Washington, D.C. - A strong second half, combined with four Spartans starters scoring in double figures, allowed for the St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team to cruise to a 92-71 victory over the University of the District of Columbia on Wednesday evening at the Dr. Edwin Bancroft Henderson Sports Complex in our Nation's Capital.

STAC improves to 17-8 overall and 9-3 in ECC action, while UDC falls to 4-16 and 2-10.

Derrick James recorded a team-high 18 points for the maroon and gold, while teammates Shaun Arnold (15 points), Luis Risquez (15 points) and Hartnel Haye (14 points) also factored in the Spartans' totals by scoring in double figures. Meanwhile, Tevin Curtis tallied 23 points for the host Firebirds.

STAC shot 46.2 percent from the field (30-65), while UDC shot 43.3 percent (26-60) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eleven Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the conference contest. 
• Derrick James led the maroon and gold with seven assists on the night.
• James hit 4 of his 11 field goal attempts and all seven of his free throws. Meanwhile, Shaun Arnold went 6-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-4 from the foul line.
• STAC out-rebounded District of Columbia by a 45-29 margin, with Deshawne Crim also grabbing a game-high nine boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas swiped seven steals, with the Firebirds turning the ball over on 21 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in four team statistical categories over District of Columbia: Points off Turnovers (23-19), Second Chance Points (19-12), Points in the Paint (52-30) and Fastbreak Points (17-16).
• The game featured four ties and four lead changes.
• STAC's largest lead of the game came in the closing seconds of Wednesday's contest, when Spartans led by 23 points, 92-69, on a Derrick James three-point jumper.
• St. Thomas Aquinas led UDC 38-33 going into the halftime locker room and shot 40.6 percent (13-22) from the field.
• Hartnel Haye led all Spartans scorers with eight first half points for the Spartans, while shooting 67.0 percent (2-of-3) from the floor and 100.0 (4-of-4) percent from the charity stripe in nine total minutes of action.
• STAC's best shooting half came in the second stanza, when the Spartans shot 51.5 percent (17-33) from the floor and outscored UDC 54-38 in the frame.
• STAC takes the regular season series from the Firebirds, 2-0 and is 23-4 in matchups dating back to the 2011-12 season.

UDC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Nine Firebirds logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Tevin Curtis led District of Columbia with 23 points, while Charles Holley, Jr. (17 points) and Rejuan Gray (13 points) also scored in double figures.
• Rejuan Gray also led District of Columbia with seven assists on the evening.
• Curtis went 9-for-21 from the floor. Meanwhile, Holley, Jr. went 5-for-11 from the field and 5-of-5 from the foul line.
• Justin Minor grabbed a team-high six boards for the Firebirds.
• District of Columbia picked up five steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 19 separate occasions.
• Tevin Curtis led all scorers with ten first half points, while shooting 50.0 percent (4-of-8) from the field in 13 minutes of action.

UP NEXT:

STAC hosts the College of Staten Island on Saturday, February 15 at Aquinas Hall Gym. The Spartans and Dolphins are set to get underway beginning at 4:00 p.m.