FLUSHING, N.Y. – With the race for a postseason spot hot, the Queens College men's basketball team ended a four-game losing skid as they defeated the visiting Purple Knights of the University of Bridgeport 84-67 in East Coast Conference Sunday afternoon inside Fitzgerald Gymnasium
With the win, the Knights improve to 9-10 overall, 7-8 ECC, while the Purple Knights moved to 9-16 overall, 6-10 in conference play.
For the first time since the 2001-2002 season, the Knights swept the season series against the Purple Knights in conference play.
How It Happened
It was a back-and-forth game in the early going as both teams matched each other bucket for bucket. The first half saw three lead changes and nine score ties before the Knights swung the game their way. Tied 20-20 with 9:57 remaining in the first half, Queens went on a 7-0 run from 9:38 to 8:48 to take a 27-20 lead forcing a Purple Knights timeout.
Bridgeport would get within five, 29-24 before freshman
Jayden Seraphin (Lakeview, N.Y) notched four points to extend the lead to nine, 33-24 with 4:36 to go until halftime. Junior
Tyler Carey (Bay Shore, N.Y) and
Dion Herrington (Englewood, N.J.) combined for six points to give the Knights a 12 point lead, their largest lead of the half, 39-27 at the 1:36 mark. But Bridgeport would cut the deficit down to six, 39-33 going into halftime.
Carey would open the scoring in the second half and extend the lead to eight, 41-33 before Bridgeport made several attempts to cut the Knights lead down to five.
After two Bridgeport free throws brought the visitors within six, 53-47 with 12:14 remaining, the Knights went on a 10-2 run from 11:32 to 9:39 and jumped ahead by 14 points, 63-49 and never let go and completed the series sweep with an 84-67 victory.
By the Numbers
Three players scored in double figures led by Seraphin's game-high 17 points (7-of-11 FG) and seven rebounds, while Herrington scored 16 points (8-of-15 FG) with four assists.
While freshman
Caudy Desmornes (Baldwin, N.Y.) notched a career-high 11 points (4-of-4 FG, 2-of-2 3PT) with four rebounds off the bench in 11 minutes of action.
Queens shot 52.3 percent (34-of-65) from the field, 36.4 percent (4-of-11) from beyond the arc, while Bridgeport was held to 37.3 percent (25-of-67) from the field, 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from three.
The Knights won the rebounds battle with a 46-30 margin and held a 20-9 margin in second chances points on the afternoon. Queens muscled the paint outscoring Bridgeport 54-26 on the day.
UP NEXT: The homestand continues for the Knights as they welcome the Redhawks of Roberts Wesleyan College to Flushing on Tuesday (Feb. 22) evening. Tip-off set for 5:00 p.m.
For the latest news on Queens College Athletics, follow the Knights at
queensknights.com or via social media on Facebook
(Queens College Athletics), Twitter
(@QCKnights), Queens College MBB
(@QCKnights_MBB) and Instagram
(qcknightsny), men's basketball
(qcmensbball).
