NORTH EASTON, MA – Looking to close out the year on a high note, the Queens College women's basketball team went in a cross-divisional matchup as they took on Division I North East Conference member Stonehill College Skyhawks Thursday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium.
The Knights were playing their second NEC member under head coach
Bet Naumovski and just their second opponent since the 2016-17 season when they matched up against Fairleigh Dickinson University on November 23, 2016.
Junior
Khadija Demry (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led the offense with a team-high 24 points, while sophomore
Jennah DeGout (Bronx, N.Y.) notched a season-high 16 points off the bench, but despite a late rally, the Knights would fall short in their comeback attempt to fall to the final score of 82-71.
Game Recap
Both teams opened the scoring quickly before a three-pointer by Demry put the Knights up 7-4 with 6:43 left in the first quarter.
The Skyhawks would answer with a 7-0 run from 6:28 to 5:16 to take an 11-7 lead before Demry stopped the scoring drought for the Knights with a jumper at the 4:52 mark to bring them within two, 11-9.
But the home side would end the first quarter on a 13-4 run to take a 24-13 edge heading into the second quarter of play.
Queens opened the second quarter on a quick 5-0 run to get within six, 24-18 at the 9:22 mark.
After DeGout knocked down two free throws to cut the score back to six, 26-20 at the 8:51 mark, Stonehill would put together a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 15, 35-20 with 6:45 left until halftime.
The Knights would break the scoring drought at the 5:29 mark before another 7-3 run extended the home side lead back to 17, 42-25 with 3:56 left in the quarter.
Over the final 3:40 minutes of the second quarter, Demry and DeGout would lead the Knights on a 9-2 run to end the quarter as they went into halftime trailing by 11, 44-33.
Queens would hold the Skyhawks to 1-5 from the field in their run as they matched the home side with 20 points in the second quarter.
Stonehill opened the third quarter on a 15-9 run as they extended their lead back to 17, 59-42 with 5:15 left in the third before Queens attempted a rally.
The Brooklyn native Demry would lead the charge with six points in the Knights' 10-2 run from 5:05 to the 1:46 mark as they cut the deficit down to single digits, 61-52, but two long-distance shots would allow the home side to take a 15-point edge of 67-52 into the final 10 minutes of play.
Sophomore
Chelsea Reeves (Brooklyn, N.Y.) would open the scoring in the fourth quarter as the Knights put together a 10-4 run capped off by a three-pointer from freshman
Brianna Davis (Bronx, N.Y.) as Queens brought their deficit down to nine, 71-62 with 6:45 left in the game.
Two made free throws by DeGout would allow them to cut the score down to eight, 72-64, their smallest deficit since the 8:37 mark in the second quarter.
Defensively the Knights would hold the Skyhawks without a field goal (0-6) in the fourth quarter, but free throw shooting would allow Stonehill to go 15-18 from the charity stripe as the home side fended off a Queens' comeback attempt.
Game Highlights
- Demry matched her career-high 24 points as the junior notched 24 points (9-13 FG) to go with career-high three steals and three assists to lead the Knights' offense.
- Demry's 24 points broke Madison Rowland's 21 points (against FDU) for most points against a Division I opponent.
- DeGout tallied 16 points (6-10 FG) to go with team-high seven rebounds.
- While graduate student Raven Pitt (Valley Stream, N.Y.) tallied nine points, four rebounds, and four assists.
- While Davis notched six points (2-5 3PT) with three rebounds, three steals, and one block on the afternoon.
- The Knights shot 49.0% going 25-51 from the field, while the Skyhawks shot 51.0% from the field with a 26-51 field goal performance.
- Queens forced 14 turnovers as they held a 19-15 edge on points off turnovers, while the Knights bench outscored the Skyhawks 37-10 on the afternoon.
- The Knights held a 12-4 advantage on fast break points.
NEXT TIP-OFF: Head coach
Bet Naumovski and the Knights open 2023 in Flushing as they return to East Coast Conference action against the visiting Molloy University Lions on Wednesday (Jan. 4) evening. Jump Ball is set for 5:30 p.m.
All home games will be live-streamed on the
ECC Network and fans can follow along on live stats.
Live Stats: Women's Basketball
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