Briana Sloper posted a game-high 19 points and 12 rebounds and Briana Cook added 16 points to lead the St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team to a 63-52 victory over the University of the District of Columbia at Aquinas Hall.
The victory was STAC's fourth straight and sixth in seven games as they improve to 6-3, 2-0. UDC suffered its first setback of the season in its first ever East Coast Conference tilt, falling to 7-1, 0-1.
The teams traded minimal leads in a tightly contested first half, but UDC appeared poised to enter the locker room with an advantage before Sylvia Davis' three-pointer from deep downtown in the waining seconds gave her Lady Spartans a 27-26 advantage. It was a lead they would not relinquish, as a 15-6 run after the break provided a double-digit cushion at 42-32.
UDC wasn't prepared to mail it in just yet, embarking on an 11-2 tear that closed the gap to 44-43 with just under eight minutes remaining. The hosts retained their composure, however, and extended their lead to as much as 13 in pulling away in the final minutes. In addition to the "B-to-B" combo (Sloper and Cook) putting the Lady Spartans in business, Davis played some key minutes off the bench, providing 11 points and six rebounds. The Firebirds were led by Janelle Junior's 16 points, while Dohnay Banice added nine points and grabbed eight boards.
STAC shot 42% from the field overall (22-53) while holding the visitors to just 27% (19-71). They outrebounded UDC by a 46-42 margin, and made a big difference at the foul line, shooting an impressive 18-21 (86%) while their foes struggled at 11-20 (55%).
Today's game was the second of three straight at Aquinas Hall, where the Lady Spartans enjoy a 4-1 record. The team will now have a week off before LeMoyne College pays a call on Saturday, December 17, at 1:00 pm, followed by the men taking on Rockland Country rival Dominican College. If you can't be there in person to be part of the Aquinas Hall Edge, you can catch all the video online via New Media Television Sports and follow along with our new Live Stats feature - just click the appropriate links on the team schedule page.