FLUSHING, N.Y. – Opening the week inside Fitzgerald Gymnasium, the Queens College men's basketball team earned a key East Coast Conference victory over the Mercy University Mavericks Wednesday evening.
Four Knights paced the offense, highlighted by a pair of double-doubles from rookie forward
Henri Mennander (Helsinki, Finland) and senior forward
Tahj-Malik Campbell (Philadelphia, PA). Mennander poured in a game-high 18 points to go along with 12 rebounds, while Campbell delivered a dominant performance of 17 points and a career-best 25 rebounds. While the duo of sophomore guard
Lleyton Fried (Harrisburg, PA) recorded 14 points and junior guard
Johnny Jones (Bronx, N.Y.) tallied 11 points.
Behind a strong first half, Queens built a lead that grew to as many as 16 points in the second half, completing the season series sweep with an 82-69 victory while keeping its postseason hopes alive.
With the win, the Knights secured their eighth victory of the season and fourth in conference play.
GAME RECAP
Jones and sophomore guard
Tyler Michel (Cambria Heights, N.Y.) sparked the early offense as Queens jumped out to an 11-5 advantage by the 17:15 mark.
After Mercy trimmed the deficit to one, 11-10, a three-pointer from Fried ignited a decisive 12-2 run, extending the Knights' lead to 23-12 with 12:01 remaining in the opening half.
Balanced scoring allowed Queens to maintain control, though the Mavericks responded to cut the margin to five, 29-24, midway through the period.
The Knights answered emphatically, as Jones, Mennander, and Campbell combined for 15 points over the final stretch of the half to send Queens into the locker room with a 44-35 lead.
Both sides traded baskets early in the second half, with Mercy repeatedly working the deficit down to single digits.
With the lead reduced to eight, 51-43, Campbell, senior forward senior forward
Jaden Pena (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and Michel fueled an 8-0 burst to push the advantage back to 16, 59-43, with 12:26 to play.
Mercy refused to fade, using an 18-7 run to cut the deficit to five, 66-61, forcing a Queens timeout.
Out of the break, the Knights delivered the knockout punch, stringing together an 8-0 run to regain a double-digit lead they would not relinquish en route to the 82-69 victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Mennander recorded his eighth double-double of the season, finishing with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and one assist.
- Campbell notched his team-leading 10th double-double, posting 17 points alongside a career-best 25 rebounds, five blocks, five assists, and one steal.
- His 25 rebounds mark the second-highest single-game total in program history and the most since the 1976-77 season, when Greg Caughn grabbed 26 boards.
- The total also stands as the second-most rebounds recorded in Division II this season.
- Fried contributed 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
- Jones added 13 points, three rebounds, and two steals.
- Michel chipped in nine points and three rebounds.
NEXT GAME
The Knights conclude the week on Sunday, February 22, traveling to Sparkill, N.Y., for an ECC matchup against the St. Thomas Aquinas College Spartans. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 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), X Athletics Main Account (@QCKnights), Queens College MBB (QCKnightsMBB) and Instagram (qcknightsny), men's basketball (qcmensbball).
