Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's basketball team hosted Tusculum College in Curry Arena this evening, picking up their first South Atlantic Conference win of the season. The Royals defeated the Pioneers 77-75 to improve to 1-3 in the league and 2-5 on the season. Tusculum falls to 0-7 on the season and 0-4 in the SAC with the loss.
 
Sophomore guard Nikia Squire led the Royals in scoring tonight with 20 points on 7-9 shooting from the floor and 6-10 shooting from the foul line. Tia Hudgins recorded her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Shonice Pettaway scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Micha Cox notched 10 points and 8 assists, while Abby Pettit added 10 points and six rebounds.
 
The Royals trailed the Pioneers early in the half, tying the game up on multiple occasions. They would see their first lead of the night on a Cox layup at 13:40 that put Queens ahead, 11-10.
 
A 12-2 run late in the half highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers from Pettit and Cox would give Queens its largest lead of the game, 29-20, with 4:45 to play. However, the momentum would swing in the Pioneers' favor in the final minutes of the half as they closed with a 10-3 run to cut the home team's lead to two, 32-30, at the break.
 
The Royals got back into their rhythm at the start of the second extending their lead back out to 11, 55-44, following a Cox basket from three-point land. Queens would keep at least a seven-point lead until Blakeley Burleson broke through the wall with a three-pointer at 5:58 to cut the Royals' lead to six, 65-59. Two free-throws would follow for the Pioneers bringing them to within four of the Royals.
 
Cox responded with another three at 5:15 to give Queens a seven-point advantage again, but back-to-back layins from Shynese Whitener cut the lead to three with 4:36 to play.
 
A three-pointer from the Pioneers' Burleson would bring Tusculum to within one, 76-75, with 15 seconds on the clock. In Queens' final possession, Squire would dribble the length of the court, forcing the visiting Pioneers to foul and send her to the line where she knocked down 1-2 to secure the first win in Curry Arena for the women.
 
The Royals outscored Tusculum 42-36 in the paint, and outrebounded them 44-37 this evening.
 
Burleson led the Pioneers with 18 points after shooting 4-7 from behind the three-point line. Four other Pioneers notched 10 points apiece.
 
The Royals are on the road at Brevard College next Saturday. Tip-off is at 2 p.m.