PHILADELPHIA, PA. – After seeing their first-half lead erased in the early going of the second half, the final result would come in double-overtime. However, the Queens College men's basketball team (1-1 overall) would go cold in the second OT to fall 73-65 to the Holy Family University Tigers (2-2 overall) in non-conference action at Campus Center Gym.
 
Freshman Jayden Seraphin (Lakeview, N.Y) scored a career-high 21 points off the bench, while senior Eddie Mehmetaj (Jamaica, N.Y.) notched his second double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, but the Knights would go scoreless in the final 3:30 of double overtime as they committed three turnovers to drop their first game of the season Saturday afternoon.
 
How It Happened
 
It would be a slow start to the game before the Knights went on a 10-0 run from 17:59 to 15:45 before the Tigers Rick'Keem Mixson knocked down a free throw to stop the bleeding. But Seraphin would score six straight points to put the Knights up 17-6 with 10:36 remaining in the first half. The Tigers would hold the Knights to six points in the final 10 minutes as they ended the first half on a 12-6 run. 
 
Leading 23-18 to start the second half, Queens would see their lead quickly disappear as Holy Family forced three turnovers and took their first lead of the game 24-23 on a 6-0 run. It would ensue a back-and-forth affair as both sides started to exchange leads. Trailing 35-33, junior William Ellis (Valley Stream, N.Y.) would knock out a three-pointer to retake the lead before a steal and dunk by Seraphin put the Knights up 38-35. But the Tigers would respond and retake the lead. 
 
After Tiger's Mixson tied the game 49-49 at the free throw, Mehmetaj would give the Knights a 52-49 lead with 1:19 left to play. Leading 54-51, the Knights were unable to close out the game at the free-throw line as they missed four free throws in the final 41 seconds of regulations allowing the Tigers to force overtime. 
 
In the first overtime, Queens would on a 4-0 run to take a 58-54 lead but the Tigers would not go away. After a three-pointer from freshman Caudy Desmornes (Baldwin, N.Y.) would give the visitors a 61-57 lead, Holy Family responded with a 6-0 run and take a 63-61 with 1:12 left in the first overtime. Seraphin would tie the game 63-63 with a jumper on the next possession. With a chance to seal the victory, Tigers' Eric Esposito would miss a three-pointer giving Queens the final possession of the first overtime. But junior Dion Herrington's (Englewood, N.J.) potential game-winner would rattle out resulting in double overtime.
 
With the Tigers missing their first two shots of double OT, Seraphin would give Queens a 65-63 lead with 3:44 left on the game clock. But that would be the final bucket of the game for the Knights as the Tigers closed out the game on a 10-0 run to take the victory. 

By the Numbers
Off the bench, Seraphin led all scorers with a game-high 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting with six rebounds. Mehmetaj tallied his second double-doubles of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Ellis finished with seven points and seven rebounds. 
 
Queens shot 41.1 percent (23-of-56) from the field and 35.7 percent (5-of-14) from three, but the Knights would go 1-4 from the field in the second overtime. While Holy Family shot 31.3 percent (25-of-80) from the field and 17.9 percent (5-of-28) from beyond the arc. The Tigers narrowly won the rebound battle with a 54-49 margin. Holy Family took advantage of 32 Knights turnovers scoring 26 points. 
 
UP NEXT:  Queens will open a three-game homestand starting with Georgian Court University Lions on Monday (Nov. 29). Tip-off set for 6:00 p.m. 
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook (Queens College Athletics), Twitter (@QCKnights), Queens College MBB (@QCKnights_MBB) and Instagram (qcknightsny), men's basketball (qcmensbball).