PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – The Queens College men's basketball team closed out the ECC x NE10 Conference Challenge in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon inside the Goldstein Athletics Center, taking down host and RV Pace University in a thrilling comeback performance.
Trailing by six at halftime, the Knights flipped the momentum in the second half, holding the Setters to just 30.0% shooting while forcing six turnovers. Senior forward
Tahj-Malik Campbell (Philadelphia, PA) powered the rally with a game-high 22 points, 11 coming after the break. Junior forward
Ahmad Galimore (Bronx, N.Y.) and freshman forward
Henri Mennander (Helsinki, Finland) combined for 18 points as Queens stormed back for a 65–59 victory.
With the win, Queens improves to 1–1 on the season. The triumph marks the Knights' first win over Pace since the 2015–16 campaign (a 78–76 overtime victory) and their first-ever road win over the Setters in program history.
GAME RECAP
Queens came out strong, with Campbell, Galimore, and junior guard
Dontae Prescott (Coney Island, N.Y.), helping the Knights build a 10–4 lead by the 16:24 mark, prompting a Pace timeout.
The Setters regrouped, holding Queens scoreless for four minutes during a 9–0 run to take a 13–10 advantage.
Sophomore guard
Lleyton Fried (Harrisburg, PA) snapped the drought at 12:20, and the teams traded leads through the midway point of the half.
A Campbell layup gave Queens a 19–17 edge with 8:30 remaining, but Pace closed the half on a steady push, sending the Knights into the locker room trailing 36–30.
After the break, Pace extended its lead to 41–33 before Queens began chipping away. A dunk from Mennander, followed by a three-pointer from junior guard
Johnny Jones (Bronx, N.Y.), cut the deficit to three.
Though the Setters briefly rebuilt their advantage to seven, the Knights responded with a tip-in from Mennander and four straight points from Campbell to pull within one at 45–44 with 13:37 remaining.
Queens continued to battle, with Fried and Campbell tying the game twice before Fried's layup gave the Knights a 50–48 lead at the 10:54 mark.
After Pace evened the score at 50–50, sophomore guard
Tyler Michel (Cambria Heights, N.Y.) sparked a 7–2 run capped by a Galimore three, pushing Queens ahead 57–52, its largest lead of the second half.
Pace responded with a run of its own, tying the game at 59–59 with 1:37 left.
But the Knights had the final answer. A critical tip-in from Jones with 35 seconds remaining put Queens ahead for good, and a final defensive stand held the Setters scoreless down the stretch as the Knights sealed a 65–59 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Campbell posted a game-high 22 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and one assist. He scored 11 of his 22 points in the second half on 3-of-7 shooting and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.
- Galimore tallied 10 points with five rebounds and one block.
- Mennander contributed eight points on 2-of-3 shooting and went 4-of-4 at the line, while recording a career-best 10 rebounds, three blocks, and one steal.
- Prescott finished with eight points, five rebounds, three assists, and a team-high three steals.
- Fried supplied seven points, three assists, and two rebounds off the bench.
NEXT GAME
The Knights remain on the road as they travel to Riverdale, N.Y., on Saturday, November 22, to take on the Lincoln University Lions in Game Two of the Harlem Renaissance Classic, hosted by Manhattan University. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:30 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), X Athletics Main Account (@QCKnights), Queens College MBB (QCKnightsMBB) and Instagram (qcknightsny), men's basketball (qcmensbball).
