Box Score ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Jan. 20, 2015) - On Tuesday evening, the Molloy College men's basketball team had visions of deja vu as the Queens College Knights made a late push to grab a win at Quealy Gymnasium. Leading for the majority of the game, the Lions had to fend off the Knights as Queens ultimately took the lead with about four and a half minutes remaining in regulation. A three-pointer from junior guard
Brandon Williams (Baldwin, N.Y.) at 2:19 tied the game at 57-57 and sent the crowd into a frenzy. Following a pair of successful free throws from senior center
Richard Zoller (Syosset, N.Y.), sophomore forward
Charlie Marquardt (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) drained a three-ball with 36 seconds left that gave the Lions a five-point cushion and the fans a raucous, celebratory mood.
The Lions ended up taking the East Coast Conference triumph tonight over Queens, 63-58. With the win, the Lions are now 10-6 overall and 5-3 in the league. The Knights slipped to 3-12 (3-5 ECC).
Molloy was led in the first half by its point guard Williams, who scored 18 of his 22 total points today in the opening 20 minutes. The Baldwin product was an offensive juggernaut as he accounted for 45% of the team's points in the opening half. In the half, Williams was a perfect 6-6 from the floor, including 2-2 from three-point range.
While the game ended in a vibrant jubilation, it certainly started off that way as well. Off senior forward
Miles Prendergast (Bayport, N.Y.) taking the opening tipoff for Molloy, Marquardt quickly grabbed the ball and fired it to sophomore guard
Jaylen Morris (Amherst, N.Y.), who tomahawk-dunked the basketball in for a 2-0 lead that came a mere two seconds into the contest.
The Knights' only lead in the first half came at 18:54, which lasted 30 seconds. Queens didn't see the lead again until 12 minutes gone by in the second half when Jeremiah Mordi drained a three-pointer to knot the score at 52-52 with 8:21 remaining. For those final eight minutes, it was an explosive type of game -- one the Lions persevered through and came out with a critical conference win.
Following Williams' 22 points, Morris scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Marquardt finished with 11 points and nailed a trio of three-balls. Senior guard
Matt McLeod (Greenlawn, N.Y.) added seven points and five boards.
NEXT UP: Head Coach
Charles Marquardt and the Lions return to the court on Thursday, January 22 when they host the University of Bridgeport at 7:30 p.m.
VENGEANCE: The last time the Lions saw the Purple Knights of Bridgeport, they were eliminated from the 2013-14 ECC Postseason Tournament...Bridgeport defeated Molloy on March 7, 2014, 79-75...In the two times during the regular season the squads met, the Lions and Purple Knights split...In that ECC playoff game, McLeod and Marquardt had very strong performances...McLeod finished with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks, while Marquardt recorded 15 points, five rebounds and three treys.
