FLUSHING, N.Y. – Concluding their homestand inside Fitzgerald Gymnasium on Wednesday evening, the Queens College women's basketball team hosted Molloy University Lions in East Coast Conference action.
Two Knights scored in double figures, led by a team-high 15 points from junior forward
Nkiru Awaka (Hyde Park, N.Y.) and 12 points from sophomore forward
Chinyere Ukaegbu (Brooklyn, N.Y.).
After trailing by two at halftime, a slow second half hindered Queens' comeback effort as the Knights fell 78-53.
GAME RECAP
Molloy opened the scoring with a three-pointer at the 9:14 mark, but Queens responded with an 8-0 run, sparked by four points from Awaka.
After Molloy trimmed the deficit to three, triples from junior forward
Yinka Kruyswijk (Amsterdam, Netherlands), rookie guard
Eva Gitto (Albany, N.Y.), and rookie guard
Enise Hodzic (Queens, N.Y.) helped the Knights build a 19-12 lead with 1:23 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Lions closed the stanza on a 5-0 run, cutting Queens' advantage to 19-17.
The Lions opened the second quarter by tying the game at 19-19. A jumper from junior forward
Chyna Bryant (Bronx, N.Y.) helped ignite a 6-2 Queens run, giving the Knights a 25-21 lead with 5:48 to play in the half.
Molloy answered with an 8-0 run to take a 29-25 advantage by the 3:12 mark.
Back-to-back baskets from Awaka ended the drought and tied the game at 29-29, but a late Molloy layup with 41 seconds remaining sent Queens into halftime trailing 31-29.
Awaka opened the scoring in the third quarter with a layup to knot the contest at 31-31 at the 8:58 mark. Molloy responded with a decisive 24-7 run to take control of the game, building a 55-38 lead that Queens was unable to overcome.
BY THE NUMBERS:
- Awaka finished with 15 points, six rebounds, five blocks, and two steals.
- Ukaegbu added 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
- Hodzic contributed nine points, four assists, three rebounds, and one steal.
- Bryant recorded six points, a team-high 11 rebounds, one block, and one steal.
NEXT GAME:
Head coach
Travis Ponton and the Knights return to action on Wednesday, February 11, traveling to Waterbury, Conn., for a non-conference matchup against Post University. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
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