AMHERST, N.Y. – Returning to East Coast Conference playoffs after a one-year gap, the Queens College men's basketball team earned the #6 seed and would earn a matchup against #3 seed Wildcats of Daemen University Wednesday evening inside Lumsden Gymnasium.
For the second time in postseason play, the Knights were matchuped against the Wildcats with the previous meeting coming during the 2019-2020 season postseason.
Three Knights led the offense with senior
Sunnie Diamond (Atlanta, GA) leading the way with a game-high 26 points, while junior
Shamar Chester (Queens, N.Y.) recorded 16 points and senior
Malik Bentinck (Queens, N.Y.) notched 14 points, but a second half late rally would fall short as Queens fell to the final score of 76-68 to conclude their season.
GAME RECAP
Led by Chester and Diamond, Queens opened the game with a 10-2 lead before the Wildcats got their offense going.
By the 9:00 mark, the Knights led 21-16 before Daemen went on a 26-8 run to end the first half as missed field goals and turnovers put Queens in a 42-29 deficit at halftime.
Both sides would trade shots through the first nine minutes of the second half as Daemen continued to keep their double-digit lead in hand.
Trailing by 10, 56-46 at the 11:10 mark, the Knights would rally as they were able to get within three, 59-56 by the 8:04 mark.
As the Wildcats extended their lead back to five points, 61-56 at the 6:17 mark, a layup from junior
Jayden Seraphin (Lakeview, N.Y.) and two made free throws from Diamond got Queens within one, 61-60 at the 4:02 mark.
But it would be the closest Queens would get within of completing an upset as the Knights fell to the final score of 76-68.
By the Numbers
- Diamond led the way with 26 points (9-of-15 FG, 4-of-7 3PT, 4-of-6 FT) to go with five rebounds, two blocks, and one assist.
- Chester recorded 16 points (7-of-17 FG, 2-of-8 3PT) with six rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block.
- Bentinck recorded 14 points (6-of-15 FG, 2-of-4 FT) with seven rebounds, one block and one steal.
- Seraphin recorded six points, and seven rebounds on the night.
- As a team, the Knights were held to 41.5% going 27-of-65 from the field, while the Wildcats shot 42.6% on 26-of-61 shooting.
- Queens held a rebounding margin of 42-38 and recorded an advantage on second-chance points to a 19-16 margin.
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