WASHINGTON, DC – Hitting the road just for the second time on the season, the Queens College men's basketball team traveled to Washington, DC for an East Coast Conference matchup against the University of the District of Columba Firebirds. 
 
Four players scored in double figures for the second straight game but cold shooting would hurt the comeback attempt as the Knights (2-4 overall, 0-2 ECC) dropped a 74-62 conference contest to the Firebirds (2-8 overall, 1-1 ECC). 
 
How It Happened
 
Head coach Matt Collier shook up the starting lineup as freshman Jayden Seraphin (Lakeview, N.Y.) and sophomore Dion Herrington (Englewood, N.J.) earned their first start of the season. Queens wasted no time opening getting on the board as freshman Shamar Chester (Queens, N.Y) knocked down a jumper just 15 seconds into the game. The Knights would take a 4-0 lead as junior Tyler Carey (Bay Shore, N.Y.) took advantage of a second chance opportunity for a layup. 
 
But the Firebirds would answer back and take a 7-6 team into the first media timeout. Senior Eddie Mehmetaj (Jamaica, N.Y.) and Seraphin would combine for eight points as the Knights took a 15-13 by the 12-minute media timeout. Coming off the bench for the first time this season junior William Ellis (Valley Stream, N.Y.) would go coast-to-coast to put Queens up 19-15 with 10:37 left in the first half. 
 
But a 14-2 run by the Firebirds would give the home side a 29-21 lead with 5:30 left to play before a dunk at 3:38 by Seraphin stopped the bleeding. 
 
With the Knights still trailing 29-23, Ellis and Herrington quickly rattled six straight points but they would go into halftime down 35-31. 
 
The Knights opened the second half on a 4-0 run and tied the game 39-39 with 19:18 left in the second half. UDC answered back with an 11-3 run of their own to take a 46-38 lead. Chester would knock out a three to bring Queens within five (48-43) but the deficit would quickly jump to double-digit for the first time on the afternoon as UDC led 54-43 with 10:18 left in regulation. 
 
But inconsistent offense would be the Knights' downfall as they shot 37.9 percent (11-of-29) from the field in the second half to fall 74-62 on the road. 
 
By the Numbers
 
Mehmetaj led the Knights with a game-high 12 points (4-of-9 FG) and eight rebounds, while Herrington in his first start tallied 11 points (5-of-12 FG) with a season-high four steals. Chester and Ellis tallied double-digit scoring efforts for the second consecutive game as they poured in 10 points each.
 
Queens shot 39.3 percent (24-of-61) from the field and 33.3 percent (2-of-6) from three. While UDC shot a searing 60.8 percent (31-of-51) from the field and 66.7 percent (4-of-6) from beyond the arc. 
 
UP NEXT: Queens returns to Fitzgerald Gymnasium to conclude the first half of the season as they welcome the Lions of Molloy College on Wednesday (Dec. 15) in ECC action. Tip-off set for 7:30 p.m.
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