ANDERSON, S.C.- Breonda Shannon grabbed an offensive rebound and put the ball through the net in the final second of the game as Anderson University snuck past Queens University of Charlotte in conference play today winning 67-65. The Royals fall to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the conference with the loss as the Trojans improve to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Anderson wrapped up its four-game homestand by winning its third straight game and improved to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in Conference Carolinas' action, while Queens fell to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the league.
The Royals overcame four early turnovers and claimed a pair of three-point leads before AU junior guard Alexa Neal gave the Trojans their first lead of the afternoon on a 3-pointer from deep in the right corner with 13:49 left in the first half. Guard Shanice Wilson gave the Trojans a four-point lead by nailing one-of-two from the charity stripe, but the lead was brief, as Queens heated up and AU went cold, enabling the the Royals to gain a 28-21 edge late in the opening half.
Leading, 29-25, coming out of intermission the Royals ran off five unanswered points and pushed out to a nine-point lead started by Jazmine Edmonds (Manassas, Va., CD Hylton), but the Trojans refused to surrender, as AU countered with an 8-1 run over the next two-plus minutes to pull within a basket, at 35-33, as Lauren Beeson drained a trey from the right wing with nearly 17 minutes remaining in the contest.
Wilson gave Anderson its first lead since midway through the first half when she knocked down a basket at the 14:15 mark that ignited a 13-3 run, producing a 50-41 AU advantage, with Alissa Diaz coming off the bench to score five points in the spurt.
However, Queens responded by outscoring AU 13-1 over the next four minutes, giving the Royals a three-point lead. Jacquia Winstead (Elm City, N.C., Beddingfield)sparked the run with an and one layup at the 13:59 mark putting the Royals up by two.
There were four ties and three lead changes in the final five minutes, with the Trojans earning a 65-61 cushion just inside the final minute when Shannon scooped up a loose ball and scored in the lane. Queens' Erin Goldner (Matthews, N.C., Piedmont) trimmed the lead to a deuce with a layup and the Royals' Marissa Hudley (Charlotte, N.C., Harding University ) knotted the score for the tenth time, at 65-65 with a drive inside and eight seconds on the clock. Anderson head coach Jim Brunelli followed by calling a timeout and setting up the final frantic 4.6 seconds and Shannon's heroics.
Shannon notched a season-high 11 points, while Wilson narrowly missed a double-double, scoring a game-high 21 points and pulling down nine rebounds. Neal netted 15 points and handed out three assists.
Hudley led Queens with 19 points.
The Royals are back in action against Lenoir-Rhyne on Tuesday.
