BY THE NUMBERS - ECC CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION:
Of the 34 ECC Men's Basketball Champions crowned since the tournament's inception in 1990, St. Thomas Aquinas now stands tied with LIU/C.W. Post for the most number of championships won, at 7.
In STAC's seven championship game triumphs, their average margin of victory has been 12.0 points per game.
STAC's current eight-year streak of NCAA Tournament bids ties for most appearances in East Coast Conference history with Adelphi University (1995-2002).

HOW IT HAPPENED:
STAC raced out to an 8-0 lead, as Jamal Barnes, Devante Jamison and James Patterson each connected on early buckets.
Kyle Pulliam's trey with just under 15 minutes to play in the first half put the Spartans up by 10 at 13-3.
An 8-2 run by Daemen got them within four (15-11) at the midway point of the stanza.
The teams then traded baskets with the maroon and gold building as much as eight-point advantage (19-11), before the Wildcats erased its deficit to tie things at 25-25 with just under four minutes to play before halftime.
Devante Jamison and Antonio Vendola's back-to-back baskets gave the Spartans back the lead at 29-25.
A Daemen three made it a one-point STAC lead, 29-28, but Vendola would once again connect on a layup to put the hosts up three (31-28).
Another Wildcats shot from downtown sailed through the net to tie the game at 31-31 with remaining 1:18 on the first-half clock.
Those points would be the final ones of the frame, as the teams retreated to their respective locker rooms at the break.
Antonio Vendola paced the Spartans' offense with eight first-half points, while Andrew Mason (6'3''-G-2002) led all scorers with 12 points for the Wildcats.
When the teams returned to the hardwood for second-half action, a James Patterson jumper gave STAC the lead, 33-31, but it would be short-lived as another Daemen three would fall to put them ahead 34-33.
Back and forth action highlighted the next seven minutes, with the sides matching each other's offensive output. STAC held a slim one-point advantage (43-42) with 12:15 left in regulation.
The Spartans would pick up 13 of the next 15 points, with Antonio Vendola, James Patterson, Jamal Barnes, Devante Jamison and Richard Smith all making the most of their opportunities on trips down the floor to push the margin to 12, at 56-44.
Five straight points by Daemen closed the gap to 56-49 with a little over five minutes to play in the championship game.
Late in the game, Daemen attempted to rally back, as they got within three (61-58) with two minutes left, but the play of Luis Risquez, Devante Jamison, James Patterson, on both sides of the basketball, helped to keep the Wildcats at an arm's length until the final buzzer.

Courtesy of eccsports.org