Lions Tally Key Conference Win Over Queens

MARS HILL, N.C. – The Mars Hill women's basketball team collected its second consecutive South Atlantic Conference win after defeating visiting Queens University by a final of 66-59 on Saturday, February 11. The Lions improved to 6-18 overall and 4-14 in the league, while the Royals dropped to 4-19 overall and 4-14 in the SAC.

Madison Ervin turned in another brilliant performance as she led the Lions with 19 points to go along with her five rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Paige Chavis flirted with a triple-double, turning in a solid game with 16 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and five steals. Sydney Comer and Aliyah Farmer contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Lions shot 44% (22-50) from the floor, including 6-of-15 from behind the arc. Queens held a 37-31 edge on the boards and 30-28 in points in the paint. Mars Hill held the Royals to a 41.2% (21-51) clip from the field and a dismal 22.2% (4-18) from three.

Queens ran out to a quick 5-0 lead before a Comer three and Ervin layup knotted the contest at 5-all at the 6:50 mark of the opening quarter. The Royals then used a 9-3 spurt over the next three-plus minutes to control the game 14-8. A layup with three seconds remaining in the first gave Queens its biggest lead, 22-14, heading into the second.

Mars Hill was the aggressor to start the quarter with a 10-0 run to open, taking its first lead of the contest, 24-22, capped off by a bomb from Comer. The Lions pushed the lead to 31-26 at the 4:37 mark, but seven straight from QU gave the Royals the lead back, 33-31. A 5-2 close to the half by the visitors sent the teams in the locker room with the score 38-33 in favor of Queens.

Ervin opened the second half with a deep three that sparked an 8-1 mini run that gave Mars Hill the lead once again, this time 41-39. A back-and-forth affair would ensue as both teams traded baskets to the tune of four lead changes over the final two and half minutes of the third period. A pair of free throws by Chavis gave the Lions a minimal 47-46 lead heading into the final stanza.

Baskets were hard to come by during the fourth, but MHU began to pull away with a 12-6 run, giving it a 59-52 lead with just over two minutes remaining. Queens narrowed the gap to 59-56, but that would be as close as the score got as Comer drilled another three to reestablish a six-point lead and the Lions finished the contest with a hard-fought 66-59 win.

Maggie Stewart scored 18 points to lead the Royals, while McKell Oliverio and Cheyenne Logan chipped in 14 and 13 points, respectively.

The Lions will return to action on Wednesday, February 15 as they play host to Lincoln Memorial. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside Chambers Gymnasium.