Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Junior forward Shonice Pettaway (Walstonburg, N.C., Greene Central) scored a season-high 31 points this evening to lead the Royals past Coker College in women's basketball action. Queens University of Charlotte (7-5) defeated the Cobras 86-71, improving its record to 5-3 in Conference Carolinas play. Coker drops to 5-4 in the league and 9-6 overall.
 
Pettaway collected her points shooting 10-of-17 from the floor on the offensive end. She also grabbed five rebounds. Melissa Thomas (Havelock, N.C., Havelock) scored 13 points after shooting 50 percent from behind the three-point line. Tia Hudgins (Rocky Mount, N.C., Rocky Mount) added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while Shatonya Hardy (Fayetteville, N.C., E.E. Smith) finished with 11 points. Dyonna Battle (Rocky Mount, N.C., Rocky Mount) pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Royals under the glass.
 
Queens jumped on the Cobras early building a 14-6 lead before Coker put together a 10-2 run to tie the game at 16-16 with 11:23 to play. Queens' Thomas quickly knocked down a three-pointer making the tie short-lived, and the Royals would lead the remainder of the half. At the break, Coker trailed the Royals 40-34.
 
The Royals really took control in the second half, turning up their defensive pressure to force the Cobras into making poor ball-handling decisions. Queens was able to capitalize on Coker's mishaps extending their lead to as much as 17 before the final horn sounded.
 
Queens shot 44.3 percent from the floor and out-rebounded Coker 50-33. The Cobras shot 44.6 percent from the floor. Queens scored 21 points off of Coker's 23 turnovers.
 
Coker was led by Autumn Lau who scored 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting. Angie Lawrence chipped in with 14 points.
 
Queens returns to action on Saturday, January 19 at home against King College. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.