The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team will take on Queens College in the East Coast Conference Tournament semi-finals on Saturday, March 7, at LIU Post at 2:30 pm. The winner advances to the championship game on Sunday at noon.

The Season - St. Thomas Aquinas College closed the regular season strong to earn the sixth and final seed in the ECC Tournament with a 9-11 conference record. The Lady Spartans enter the weekend with momentum, having won five of their last seven games, with the two losses coming by a combined seven points. STAC pulled a first-round upset on Wednesday night, traveling to Roberts Wesleyan and downing the #3 seed Redhawks in an impressive 69-58 triumph, with the Lady Spartans' record improving to 14-16 overall.

Queens enters play at 20-7 overall and 15-5 in conference play. The Knights earned their first round bye the hard way, dropping their final contest at home against Bridgeport, only to take the #2 slot when Roberts Wesleyan also lost in its final game. Queens had won its previous four games before the setback, and took seven straight earlier in the season.

The ECC Tournament - The top six teams in the ECC standings qualified for this year's tournament (Daemen was ineligible as a provisional member. In Wednesday's first round games at campus sites, in addition to the #6 Lady Spartans topping #3 Roberts Wesleyan, #5 seeded NYIT emerged with a 76-71 victory at #4 LIU Post. NYIT will face #1 UDC in Saturday's first semi starting at noon, followed by the game between STAC and #2 Queens.

(For Full ECC Tournament Info, Click Here)

Previous Meetings - December 17, 2014 - @ Queens 70, STAC 69 (box score, recap)

STAC trails by 10 at the half and rallies to within one, but can't overcome the Knights on their home court. Jenna Erickson posts 19 points and Alyson Brennan adds 15 for the Lady Spartans, but Queens is boosted by Madison Rowland's game-high 20, with sister MacKenzie adding 17.

February 4, 2015 - Queens 68, STAC 48 (box score, recap)

Red hot Queens rides Madison Rowland's 29 points to victory and a temporary hold on first place in the conference. MacKenzie Rowland adds 15 points and 16 rebounds, offsetting STAC's Sam Burden, who recorded 14 points.

What's Next? - The winner of the STAC-Queens game will take on the winner of the day's previous contest featuring #1 UDC and #5 NYIT in the conference championship. That game will be played on Sunday, March 8, at 12:00 noon at the Pratt Recreation Center at LIU Post. The ECC Tournament Champions earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament.