BUFFALO, N.Y. – For the first time in four seasons, the Queens College men's basketball team is on a three-game winning streak as the Knights knocked off D'Youville College Saints with a 78-64 East Coast Conference victory at College Center Gym.
Led by a career-high 25 points from junior
William Ellis (Valley Stream, N.Y.), the Knights picked up their third straight conference victory to improve to 5-4 overall, 3-2 in ECC play, while D'Youville moved to 1-13 overall, 0-4 in ECC action.
Queens are on a three-game winning streak for the first time since the 2017-18 season when the Knights knocked off New York Tech, LIU Post, and Roberts Wesleyan from Feb. 7 to Feb. 16.
How It Happened
For the second consecutive game, Queens opened the game on a strong note with an 8-1 run. But the Saints would battle back on an 8-2 run and cut the Knights lead down to 10-9.
Ellis would put the Knights lead back to three with a jumper before the Saints tied the game 12-12 just before the 12-minute media timeout. Out of the timeout, the Knights went on a 12-0 run to take a 24-12 lead with 7:09 left in the first half.
After a second-chance bucket by senior
Eddie Mehmetaj (Jamaica, N.Y.) put the Knights up 28-15 a 13-point advantage, their biggest lead of the game with 5:58 remaining until halftime, it was the home side who responded with a 13-7 run.
The Knights went into halftime with a 35-28 lead as Ellis and freshman
Jayden Seraphin (Lakeview, N.Y.) combined for 20 points to lead the way.
Riding their first-half momentum, the Saints responded quickly with a 5-0 run and cut the Knights lead down to 35-33 with 18:36 left in the game. Queens would respond with a 7-0 to take a 42-35 lead and extend their advantage back up to seven with 15:47 remaining.
The Saints continued to stay in the game as the Knights saw their lead cut down to five (47-42) with 13:37 left in the game.
Led by sophomore
Dion Herrington (Englewood, N.J.) eight points, Queens went on a 13-4 run to take a 60-46 lead and effectively shut out any comeback attempt from D'Youville.
By the Numbers
Once again four players scored in double-figures led by a career-high night from Ellis 25 points (9-of-15 FG, 4-of-5 3FG), four rebounds, and four steals. While Herrington and Seraphin combined for 28 points (12-of-26 FG).
Mehmetaj continued his all-around efforts with 12 points (4-of-6 FG) and team-high nine rebounds.
Queens shot 43.7 percent (31-of-71) from the field and 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from three, while D'Youville shot 40.4 percent (21-of-52) from the field and 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from beyond the arc.
The Knights won the rebound battle with a 47-34 margin and scored 22 points off 19 Saints turnovers.
UP NEXT: It will be a short rest for the Knights as they take on 2020-2021 NCAA East Region champions Daemen College Wildcats on Sunday (Jan. 16) from Amherst, N.Y. Tip-off set for 2:00 p.m.
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