RUTHERFORD, N.J. – St. Thomas Aquinas College turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 14-point fourth-quarter lead and held on for a 68-63 non-conference women's basketball victory over host Felician University on Saturday afternoon at Job Gymnasium. Felician was playing its 2021-22 home opener.

Felician sophomore swing player Briana Lee (Jersey City, N.J./Irvington) led all players with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Sophomore forward Angelique Holguin (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy) topped five double-figure scorers for St. Thomas Aquinas (1-3) with 13 points and five rebounds.

Felician jumped out to a 16-6 lead after seven minutes of play and was still ahead, 16-13, after one period. Down, 30-29, at halftime, the Spartans went out on top for good, 38-36, on a three-point field goal by Julia Reggio (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) with 5:18 left until halftime. Ahead by four, STAC received consecutive threes from Liliana Kramer (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) and Reggio in the closing minutes of the third before a Catherine Lecop (Madrid, Spain/Lycee Moliere) free throw brought the hosts to within 48-39 at the third-period buzzer.

STAC took its largest lead at 60-46 on a Holguin layup with 2:53 remaining in regulation time. The Golden Falcons followed with a 10-2 run, but the Spartans went 6 for 8 at the free-throw line during the final 34 seconds to secure the victory.

Graduate guard Katelyn Andres (North Bergen, N.J.) scored 12 points for Felician (0-4). Lecop (five rebounds, six assists) and sophomore Uzor Uchidiuno (Toronto, Canada/J. Addison School) (seven rebounds) had seven points each.

The Spartans outscored Felician, 19-7, at the foul line. The Golden Falcons committed 26 turnovers, which STAC converted into 29 points.

Felician is back in action on Tuesday, traveling to Flushing, N.Y., to face Queens College at 6 p.m.