FLUSHING, N.Y. – Playing their final game of the 2021 season, the Queens College men's basketball team needed overtime to defeat Molloy College Lions in East Coast Conference action Wednesday evening. 
 
Trailing by five points in the final 21 seconds of regulation, the Knights (3-4 overall, 1-2 ECC) went on a 6-1 run to force overtime before overcoming the Lions (2-8 overall, 2-1 ECC) in overtime to pick up their first conference win of the season with a 76-78 victory. 
 
The Knights ended a four-game losing streak to Lions at home as they picked up their first victory in Flushing since the 78-62 victory on January 12, 2016. 
 
How It Happened
 
Molloy would open the game on an 8-4 run before jumping ahead 15-10 lead by the 16-minute media timeout. With Queens struggling to make a shot, Molloy continued to stay hot as they took a 23-16 lead with just 7:56 left in the first half. 
 
Trailing by seven, junior William Ellis (Valley Stream, N.Y.) would kick start a 9-0 run as the Knights took a 25-23 forcing a Lions timeout with 3:58 left until halftime. After Molloy's Steven Torre tied the game 25-25, Ellis tallied back-to-back buckets to give Queens a 29-25 advantage. But the Lions would answer back but it would be the home side taking a 30-29 lead into the locker rooms. 
 
The Knights would open the scoring as a jumper by sophomore Dion Herrington (Englewood, N.J.) gave the home side a 32-29. Led by Matt lane, the Lions would go on a 6-0 run to jump ahead 37-34 before Herrington answered back with a three-point play to tie the game 37-37. 
 
Molloy would use a 7-2 run and take a five-point (44-39) lead but Queens would continue to find answers in the paint led by Ellis and junior Tyler Carey (Bay Shore, N.Y.). With 4:00 left in regulation, the Knights found themselves trailing by 56-49. But both teams would go cold over the next two minutes before a dunk by Carey with 1:55 left in the game gave new life to the Knights.
 
Senior Eddie Mehmetaj (Jamaica, N.Y.) brought the Knights within three (56-53) on a second-chance bucket before Lions Darren Fergus layup gave the Lions a 58-53 lead with just 21 seconds left in the game. 
 
Looking to respond quickly, freshman Shamar Chester (Queens, N.Y) found sophomore Tanner McFarlane (Chester, N.Y.) for a quick three and bringing the Knights within two. Forced to foul Queens would put Lions Torre at the line, Torre would give his side a 59-56 lead before missing the second one allowing the Knights to capitalize. Chester would bring down the rebound and get fouled with 10 seconds left to go. Chester would knock down the first before the freshmen missed the second one but Mehmetaj was there to clean up the shot and tie the game 59-59 and send the Knights to their second overtime game of the season. 

With new profound energy and the Knights looking to get their first conference win of the season, Herrington and Chester would tally back-to-back jumpers putting the Knights up 63-61 with 3:16 left to play in overtime. 
 
After both teams went 0-5 from the field over the two minutes, It was McFarlane who would strike the crushing blow once again as he knocked down another three from the left-wing giving Queens a 66-61 lead with 1:43 left to play. 
 
The Knights would close out the game on a 10-7 run as they hit a season-high 20 free throws including 8-10 in the last 39 seconds of overtime to earn their first conference win of the season with a 76-68 win. 
 
By the Numbers
 
Herrington tallied a career-high 17 points (5-of-11 FG) with six rebounds, while Ellis notched 14 points (6-of-12 FG) off the bench. Mehmetaj tallied a near double-double with nine points (4-of-9 FG), nine rebounds and five assists. 
 
In 15 minutes of action off the bench McFarlane tallied a season-high eight points (2-of-3 3FG), while Carey continues to make his presence felt in the post with seven points (3-of-9 FG), a career-high 11 rebounds, and four blocks. 
 
Queens shot 36.1 percent (26-of-72) from the field and 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from three. Molloy shot a searing 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the field and 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from beyond the arc. In overtime, the Knights would shoot 50.0 percent (4-of-9) from the field as they held the Lions to 16.67 percent (1-of-6) from the field.
 
UP NEXT: Queens returns to action on Wednesday (Jan. 5) as they open the new year in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y with a match-up against Mercy College Mavericks. Tip-off set for 7:00 p.m.
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