Sparkill, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team shook off a slow start in the first half of Saturday's ECC matchup with Queens College to earn its third straight victory, 71-48, at Aquinas Hall Gymnasium.

STAC improves to 17-10 overall and 11-4 in ECC play, while Queens falls to 7-18 and 3-11 on the year. 

Prior to the Spartans regular season home finale, the maroon and gold honored its graduating class, as Julia Reggio, Karolina Jaruseviciute and Angelique Holguin's collegiate careers were celebrated with on-court ceremonies, which included the athletes' families, teammates, coaches and college administrators.

When the teams got underway, Trinity Cheatom led the way for St. Thomas Aquinas with a game-high 19 points, while teammates Emily Strunk (13 points), Angelique Holguin (12 points) and Erin Leary (11 points) also posted double figures in scoring.

STAC shot 48.3 percent (29-60) from the field, while Queens shot 32.7 percent (17-52) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the conference contest. 
• Erin Leary led the maroon and gold with six assists on the afternoon.
• Trinity Cheatom hit 7 of her 12 field goal attempts, with five dropping in from distance. Meanwhile, Emily Strunk went 5-of-7 from the floor.
• STAC out-rebounded Queens by a slim 35-34 margin, with Sarah Ericson and Erin Leary both grabbing a game-high eight boards apiece for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up seven steals, with the Knights turning the ball over on 18 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in five team statistical categories over Queens: Points off Turnovers (19-11), Second Chance Points (14-8), Points in the Paint (24-16), Fastbreak Points (10-2) and Bench Points (21-2).
• The game featured no ties and no lead changes.
• STAC's largest lead of the contest came in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, when Spartans led by 25 points, 71-46 on a Joline Raposo made layup.
• St. Thomas Aquinas held a 25-22 advantage going into the halftime locker room.
• Angelique Holguin led the Spartans with six first half points, while shooting 60.0 percent (3-for 5) from the floor.
• STAC's had it's best shooting quarter in the third, going 11-for-15 (73.3 percent) from the field and 4-of-6 (67.7 percent) from downtown.
• The Spartans outscored the Knights 46-26 over the third and fourth quarters to pull away for the 23-point win.

QUEENS NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• All six Knights who suited up Saturday logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Jalea Abrams led Queens with 19 points, while teammate Brianna Davis (18pts) also scored in double figures.
• Nkiru Awaka led the Knights with a three assists on the day.
• Jalea Abrams went 6-for-18 from the floor, while Brianna Davis hit 6 of her 17 shots from the field.
• Davis grabbed a team-high seven boards for the Knights.
• Queens picked up five steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 14 separate occasions.
• Brianna Davis led all scorers with eight points in the opening half for Knights.
• Queens held a 13-12 advantage in the second quarter, but trailed in every other quarter.

UP NEXT:

STAC closes out its 2023-24 regular season schedule at Mercy University on Saturday, March 2. The Spartans and Mavericks will tip-off beginning at 3:00 p.m. inside of the Neil Judge Student Athlete Center in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.