Buffalo, N.Y. - The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team earned their seventh straight victory on Friday evening by taking a 63-56 East Coast Conference decision over D'Youville University at Saints Center in Western New York.

STAC improves to 14-10 overall and 10-2 in ECC play, while D'Youville falls to 6-15 and 6-7.

Starrell Hearns led the way with a game-high 22 points, followed by teammate Derrick James (18 points), who also scored in double figures. Meanwhile, Elisha Warren paced the host Saints with a team-high 19 points.

STAC shot 39.7 percent (23-58) from the field, while D'Youville shot 39.0 percent (23-59) from the floor.

STAC NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seven Spartans logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Starrell Hearns led the maroon and gold with four assists on the night.
• Hearns hit 9 of his 17 field goal attempts, with 3-of-7 shots falling from long range. Meanwhile, Derrick James went 5-for-11 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the foul line.
• STAC out-rebounded D'Youville by a 40-29 count, with Jordan Green grabbing a team-high eight boards for the Spartans.
• St. Thomas Aquinas swiped seven steals, with the Saints turning the ball over on 14 separate occasions.
• The Spartans earned advantages in two team statistical categories over D'Youville: Second Chance Points (7-4) and Fastbreak Points (5-4).
• The game featured 10 ties and 14 lead changes.
• STAC's largest lead of the game came with just under 30 seconds to play in Friday's contest, when the Spartans led by seven points, 60-53, on a Derrick James free throw.
• St. Thomas Aquinas led D'Youville, 32-29 going into the halftime locker room and shot 44.8 percent (13-29) from the field, 57.1 percent (4-7) from three and 100.0 percent (2-2) from the charity stripe.
• Starrell Hearns led all scorers with 16 first half points for the Spartans, while shooting 60.0 percent (6-of-10) from the floor and 66.7 percent (2-of-3) from downtown.

D'YOUVILLE NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS:

• Eight Saints logged double-digit minutes in the contest. 
• Elisha Warren led D'Youville with 19 points, while Maxence Massadila (14 points) and Dawson Matsell (10 points) also scored in double figures.
• Maxence Massadila also led D'Youville with six assists on the evening.
• Warren went 7-for-11 from the floor and 4-of-7 from downtown. Meanwhile, Massadila went 6-for-11 from the field and 2-for-4 from three-point.
• Dawson Matsell also grabbed a game-high nine boards for the Saints.
• D'Youville picked up seven steals, with the Spartans turning the ball over on 16 separate occasions.
• The Saints earned one advantage in the team statistical categories over St. Thomas Aquinas: Points off Turnovers (14-10).
• Dawson Matsell led all Saints scorers with 10 first half points, while shooting 80.0 percent (4-of-5) from the field and 66.7 percent (2-of-3) from long distance.
• D'Youville's best shooting half came in the opening stanza, as the Saints shot 44.4 percent (12-27) from the floor and 35.7 percent (5-14) from beyond the arc.

UP NEXT:

STAC continues its Western New York road trip with a visit to Daemen University on Sunday, February 15. Opening tip between the Spartans and Wildcats is set for 2:00 p.m. at Lumsden Gymnasium.