Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte defeated Livingstone College 91-76 this evening in their home opener at the Grady Cole Center.
 
A fast-paced offense sparked by high-pressure full court defense helped the Royals put 91 points on the board while forcing the Blue Bears to commit 35 turnovers. Queens totaled 20 steals in the game led by Micha Cox (Richmond, Va., Varina) who notched five individually. Tia Hudgins (Rocky Mount, N.C., Rocky Mount) led the Royals' offense with 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Cox added16 points after shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from behind the three-point line. Nikia Squire (Columbia, S.C., Ridge View) and Shonice Pettaway (Walstonburg, N.C., Greene Central) scored 14 apiece. Pettaway also pulled down seven boards to lead Queens.
 
The Blue Bears began the game on an 8-0 run before Queens fought their way back eventually taking over control of the game. The Royals really opened things up on the back of two threes from Cox in the final seven minutes of the first half. A jumper in the paint from Sarah Myatt (Show Camp, N.C., Southern Alamance) at 1:19 would give Queens a 25 point lead, its largest of the half.
 
Queens continued to put pressure on Livingstone's offense in the second half widening the gap by as much as 36 on a few occasions. Sloppy play late in the second by the Royals allowed the Blue Bears to cut the lead to 13, but time was on the Royals' side as they held out for the 15-point win.
 
Queens outscored the Blue Bears 48-34 in the paint. A huge difference in the game came in Queens' bench contribution, as their bench posted 50 points compared to 11 from the Livingstone bench.
 
Tiffany Evans, Jasmine Murray and Cierra York each scored 18 points to lead the Blue Bears.
 
Queens returns to action on Saturday at home against Lees-McRae College at 4 p.m. in their conference opener.