Waterbury, Conn. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team earned a hard-fought 83-74 overtime road victory over Post University on Tuesday evening in a pre-Thanksgiving non-conference tilt at the Drubner Center.

STAC moves to 4-1 on the season, while Post falls to 3-2.

Jamal Barnes led the way for the Spartans, posting 19 points, while Antonio Vendola (16 points), Luis Risquez (12 points) and James Patterson (11 points) also scored in double-figures.

STAC shot 38.8 percent from the field (31-80) and 37.0 percent from the free-throw line (10-27), while Post shot 39.7 percent (27-68) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• All ten STAC players recorded double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Antonio Vendola and Vasilis Tolias both led the Spartans with two assists apiece on the night.
• Jamal Barnes made 7 of his 13 field goal attempts, 5-of-10 from three, while Luis Risquez went 6-for-10 from the floor.
• Post out rebounded STAC by a margin of 53-41, with James Patterson grabbing a team-leading eight boards.
• St. Thomas Aquinas picked up 12 steals in the contest, with the Eagles turning the ball over on 29 different occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in four team statistical categories over Post: Points off of Turnovers (26-9), Second Chance Points (14-10), Fastbreak Points (12-4) and Bench Points (33-22).
• The game featured ten ties and nine lead changes.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Post opened the contest on a 12-3 run, with STAC's lone points coming via an Antonio Vendola free-throw and a Richard Smith jumper in the first 2:06 of action.
• The Spartans cut the deficit to just two (12-10) with a 7-0 run of their own over the next seven minutes of play.
• Back and forth action ensued with the visitors in maroon and gold finally earning the lead with 8:01 to play on an Antonio Vendola trey to make it 20-19.
• A pair of Eagles free throws gave the hosts back the lead at 28-27, after trailing by as much as five on two occasions.
• STAC's mini 4-0 streak before the halftime buzzer on the strength of a Vendola free throw and a James Patterson three-point play put the Spartans ahead 31-28 as the teams headed to their respective locker rooms.
• Jamal Barnes paced the Spartans offense with 11 first-half points, while Isaiah Holmes led the Eagles with nine points.
• Following the break, the see-saw affair between the teams continued, with the teams exchanging buckets and subsequently the lead on many occasions over the first seven and a half minutes of action to start the second half.
• A Vasilis Tolias layup finally gave the Spartans some breathing room at 48-43, but it would be short-lived with Post climbing back within two (48-46) with ten and half left to play.
• STAC continued its hard work and made it a six-point game twice (52-46) and (55-49). However, the host Eagles fought back to tie the game twice (55-55) and (57-57) with six and a half minutes to play.
• The sides battled for time and space on the hardwood and it resulted in multiple tied scored and lead changes for both sides over the next three minutes.
• Up four (67-63) on another Vendola three and then six (69-63) via a Richard Smith layup, the Spartans seemed to be in control of the game with 2:30 left.
• A late 6-0 run by Post turned the scoreboard on its head, as the host Eagles managed to tie up the game and force overtime.
• In the extra session, STAC built a five-point advantage when a James Patterson jumper and Antonio Vendola three both sailed through the net to make it 74-69 with just under four minutes to play in the first overtime period.
• Post cut the lead back to three (74-71), but the Spartans closed things out with a 9-3 run, as Jamal Barnes (3 points), Kyle Jones (4 points), and Antonio Vendola (2 points) helped seal the deal in the final two minutes of action to take the game in extra time.

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