Sparkill, N.Y.- The Georgian Court University men's basketball squad, taking the floor for the first time in 2016, did not kick off the new calendar as it had hoped as the Lions suffered a 101-64 non-conference setback Saturday afternoon at St. Thomas Aquinas College.

The defeat puts GCU's overall mark at 2-10 while the Spartans increase thier record to 8-4. 

Georgian Court owned an 8-5 advantage (its final lead of the afternoon) 3:20 into the contest, which was erased after a STAC three-pointer at the 16:28 mark. The home team would take the lead for good after Sam Berlin (So.-Manassas, Va.) dropped in a lay-up at 14:24 to snap a 12-12 stalemate. 

The Spartans would proceed to outscore the Lions, 15-2, over the remaining 3:36 to take a 51-33 lead with them into the locker room for intermission. STAC proved to be relentless in the second stanza as the East Coast Conference foe mounted a 42-point advantage after coming out of the break on a 43-19 surge over the first 13:58 of the session.

Justin Reyes (RSo.-Havehill, Mass.) dazzled for the victors with a double-double contribution of 21 points and 12 boards. Shaqulle McFarlan (So.-Mesic, N.C.) added 12 points for STAC. Adam Koziol (Fr.-Charlotte, N.C.) and Jonathan Lawton (Fr.-Williamstown, N.J.) each dropped in 11 apiece for the Spartans while Jules de Courtenay (RSo.-Brisbane, Australia) reached double-digits with his 10.

Michael Pierre paced the Lions with his team-best 17 points. Claude Payne inserted 10 points in 30 minutes of action.

There is no time for GCU to hang their collective heads as the Lions return to action Monday evening with a 7:00 p.m. non-conference road game at Mercy College.