QUEENS KNOCKS DOWN 10 THREES IN 78-52 WIN AGAINST MEN’S BASKETBALL

Box Score vs. Queens - February 25, 2009

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Feb. 25, 2009) – On Wednesday, Queens College netted 10 shots from beyond the arc to defeat the Molloy College men’s basketball squad, 78-52, at Quealy Gymnasium in Rockville Centre, N.Y. With the loss, the Lions ran their losing streak to six games in a row. They are also 7-19 overall and 6-11 versus East Coast Conference foes. As for the Knights, they improved to 9-17 and 7-10 in league play.

Trailing by one point (3-2) with just under 18 minutes remaining in the first half, Queens notched a 7-0 run in a time of 1:39 to grab a 9-3 lead with 16:10 left. Senior forward Mike Liander (Elmhurst, N.Y.) accounted for all of the scoring as he drained a jumper, lay-up and a three-ball. After a lay-up by MC freshman guard Chris Manning (Queens, N.Y.) shortened the deficit to four at the 16:08 mark, the Knights answered shortly with a 19-0 burst over a five-minute period to go up 28-5 with 9:04 to go.

Four different players in the streak drained trifectas. Freshman guard Edil Lacayo (Bronx, N.Y.) and junior guard Martin Singleton (Bronx, N.Y.) each had five points in the spurt. Lacayo scored his off of a trey and a lay-up, while Singleton netted a long range shot and completed a three-point play. Liander and sophomore guard Lamont Lans (Spring Valley, N.Y.) drained a three apiece. Sophomore forward Terrell Simmons (Coney Island, N.Y.) added two points in the spurt.

Shortly thereafter, the Lions trailed 32-7 with over seven minutes remaining. They then sported a 9-0 run during a span of 3:14 to diminish the QC lead to 32-16 with 3:58 left. Junior forward Girard Fitts (Uniondale, N.Y.) sparked it with a three-pointer from the corner. Manning had the other six points via a jumper, lay-up and a pair of made free throws. But, a five-point response by Liander put the Knights’ margin of advantage up to 21 points (37-16) with 2:48 to go.

Eventually, Queens went into the locker room two-plus minutes later ahead by a 42-21 count.

The Knights put the game away for good less than five minutes into the second half. Leading 49-29 with under 16 minutes remaining, Queens sported an 11-2 streak in a time of 2:37 to clutch hold of a 60-31 advantage with 13:10 to go. Singleton and junior forward Gerald Eugene (Wyandanch, N.Y.) began and closed it out with a jumper, respectively. Lans added another trey to QC’s total, while junior forward Greg Tull (Amityville, N.Y.) dunked a ball home.

For the contest, Molloy shot 37.3 percent (19-for-51) from the field and 66.7 percent (12-for-18) from the charity stripe. Sophomore forward Brian Hutchinson (Elmont, N.Y.) had a team-high 14 points. on 5-of-9 shooting. Manning amassed eight points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal. Fitts and junior guard Carl Palmer (Brooklyn, N.Y.) each tallied seven points. Fitts also dished off two assists and swiped one steal.

Freshman center/forward Dariel Concha (Valley Stream, N.Y.) registered six rebounds, five points and one steal. Junior guard Michael Johnson (Jamaica, N.Y.) notched five rebounds, four points, four steals and one assist. Freshman forward Matt Wafula (Harlem, N.Y.) added four points, four rebounds and three steals. Junior forward Ian Thomas-Minor (Brooklyn, N.Y.) picked up three points and three rebounds.

As for the Knights, they were 30-of-59 (50.8 percent) from the floor, 10-of-17 (58.8 percent) from downtown and 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from the line. Liander checked in with a game-best 19 points and nine rebounds. Senior guard Lawrence Young (Queens, N.Y.) scored 13 points. He was 5-of-8 from inside the arc and 3-of-5 from long range. Lans registered 10 points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Singleton amassed eight points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Simmons compiled six points, three assists and two rebounds. Tull raked in six points, six rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. Lacayo chipped in with five points. Eugene finished with four points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Junior guard Khaleef Allicott (Brooklyn, N.Y.) passed four assists. Freshman forward Khalil McDonald (Queens, N.Y.) pulled down three rebounds.

Head Coach Charlie Marquardt and the Lions have now closed out the home portion of their 2009 schedule. Molloy will return to the court this Saturday in Sparkill, N.Y. for its final regular season contest at St. Thomas Aquinas College. The opening tip is slated for 3 p.m.