CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Marissa Hudley (Charlotte, N.C., Harding University ) came alive this evening recording yet another double-double this season in the Royals' win over Erskine College at Ovens Athletic Center. Queens University of Charlotte defeated the Fleet by a score of 76-61 holding on to their undefeated Conference Carolinas record (3-0, 4-5). Erskine falls to 1-2 in conference play and 2-6 overall.
Hudley led the Royals with 19 points, 12 rebounds, five steals, two assists, and one block in just under 40 minutes on the court. She went a perfect 5-5 from the free-throw line only improving on her 95% free-throw shooting percentage. Queens as a team shot 88% (22-25) from the charity stripe, 93.3% in period two.
Also leading Queens was Shakaria Hamlin (Hartsville, S.C., Hartsville) with 13 points, six boards, and five assists. Jazmine Edmonds (Manassas, Va., CD Hylton) contributed 14 points in the post, while Melissa Thomas (Havelock, N.C., Havelock) and Sarah Myatt (Burlington, N.C., Alamance) chipped in eight points apiece. Thomas also dished out four assists and collected five steals.
Porsha Morgan of the Fleet led all scorers tonight with 25 total points. Elizabeth Tatum scored seven points, and Jana Dixon led her team in rebounds with 10.
The Fleet opened up the game with the momentum going up by as much as eight points before the Royals pieced together a few runs to gain control of the game. With 11:18 on the clock, Edmonds connected on a lay-up assisted by Lewis sparking a small six-to-zero run giving the Royals a one point lead, 21-20. After a free-throw by Morgan of the Fleet tied the game up, the Royals netted another basket taking the lead for good.
Queens went in to the break ahead 40-34 in large part due to the 18 points scored from the bench.
The Royals continued to hold on to their lead throughout the second half of play as the Fleet could not find a way to stop the Royals offense from scoring. Queens saw its largest lead with 6:21 when Hamlin scored two points in the paint putting the Royals up by 17.
Queens' bench scored 30 points to the Fleets' 11. The Royals also converted Erskine's 25 turnovers into 24 points. Erskine won the battle of the boards grabbing 46 to Queens' 41.
The Royals will travel to face Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., on Thursday, January 6. The women will play before the men in a game slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.
