FLUSHING, N.Y. – Freshman Chelsea Reeves (Brooklyn, N.Y.) continued her stellar start posting a career-high 33 points but despite her career performance, the Queens College women's basketball team would fall 86-82 in overtime to the visiting St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans in Fitzgerald Gymnasium in East Coast Conference play. 
 
How it Happened 
 
Queens started the first quarter on a high note as freshman Jennah DeGout (Bronx, N.Y.) tallied four quick points to give the home side a 9-6 lead.  Classmate Farrah Pitt (Valley Stream, N.Y.) knocked down two free throws to put the home side up 11-6 with 7:05 left in the first quarter. 
 
But the Spartans led by Alexa Huertas would start a 15-4 run hitting five shots from beyond the arc to take a 21-15 lead. But Reeves and Pitt would keep the home side within distance as they ended the first quarter trailing 26-21. 
 
After a second-chance bucket by DeGout brought the Knights within four, 27-23, Huertas (6-of-7 3PT FG) stayed hot from long distance for the Spartans as the visitors went up by 12, 37-25 with 6:10 left to play in the second quarter. 
 
With the Knights trailing by 12 as a layup by Spartans Katie Bischoping put the visitors up 41-29 with 2:59, Queens made their comeback. Led by Reeves eight points, the Knights went into halftime tied 41-41 as the home side went on a 12-0 run in the final 2:59 of the second quarter. 
 
The Knights' defense would hold the Spartans scoreless and force three turnovers in their 12-0 run to end the second quarter.
 
Tied 41-41, the Spartans opened the third quarter on an 8-2 run to go up 50-43 with 7:56 left. Queens would continue to find timely buckets as they stayed within striking distance and not let the lead balloon past eight. Trailing by seven, DeGout and Reeves answered back with a 9-2 run of their own and tied the game 56-56 with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter. 
 
Reeves would give the home side their first lead of the game since the first quarter with a three-point play with 1:59 left in the third quarter. Queens would take a 63-61 lead heading into the quarter as junior Khadija Demry (Brooklyn, N.Y.) knocked down back-to-back jumpers. 
 
Demry and Reeves would start the fourth quarter on a 4-0 run giving the home side a 67-61 advantage. The Knights would go up by seven as sophomore Aalia Carlson (Montclair, N.J.) knocked down the first three-pointer of the game for the home side before a DeGout layup gave Queens a nine-point lead their biggest advantage of the game with 4:51 left to play in regulation. 
 
Leading 76-67, the Knights were unable to close out the game as the Spartans forced overtime going on a 13-4 run in the final 4:10 minute of regulation.
 
Playing their first overtime game of the season, the Knights would miss the first two shots in extra time. Erin Leary would give the Spartans an 82-80 lead before a Pitt layup tied the game 82-82 with 3:51 left in overtime. 
 
But the Knights would go cold missing their next four shots and fall to a tough loss to the final score of 86-82. 
 
By the Numbers
 
Reeves led all scorers with a career-high 33 points (11-of-18 FG, 11-of-12 FT) with nine rebounds, five assists. Reeves's 33 points are the most scored by a freshman since 2018-19 when teammate Nora Gabel (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) posted 32 points in the win over Mercy College on December 12, 2018.
 
While DeGout tallied her second consecutive double-double with 17 points (7-of-15 FG), 13 rebounds and Demry posted 13 points (6-of-16 FG) with six rebounds off the bench. Pitt filled the stat sheet with a career day posting 10 points (4-of-10 FG), seven rebounds, five assists, and career-high seven steals. 
 
Huertas led the visitors with 28 points going 8-of-11 from long distance.
 
Queens shot 42.7 percent (32-of-75) from the field and 25.0 percent (1-of-4) from three. While St. Thomas Aquinas shot 45.3 percent (34-of-75) from the field and 52.4 percent (11-of-21) from beyond the arc. 
 
The game saw 11 score ties and seven lead changes, while the Knights scored 27 points off 18 Spartans turnovers. 
 
UP NEXT: Queens travels to Buffalo, N.Y. as they go up against D'Youville College Saints on Friday (Jan. 14) and Sunday (Jan. 16) against Daemen College Wildcats in ECC play.
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