PALMER’S TRIFECTA SEALS 81-76 WIN OVER QUEENS FOR MEN’S BASKETBALL

Box Score vs. Queens - January 24, 2009 

FLUSHING, N.Y. (Jan. 24, 2009) - Tied at 73-all with 35 seconds to go in the second half, junior guard Carl Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) drained a three from the left wing to help the Molloy College men's basketball team to an 81-76 victory against Queens College on Saturday in an East Coast Conference clash at Fitzgerald Gymnasium in Flushing, N.Y. With the win, the Lions snapped an eight-game losing streak. They also improved to 4-13 overall and 3-5 in league action. 

Trailing 6-4 with less than 17 minutes left in the opening stanza, Molloy sported a quick 6-0 spurt in a span of 1:24 to grab a 10-6 advantage with 15:15 remaining. Freshman guard T.J. Gessner (Mineola, N.Y.) started it with a jumper from the top of the key. Palmer continued with a jumper as well. Sophomore forward Brian Hutchinson (Elmont, N.Y.) ended it off with a jay. 

Eventually, Queens knotted things up (19-19) at the 12:01 juncture off of a pair of free throws by sophomore forward Terrell Simmons (Coney Island, N.Y.). Seconds later, the Lions raked five consecutive points to go up by a margin of five on a Hutchinson three-point play and a jay from the wing by junior guard Michael Johnson (Jamaica, N.Y.). 

But, a minute later, the Knights (4-13, 2-6 ECC) posted four points in a row to tie things up again at 32-32. The markers came on two straight Simmons jumpers. Tied up at 37-all with 5:51 to go, Molloy posted the biggest run of the game so far with an 8-1 burst in a time of 1:58 to grab hold of a 45-38 advantage with 3:34 remaining. Hutchinson started it with two free ones. Freshman forward Sean Hehir (Massapequa, N.Y.) capped off the run with a jumper from the top. 

Queens responded with a 7-0 spurt to knot the contest up for the sixth time (45-45). Freshman guard Edil Lacayo (Bronx, N.Y.) tallied the first five points on a three-ball and a jumper. Junior guard Khaleef Allicott (Brooklyn, N.Y.) ended it off with a pair of free shots. The Lions though went into the break up by a deuce on a jay by junior forward Girard Fitts (Uniondale, N.Y.) at nine seconds. 

The Knights began second half play with an Allicott jumper to tie the game again. After that, Molloy went ahead 56-49 with 14:02 remaining following a 9-2 run in a period of 2:20 to grab a 56-49 advantage. Palmer led the way with five points off of a three-ball and a jumper. Johnson and junior guard Chris Manning (Queens, N.Y.) also netted deuces. 

Queens answered right away with a 10-3 streak during a four-plus minute stretch to record the eighth tie of the match (63-63) with 6:54 left. Senior forward Mike Liander (Elmhurst, N.Y.) and sophomore guard Lamont Lans (Spring Valley, N.Y.) each scored four points. Freshman guard Nana Kwadwo Boateng (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had the other two points on a jumper. After another three lead changes and tie scores, the game reached its turning point with the Palmer three. 

The Lions shot 54.5 percent (30-for-55) from the field and downtown in addition to being 65.2 percent (15-for-23) from the charity stripe. Palmer finished with a game-high 26 points. Fitts and Hutchinson posted 13 points each. Hutchinson also grabbed down 11 boards and dished off five assists, while Fitts passed three assists and swiped two steals. Manning notched 11 points, four points, two assists and two steals. 

Johnson contributed six points, five steals, four rebounds and four assists. Junior forward Ian-Thomas Minor (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added four points, one board and one steal. Four other players also scored two points apiece. Freshman forward Dariel Concha (Valley Stream, N.Y.) rejected one block, while Gessner swiped one steal. 

As for the Knights, they were 26-of-60 (43.3 percent) from the floor, 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from beyond the arc and 15-of-18 (83.3 percent) from the free-throw line. Allicott compiled 21 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. Lacayo registered 15 points, two boards, two steals and two assists. Simmons checked in with 11 points and seven rebounds. Liander added 10 points and three boards. 

Junior guard Martin Singleton (Bronx, N.Y.) picked up six points, six rebounds, two assists and one block. Lans earned six points, two assists and one board. Boateng accumulated four points, three boards, two assists and one steal. Freshman forward Khalil McDonald (Queens, N.Y.) gathered three points and two rebounds. 

Head Coach Charlie Marquardt and his squad return to action this Wednesday when Molloy does battle with ECC nemesis St. Thomas Aquinas College at Quealy Gymnasium in Rockville Centre, N.Y. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.