Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Royals opened their season this afternoon in “The Oven” falling to Johnson C. Smith University 72-63 in women's basketball action.

Shonice Pettaway (Walstonburg, N.C., Greene Central) scored 20 points and collected seven rebounds to lead Queen University of Charlotte's offense. Melissa Thomas (Havelock, N.C., Havelock) netted 14 points and dished out four assists, while Dyonna Battle (Rocky Mount, N.C., Rocky Mount) notched a double-double tallying ten points and nine boards. Sarah Myatt (Show Camp, N.C., Southern Alamance) led the Royals on the glass grabbing ten rebounds to go along with her seven points and three blocks on the day.

LaQwesha Gamble led the Golden Bulls recording a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Shavonda Price, Terra Quattlebaum and Terrica Jones reached double-digit scoring as well with 22, 11 and 10 points, respectively. Gamble also notched four steals and three blocks on the defensive end.

The Royals had the hot hand early outscoring the Golden Bulls 12-3. Pettaway scored two buckets during the spurt. Queens then extended its lead to 15 on a 14-8 run. Pettaway was present once again netting two threes in the run. Johnson C. Smith was able to get back in the game late in the half as they chipped away at Queens' lead with four minutes till the break. On the backs of Price and Gamble, the Golden Bulls were able to steal the lead away in the final seconds of the half, 34-33.

Queens shot 40.6-percent from the floor, 60-percent from behind the three-point line, in the opening period. Johnson C. Smith struggled a bit with a 31.4 shooting percentage. The Golden Bulls were able to capitalize in the paint outscoring Queens 16-2.

Pettaway put the Royals back on top in the first minute of the second half with a jumper. Queens then went up by as much as five before the Golden Bulls came back tying the game up at 40-40. Pettaway and Battle knocked down four free-throws in a row sparking an 8-1 run from Queens putting the home team back up, 48-41, with 13:10 on the clock. The Golden Bulls didn't go away though turning up their defensive pressure forcing turnovers by Queens enabling them to get back in the game.

A jumper from Jones of the Golden Bulls brought the visitors to within one of the Royals, 52-51. She then knocked down another shot to give Johnson C. Smith the lead for good as they went on to win the game 72-63.

The Royals fared better in the paint in the second half scoring 14 points to Johnson C. Smith's 18. However, the Golden Bulls converted Queens' 14 second half turnovers into 15 points. The Royals controlled the boards collecting ten second chance points to the Golden Bulls' two.

Queens out-rebounded the Golden Bulls 38-34 this afternoon.

The Royals are back in action on Tuesday, November 15 at Catawba College. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.