CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte was held to just 33% from the floor as Pfeiffer University spoiled the Royals homecoming return to The Oven grabbing a 66-57 win over the host in Conference Carolinas women's basketball action on Saturday night.
The Falcons shot 46% in the win improving to 12-12 overall, 11-7 in league play.
Queens drops their fourth-straight contest dipping to 10-13, 9-8. They are now tied at sixth place in the league with Erskine College.
Though trailing for most of the first half, the Royals mustered up a run in the final six minutes of the half giving them a 30-28 lead at the intermission. Pfeiffer jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead after a triple by Brittany Cox and held the lead until the six minute mark when Marissa Hudley (Charlotte, N.C., Harding University ) drained a jumper to give the Royals their first advantage of the night at 17-16. Cox, along with Kellie Rhoney, each hit long range threes late in the half, but a skillful layup by Erin Goldner put the Royals up two at the break.
At 10:11 Hudley grabbed her fifth board of the night making her the all-time leading rebounder in history of the women's basketball program. Hudley finished the game with 14 rebounds giving her a career total of 934 rebounds. Hudley also became the all-time leading scorer in history at Queens earlier this season. The senior forward now has 1,740 total points.
In the second half, the Royals scored the first basket going up by four before hitting a wall for a few minutes. Pfeiffer grabbed the lead for good just 3:10 into the period as a layup by Celeste Caudill made it a 34-32 Falcons lead. Coming up on the halfway point of the second, Queens went 0-10 from the floor as Pfeiffer went on a 14-0 run pulling away from the Royals. Queens began knocking down shots with just under five minutes of play left in the game, but their comeback was ruined by a pair of baskets by Pfeiffer along with a number free-throws sealing the victory for the visitors.
The Royals were led by Hudley's double-double. She scored 22 points to go along with her 14 boards. Dyonna Battle (Rocky Mount, N.C., Rocky Mount) finished the night with 13 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two assists. The Royals scored 15 second chance points to Pfeiffer's five in the loss.
Cox paced the Falcons with 21 while Caudill had 16 in front of Shelley Reese's 14. Pfeiffer shot an identical 45.8% from the floor in both halves hitting on eight threes in the win.
The Royals are back in action on Monday at 5:30 pm at home when they face Converse College in a make-up game.
