Postgame Interview with Sarah Jansen

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In a game marred by 39 total fouls and 39 total turnovers, a second half comeback fell short for Queens in a 68-55 loss to the Pioneers of Tusculum College on Saturday afternoon in the Levine Center.
 
It was the second time in as many games that Queens (4-13, 1-10 SAC)) mounted a rally in the second half only to suffer defeat. Tusculum (13-4, 8-3 SAC) shot 50 percent from the field in the game and held a 36-22 advantage in total rebounds, but both squads committed more than 20 turnovers in the contest.
 
Queens scored the first basket of the game on a Lade Adepoju layup, but the Pioneers poured in 17 unanswered points over a five-minute stretch to build a commanding lead. Tusculum shot 64.7 percent from the floor in the first quarter of play and forced nine Queens turnovers, scoring 13 points off of those miscues.
 
The Royals outscored the Pioneers 14-13 in the second quarter, holding Tusculum to just 33.3 percent shooting from the field. Consecutive made free throws from senior Victoria Robinson with under a minute remaining cut the Tusculum lead to a 39-24 advantage at intermission.
 
The third quarter began with a 10-2 run by the Royals as senior Mendy McNeese converted an and-one with 5:14 to play in the period to cut the Pioneer lead to single digits. McNeese totaled seven points in the quarter, but Tusculum responded with a brief run of its own to extend its lead to 10 points at the end of the third.
 
Queens quickly cut the Tusculum lead back to single digits following back-to-back layups from freshman Kristian Eanes to begin the fourth quarter, but the Pioneers used a 16-6 run to build a late 17-point lead that proved too much to overcome.
 
McNeese tied for a game-high with 19 points, making 7-of-14 attempts from the floor, including 3-of-6 shot from long range. Adepoju also chipped in 19 points to go along with six rebounds in 33 minutes of action.
 
The Royals hit the road for their next contest, a league matchup with Catawba College on Wednesday, January 24 at 6 p.m. in Salisbury, N.C.

Click below for te postgame thoughts of Royals head coach Sarah Jansen.