Amherst, N.Y. - They say the third time is the charm, but for the St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team the fourth go around is now even more special. On Sunday evening, in front of a packed Lumsden Gymnasium the Spartans got their redemption, stunning the throngs of Wildcats fans in attendance by eliminating the top seed and undefeated hosts, Daemen University, 79-74.

No. 5 STAC improves to 25-9 and will take on No. 6 Assumption University in the NCAA Division II East Region Final on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. in Western New York. Assumption defeated No. 7 Dominican University, 81-75 earlier in the day. Meanwhile, Daemen closes out its 2024-2025 campaign at 28-1.

In addition to bowing out of the tournament, the Wildcats also became the final men's hoops team in either NCAA Division I, II or III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to suffer their first defeat of the season.

Hartnel Haye led the way for St. Thomas Aquinas with a team-high 12 points. Teammates Derrick James (10 points) and Kyle Jones (10 points) also posted double figures in scoring. Benjamin Bill led all scorers, tallying 22 points for Daemen.

STAC shot 43.9 percent (29-66) from the field and 80.0 percent (16-20) from the foul line, while Daemen shot 40.6 percent (26-64) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Nine Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Derrick James led the maroon and gold with eight assists on the night.
• Hartnel Haye hit 6 of his 9 field goal attempts, while Kyle Jones went 2-of-6 from the floor, but sank all six of his free throw attempts and Derrick James shot 2-of-5 from the field and went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.
• Hartnel Haye also grabbed a team-high nine boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas swiped five steals, with the Wildcats turning the ball over on 14 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in three team statistical categories over Daemen: Points off Turnovers (20-9), Second Chance Points (18-12) and Points in the Paint (38-32).
• The game featured three ties and six lead changes.
• STAC's largest lead of the game came with just under eight minutes to play in the contest, when Spartans led by nine points, 67-58, on a Tommy Kelly layup.
• Hartnel Haye led all Spartans scorers with 12 first half points. Haye shot 67.0 percent (6-of-9) from the field.
• STAC's best shooting half came in the second stanza, where the Spartans shot 41.2 percent (14-34) from the floor, 60.0 percent (3-5) from beyond the arc and 83.3 percent (10-12) from the foul line.
• St. Thomas Aquinas is now 23-14 in 37 total matchups with Daemen going back to the 1997-98 season.

DAEMEN NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Wildcats logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Benjamin Bill led Daemen with 22 points, while Justin Glover (15 points), Zach Philipkoski (15 points) and Ryan Salzberg (11 points) also scored in double figures.
• Justin Hemphill led Daemen with six assists on the evening.
• Bill went 8-for-15 from the floor and 6-of-10 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Glover went 5-for-10 from the field and 4-of-8 from distance and Philipkoski shot 5-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the foul line.
• Daemen out-rebounded St. Thomas Aquinas by slim 42-40 margin, with Bill also grabbing a game-high 12 boards for the Wildcats.
• Daemen picked up five steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on nine separate occasions.
• The Wildcats earned advantages in two team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Fastbreak Points (11-9) and Bench Points (41-33).
• Daemen's largest lead of the game came with just over five minutes to play in the opening half, when Wildcats led by 12 points, 36-24, on a Matt Becker three-point jumper.
• Daemen led STAC 43-38 going into the halftime locker room and shot 42.9 percent (15-35) from the floor, 43.8 percent (7-16) from downtown and 66.7 percent (6-9) from the charity stripe.
• Justin Glover and Benjamin Bill led all Wildcats scorers with 12 first half points apiece. Glover shot 50.0 percent (4-of-8) from the floor, with 57.1 percent (4-of-7) of his shots sailing through the nets from distance and Bill shot 50.0 percent (4-of-8) from the field and 80.0 percent (4-of-5) from the free throw line.

UP NEXT:

No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas and No. 6 Assumption will square off in third round action (Sweet 16 & East Region Final) of the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball East Region Tournament on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. The winner will advance to the Elite Eight Quarterfinal Round in Evansville, Indiana, which begins on Tuesday, March 25.

The teams will do battle for the first time this season and last met on December 14, 2022 at Aquinas Hall in Sparkill, New York. STAC powered their way to a 72-58 home court victory over the Greyhounds. Dating back to their first meeting during the 1981-82 season, the sides have split six total matchups, with each squad winning three games apiece.

A familiar face will also take part in Tuesday's regional final, as former Spartan Jamal Barnes will be in action for Assumption. Barnes transferred to the Worcester, Massachusetts school for his grad year after spending the last four seasons wearing maroon and gold.

2025 NCAA DIVISION II MEN'S BASKETBALL EAST REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

All Games Played at Lumsden Gymnasium (Daemen University) – Amherst, N.Y.

Quarterfinals – Saturday, March 15
12:00 p.m. - No. 6 Assumption 92 vs. No. 3 Southern New Hampshire 66

2:30 p.m. - No. 7 Dominican 85 vs. No. 2 Adelphi 66

5:00 p.m. - No. 8 Bridgeport 68 vs. No. 1 Daemen 80

7:30 p.m. - No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas 79 vs. No. 4 Pace 72

Semifinals – Sunday, March 16
5:00 p.m. - No. 7 Dominican 75 vs. No. 6 Assumption 81

7:30 p.m. - No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas 79 vs. No. 1 Daemen 74

Final – Tuesday, March 18
7:00 p.m. - No. 6 Assumption vs. No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas