Rockville Centre, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball team returned to action on Wednesday evening, taking on Molloy University at Quealy Gymnasium on Long Island. Despite a relatively even matchup between the sides for the first three quarters, a strong fourth quarter run by the host Lions sent the Spartans to their eighth straight defeat, 76-64.

STAC slips to 4-20 overall and 2-12 in ECC play, while Molloy moves to 13-13 and 6-7.

Delaney Finnegan posted a game-high 20 points for the maroon and gold, while teammates Cassidy Mahaney (15 points) and Alaila Thomas (10 points) also scored in double figures. On the other side, Colleen McCullagh led the Lions with 19 points.

STAC shot 29.4 percent from the field (20-68), while Molloy shot 42.0 percent (29-69) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest.
• Trinity Cheatom and Abby Jacoby led the maroon and gold with three assists apiece on the evening.
• Delaney Finnegan hit 7 of her 14 field goal attempts, with 4-of-7 hitting the mark from long range. Meanwhile, Cassidy Mahaney went 4-for-15 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the foul line.
• Molloy out-rebounded STAC by a 52-42 margin, with Trinity Cheatom grabbing a game-high nine boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas forced 10 steals, with the Lions turning the ball over on 17 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned one advantage in the team statistical categories over Molloy: Points off Turnovers (19-16).
• The game featured 13 ties and 10 lead changes.
• STAC and Molloy were tied 36-36 at the half, with the Spartans shooting 39.2 percent (11-28) from the field, 50.0 percent (5-10) from three and 90.0 percent (9-10) from the free throw line.
• Delaney Finnegan and Cassidy Mahaney led all scorers with 10 first half points apiece for the Spartans.
• STAC's best shooting quarter came in the second stanza, with the Spartans shooting 46.7 percent (7-15) from the field and 60.0 percent (3-5) from beyond the arc and 75.0 percent (3-4) from the charity stripe.

MOLLOY NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Lions logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Colleen McCullagh led Molloy with 19 points. Teammates Samantha Muller (16 points), Janel Moore (14 points) and Danielle Hippner (10 points) also scored in double figures.
• Moore also led Molloy with six assists on the night.
• McCullagh went 8-for-14 from the floor, with Muller 7 of her 18 field goal attempts.
• Hippner, McCullagh and Casey Campo each grabbed a team-high eight boards for the Lions.
• Molloy picked up six steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 14 separate occasions.
• Molloy had its largest lead of the game (12 points) with just under 90 seconds to play in the fourth quarter, 73-61, on a Janel Moore free throw.
• The Lions earned advantages in four team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Second Chance Points (12-8), Points in the Paint (42-20), Fastbreak Points (10-4) and Bench Points (27-14).
• Samantha Muller led all Lions scorers at the half with eight points.
• Molloy's best shooting quarter came in the opening frame, with the Lions shooting 53.3 percent from the field (8-15) and 60.0 percent (3-5) from distance.

UP NEXT: 

STAC visits Queens College on Saturday, February 22. The Spartans and Knights will tangle in ECC action beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Gymnasium in Queens, New York.