The St. Thomas Aquinas College women's basketball team, ranked #23 in the nation, rolled to a 70-55 victory in an East Coast Conference tilt at the University of the District of Columbia. The Lady Spartans improve to 14-2 overall and remain tied for first in the ECC with a perfect 6-0 record, while UDC drops to 2-14, 0-6.

Despite the disparity in records, the Lady Spartans had their hands full early, as Tyra Coombs hit a three to give UDC an 11-8 lead midway through the first quarter. Alex Bertolino tied the score from deep, setting off a 10-0 STAC run and providing a 21-14 lead after ten minutes. While the lead expanded to as many as 11 points in the second stanza, the hosts remained in striking distance at 35-28 at halftime.

Daeja Quick hit a pair from the line to the tally 35-33 but Julia Winnick and Adiya Henderson combined to score the next seven points for the Lady Spartans as part of a decisive 15-2 run, from which the visitors would not look back. While UDC was able to close the gap to as little as eight, they did not threaten thereafter.

Henderson led all scorers with 21 points, with Jenna Erickson adding 18 for STAC, which moved into a first-place tie in the standings with LIU Post. Mia-Alexis Lloyd paced the Firebirds with 16, with Coombs adding 10. The Lady Spartans shot an impressive 55% from the field (28-51) while forcing 26 UDC turnovers.

The Lady Spartans will play their 10th road game of their last 11 overall on Wednesday, January 17, with a 5:00 pm start at NYIT. They then play eight of their final 11 regular season games at home, returning to Aquinas Hall for a big ECC showdown with LIU Post on Saturday, January 20 at 1:00 pm.