FLUSHING, N.Y. – Opening a two-game homestand, the Queens College women's basketball team welcomed D'Youville University Saints to Fitzgerald Gymnasium for an East Coast Conference contest.
The scoring duo of sophomore guard
Jalea Abrams (Elmira, N.Y.) and rookie point guard
Ashley Chio (North Vancouver, Canada) combined for 30 points to pace the Knights' offense but in a game that saw eight ties and five lead changes, a second-half comeback would fall short as Queens dropped their first ECC contest of the year to the final score of 54-45 Friday evening.
With the loss, a two-game win streak is snapped as Queens moves to 7-6 overall and 2-1 in conference play on the year.
GAME RECAP
It would be a sluggish first quarter for both sides as they combined for five made field goals but it would be the Saints that took a slim 7-6 advantage into the second stanza.
Sophomore forward
Nkiru Awaka (Hyde Park, N.Y.) would lead the charge to begin the second quarter with a personal 5-0 run as Queens tied the game at 11-11 at the 7:41 mark.
As the visitors claimed a 14-11 advantage, the rookie duo of
Arianna Lopez (Newburgh, N.Y.) and Chio would combine for a 7-1 run from the 5:50 mark to the 3:30 mark as the Knights took an 18-15 lead.
But the Saints would close out the second quarter with a 7-1 run to take a three-point lead of 22-19 into the locker rooms at halftime.
Abrams began the scoring in the third quarter with a three-pointer to tie the game at 22-22 at the 8:39 mark before an 8-0 run from Saints from the 8:19 mark to the 6:18 mark saw them take an eight-point lead of 30-22.
Back-to-back three-pointers from Lopez and Abrams would break Queens scoreless drought before a floater from rookie forward
Autumn Simon (Bellport, N.Y.) tied the game at 30-30 with 3:41 left in the stanza.
However, it would be D'Youville who ended the final 3:05 of the third quarter on a 10-2 run to take an eight-point advantage of 40-32 into the final 10 minutes of the game.
Led by Abrams and Chio, the Knights opened the fourth quarter with a 7-3 run from the 8:20 mark to the 6:51 mark to get within four, 43-39.
As both teams went into a scoring drought over the next two and half minutes of play, the Saints would extend their lead to eight points on two separate occasions but a layup from Abrams got Queens within six, 49-43 with 2:22 to go before the Saints seventh three-pointer of the night put the game out of reach as the Knights comeback attempt fell short to the final score of 54-45 Friday evening.
BY THE NUMBERS
- For the fifth time this season, Abrams touched the 20-point mark as the sophomore led all scorers with a game-high 20 points to go with four rebounds, three assists, and one block.
- Chio recorded her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-best 10 rebounds to go with three assists and two steals.
- Awaka recorded seven points, eight rebounds, tied a season-best five blocks and one steal.
NEXT GAME
The Knights conclude their homestand on Sunday, Jan. 12 as they welcome defending NCAA East Regional and ECC Champions Daemen University Wildcats to town. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. The Wildcats enter Flushing with an overall record of 9-6, 5-0 in ECC play and are coming off a 74-65 victory over Molloy University Friday evening.
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