Staten Island, N.Y. - Despite putting up 53 first half points on Saturday, the St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team dropped a 98-90 decision to Assumption University to wrap up the two-day Tournament of Heroes, hosted by the College of Staten Island. 

Down by ten points at the break, the Greyhounds rallied to outscore the Spartans by a 55-37 margin in the second half to take the rematch of the NCAA D2 East Region Final from a year ago.

STAC slips to 1-1 on the year, while Assumption jumps to 2-0 on the young season.

William Landram II led the STAC offense with a game-high 27 points, while Starrell Hearns (19 points) and Jordan Green (13 points) also scored in double-figures for the maroon and gold. Noah Payne paced Assumption's scoring with a team-high 22 points on the afternoon. 

St. Thomas Aquinas shot 55.5 percent from the field (33-60), while Assumption shot 50.0 percent (33-66) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Nine Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Starrell Hearns led the maroon and gold with seven assists on the day.
• William Landram II hit 10 of his 16 field goal attempts, with 4-of-10 going in from beyond the arc, and 3-of-6 free throws. Hearns went 7-of-13 from the floor and 4-for-6 from the charity stripe.
• STAC out-rebounded Assumption by a 35-29 margin, with Landram II and Joshua Michigan grabbing a game-high six boards apiece for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas swiped six steals, with the Greyhounds turning the ball over on 14 separate occasions.
• The game featured three ties and four lead changes.
• St. Thomas Aquinas' largest lead of the game came with just over two minutes to play in the first half, when the Spartans led by 10 points, 48-38, on a Jordan Green layup.
• William Landram II led all scorers with 21 first half points for the Spartans, while shooting 88.0 percent (7-of-8) from the floor, 80.0 percent (4-for-5) from three-point and 60.0 percent (3-for-5) from the free-throw line.
• STAC's best shooting half came in the opening stanza, as the maroon and gold shot 68.0 percent (17-25) from the field, 57.1 percent (4-7) from downtown and 71.4 percent (15-21) from the foul line.

ASSUMPTION NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Greyhounds logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Noah Payne led Assumption with 22 points, while Barilugbene Mawo (17 points), Daouda Dembele (17 points) and Leonard Tangishaka (16 points) also scored in double figures.
• Zamareon McCown led Assumption with seven assists on the afternoon.
• Payne went 7-for-11 from the floor and 4-of-5 from both the three-point and free throw lines. 
• Dembele and Tangishaka also grabbed a game-high six boards apiece for the Greyhounds
• Assumption picked up ten steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 22 separate occasions.
• The Greyhounds earned advantages in four team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Points Off Turnovers (22-18), Second Chance Points (20-9), Fastbreak Points (20-12) and Bench Points (30-21).
• Assumption's largest lead of the game came with just under 30 seconds to play in the contest, when the Greyhounds led by 10 points, 96-86, on a Daouda Dembele dunk.
• Daouda Dembele led all Greyhounds scorers with 10 first half points, while shooting 50.0 percent (3-for-6) from field and 75.0 percent (3-of-4) from the charity stripe.
• Assumption's best shooting half came in the second frame, as the Greyhounds shot 66.7 percent (18-27) from the field, 60.0 percent (6-10) from long range and 76.5 percent (13-17) from the foul line.

UP NEXT:

STAC heads to the City of Brotherly love on Wednesday, November 19 (8:00 p.m.) for a non-conference tilt with Jefferson University.