SPARKILL, New York American International College men's basketball continued its challenging schedule with a battle against the nation's 11th-ranked team, Saint Thomas Aquinas College. The Yellow Jackets scored 42 points in each half, but the Spartans defended their home court with a 90-84 win.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score: No. 11 STAC 90, AIC 84
Record:AIC falls to 0-4, while STAC moves to 10-0
Location:Aquinas Hall Gym Sparkill, New York

STAT LEADERS:
AIC:
Xion Golding: 15 points, seven rebounds, five-of-seven from the field
Franklyn Batista; 12 points, 10 rebounds
Walter Covington: 12 points
Carlos Hubb: 12 points
Donovan Miller: 11 points, three rebounds, four assists

STAC:
Grant Singleton: 22 points, seven rebounds
Osbel Caraballo: 19 points, seven rebounds
Demetre Roberts: 13 points, two rebounds, nine assists
Elijah Bovell: 12 points, six rebounds
Louis Griffith: 10 points, four rebounds

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Spartans scored the first points of the game off the tip with a layup. The action for AIC started off with a steal by senior Shyheim Hicks, who found freshman Donovan Miller open for a three that gave AIC a one-point advantage 30 seconds into the game.
• At the 17:41 mark, the home team led 12-5, but the Yellow Jackets started to make a push off another three by Covington off the pass from junior Franklyn Batista. The Spartans answered with a jumper of their own, and Xion Golding brought it back within four with a rim-run dunk. The points kept rolling for the Yellow Jackets as Batista grabbed a defensive board and pulled up in transition to make it a one-possession game. On the very next possession, Covington kept his groove going from deep with another basket and gave AIC the 15-14 lead.
• The Spartans tried to end the run with a layup on the other end, but this time Hubb let it fly from beyond the arc and watched it go through the nylon. After forcing a bad shot on the other end of the court, senior Jordan Vidal put AIC up 20-16 and forced a STAC timeout with 12:47 on the clock.
• Out of the huddle, the two teams traded baskets until the 8:12 mark when the Spartans took a three-point lead. They continued to roll as they took 10 of the next 14 points and extended their lead to nine, 42-33.
• Miller ended the opponent's run with a jumper in the paint with almost five and a half minutes left in the opening frame. Covington hit his third three of the first half close to a minute later followed by a jumper by senior Xion Golding that made it a 42-40 game.
• The teams traded baskets in the final two minutes and change as the 11th-ranked Spartans led 44-42 at the break.
• The second half saw lots of scoring in the first minute and fifteen seconds as the two teams each scored two jumpers before redshirt-junior Bane Terzic tied the game up with a jumper. From the 18-minute mark of the final frame until the 4:14 mark, the game saw 14 lead changes and seven ties.
• With 4:14 remaining left in the game, the score was knotted at 80. The Spartans broke the tie with a three 50 seconds later, but Vidal brought it back within one two possessions later.
• Trailing 87-82, Batista made a clutch tip-in from the left block to bring it within one possession with 36 seconds on the clock.
• In the full-court press, Spartan Demetre Roberts dribbled across half-court in the left corner as Hubb tried to poke the ball free but was called for the foul. Roberts hit the first free throw but missed the second. His teammate Kevin Lynch turned the ball over to Vidal after coming down with the rebound, but the Yellow Jackets were unable to convert as the Spartans snatched the rebound with 21 seconds left that forced the Yellow Jackets to foul. Louis Griffith knocked down two shots at the line and gave the Spartans the 90-84 win.

UP NEXT:

• The Yellow Jackets return to action on Friday, February 26 when they host The College of Saint Rose at 5 p.m.
• Owing to continued restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, spectators are not permitted for home games; the game will be available to stream for free on theNE10 Now Network.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates on the men's basketball team, follow@AIC_MBBonTwitterandInstagram. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticsonTwitterandInstagram, and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook.