CHARLOTTE, N.C.- In an intense game from the opening jump ball, No. 4 seed Queens women's basketball defeated No. 5 seed Mount Olive 57-46 in the Conference Carolinas women's basketball quarterfinal game at the Ovens Athletics Center Monday night. Now the Royals host Erskine, the No. 8 seed, on Thursday night at 7pm in the semifinal game.
The win is the third time Queens beat Mount Olive this season with the most recent victory coming just five days ago.
Three Royals scored in double-figures with
Ashley McGuirt (Indian Trail, N.C., Providence Day) leading the way. McGuirt posted 14 points and completed the double-double with 10 rebounds. McGuirt was 3-6 from the three point range.
Jacquia Winstead (Elm City, N.C., Beddingfield) was just a point behind with 13.
Shakaria Hamlin (Hartsville, S.C., Hartsville) added 10 for Queens.
Mount Olive's Shequanta McGee led all scorers with 19 points. Helen Moore was the next best point scorer with eight.
Queens held at least a two point margin for much of the first half, minus two ties, one 90 seconds in and the other with 7:06 left in the half and never had more than a seven point advantage.
Mount Olive took a short lived twopoint lead with 7:42 to play in the game, but Queens answered back on the next play with a Winstead field goal to tie it back up. The two teams would play close for the next three minutes and 20 seconds until the Royals took what would be the final lead of the game when Hamlin made a field goal.
With just under one to play
Cecilia Tchangoue (St. Jean Le Blanc, France, Forsyth Country Day) made the last bucket of the night before the fouls started coming. With Tchangoue's bucket Queens was up seven, 51-44. After the fouls were committed Queens won 57-46.
Erskine defeated top seeded Barton by a score of 87-83 at Barton Monday night.
