased its advantages in both instances.

UP NEXT:

St. Thomas Aquinas hosts crosstown rivals Dominican University on Wednesday, February 14 in the 2024 Doc Schelin Classic at Aquinas Hall Gymnasium. The Spartans and Chargers will tip-off at 7:00 p.m., with ceremonies in honor and memory of Dr. Robert Schelin, former STAC Dean of Student Affairs and Professor of History and Political Science, taking place prior to the non-conference clash.

SPECIAL ADVISORY: 

-Due to the anticipated sellout crowd expected at Aquinas Hall, we ask that all fans please purchase their tickets online in advance of Tuesday night's contest (PURCHASE TICKETS HERE).

-Once tickets sell out, there will not be any tickets available either online or at the door, and fans without tickets will have to view the game via our webstream on the SPARTAN SPORTS NETWORK.

-Only those fans who have tickets will be allowed inside Aquinas Hall, NO EXCEPTIONS!

-All tickets purchased for Tuesday's game will be honored on Wednesday.