ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. – The 2023-2024 women's basketball season got under for the Queens College women's basketball team on Saturday (Nov. 11) in the sixth edition of the CACC/ECC Conference Challenge as the Knights matched up against the Rams of Thomas Jefferson University inside Quealy Gymnasium.
Sophomore guard
Brianna Davis (Bronx, N.Y.) and freshman
Nkiru Awaka (Hyde Park, N.Y.) combined for 29 points but the Knights were unable to recover from a slow first half as they fell 67-53 Saturday afternoon.
Game Recap
Queens opened the game on a 4-0 run as the duo of sophomore
Gianna Henriques (Bronx, N.Y.) and freshman
Jalea Abrams (Elmira, N.Y.) opened the scoring for the Knights. However, the Rams would go on a 14-0 run before Awaka and Davis responded for the Knights to cut their deficit down to five, 14-9 with 3:26 left in the first quarter. But the Rams would end the first stanza on a 10-5 run to take a 24-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Two made free throws from Davis and a jumper from Abrams would bring the deficit down to six, 24-18 before another 14-2 run saw the Rams extend their lead to 18 points, 38-20 with 3:53 to go until halftime.
Four turnovers in the final 2:44 minutes of the second half would see the Knights trail by 19, 42-23 heading into the locker room at halftime.
Queens would attempt a comeback but 4-11 shooting from the field in the third quarter would see them unable to bring their deficit down to single digits.
Despite the Knights outscoring the Rams 20-8 in the fourth quarter as they shot 57.1 from the field, the slow start in the first half would hurt the Knights in their comeback attempt to drop their first contest of the year.
By the Numbers
- Davis paced the Knights in scoring with a team-high 18 points (6-12 FG, 2-5 3PT) to go with six rebounds and a career-best six steals.
- In their debut game, Awaka and Abrams combined for 21 points, nine rebounds, and three steals.
- Henriques recorded six points (2-2 FG, 2-4 FT) to go with a team-high 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
- As a team, the Knights shot 45.7% as they went 21-46 from the field, while the Rams shot 47.7% going 31-65 from the field but 30 turnovers would halt a comeback attempt.
Next Game
The Knights conclude the Conference Challenge on Sunday (Nov. 12) afternoon as they match up against the Griffins of Chestnut Hill College. Tip-off set for 2:00 p.m.
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