Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's basketball team (5-7) defeated Carson-Newman College (9-5)  this afternoon in Curry Arena. The 71-62 win improves the Royals' South Atlantic Conference record to 4-4, while the Eagles, ranked first in the SAC, drop to 6-2 in league play.
 
Four Royals posted double-digits in the scoring category with senior forward Shonice Pettaway leading the way with 16 points. Sophomore guards Nikia Squire and Micha Cox each scored 15 points, while junior forward Lacey Singletary added 14 points. Pettaway also led the Queens with eight rebounds and six assists, while Squire led in steals with six. The Royals as a team shot nearly 91-percent from the foul line.
 
A jumper from Tia Hudgins in the opening minute of action would give the Royals the only lead they would see in the first half as a three-pointer from Carson-Newman's Jai Jai McLaughlin gave the Eagles the lead at 18:59. A few minutes would pass before a Cox basket from behind the three-point line tied the game at 5-5, but the Eagles responded with five unanswered points.
 
The score would sit at 10-7 for the next five minutes until Squire put two points on the board for Queens with a rebound, put-back. Unfortunately, Queens would again go scoreless for two minutes as the Eagles added to their lead.
 
A 7-0 run in the second part of the half would bring the Royals to within one, 22-21, of the Eagles with 5:29 to play, but Carson-Newman would answer with a 7-0 push of their own to lead 29-21 at the final media timeout of the half. They would head into the locker room at the half with a 31-28 lead.
 
A 7-2 run in the opening minutes of the second half would give Queens a 35-34 lead with 16:43 on the clock. Jassmine Franklin of the Eagles would respond with a jumper for her team to put them back ahead, but a three-pointer from Cox at 15:44 would return the lead to the Royals.
 
Queens would then put together a 15-5 run to increase their lead to 12, 53-41, with 9:05 to play. The Eagles tried to cut into Queens' lead forcing turnovers with their full-court pressure defense, but the Royals were able to regroup and increase their lead to as much as 14 before the end of regulation.
 
Chante Markus led the Eagles with 17 points after connecting on 4-7 from deep. Tatum Burstrom recorded 15 points. Kaitlyn Cupples notched 13 rebounds to lead all on the floor.
 
The Royals are on the road at Wingate University on Wednesday, January 15. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.