The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team led at halftime before falling to Queens College, 65-56 in an East Coast Conference contest at Aquinas Hall. Briana Cook led the Lady Spartans with 13 points, but her team fell to 7-5 overall and 3-3 in the ECC with the setback. Queens improved to 10-3, 6-1 with the win.

After a slow start, the first half became a back-and-forth affair which saw several lead changes and the game tied on five occasions. With Queens holding a 20-17 lead just past the midway point of the first half, STAC's Samantha Burden hit a basket which keyed an 11-0 run to put the Spartans in a 28-20 lead with four minutes to go.

STAC would run that advantage to 10 points at 34-24, but the Knights would hit the final two baskets of the half to trim the deficit to six and seize momentum that they would carry after the break.

Queens would complete a 10-0 run to tie the score at 34-34, but the Lady Spartans appeared to stem the tide, with Kristen Olsen's jumper putting her team ahead, 43-38 with 12:45 left. Madison Rowland would take charge, leading her team on a 13-2 run to give the Knights a lead they would not relinquish. The Knights would not lead by more than nine points, but STAC was unable to draw closer than five thereafter.

In addition to Cook, Ashley Motrechuk added to the STAC offense with 11 points. Madison Rowland led all scorers with 13 points and had a game-high 11 caroms, while Joya McFarland added 17 points and MacKenzie Rowland added 14.

The Lady Spartans return to action this Saturday, January 11, when they host Molloy College in an East Coast Conference match-up. Game time at Aquinas Hall is set for 1:00 pm, as the front end of a double-header preceding the men's game at 3:00.