Flushing, N.Y. - The sixth-seeded men's basketball team succumbed to the third-seeded Knights of Queens College in this evening's quarterfinal round of the East Coast Conference Tournament, 95-86 from Fitzgerald Gymnasium. The Lions end the 2024-25 campaign with a record of 10-18. Queens (13-16) will advance to play St. Thomas Aquinas in the ECC Semifinals on Saturday.

How it Happened

• The teams remained in lock step in the opening minutes of the contest with no one able to take more than a one possession lead until back-to-back jumpers from sophomore Rob Matos and graduate student Matt Lane put the Lions ahead, 19-15 with 11:18 left in the first half.
• A three-pointer from Eric Tynes brought the Knights back within one before a 10-2 run broke open the scoring in favor of the home team, 28-21.
• A jumper from freshman Dylan Kopp, tip in from Lane, and 15 points from Matos regained the lead for Molloy, 40-33, headed into the final two minutes of the first half.
• Queens would cut the lead to just two, but freshman Sebastian Bosquez hit a layup in the final seconds to make it 45-40 in favor of the Lions at the break.
• Molloy opened the second half on a 13-7 run to lead by double digits, 58-47.
• The Knights, however, kicked into high gear and chipped away at the Lions' lead and knotted the score at 65 with less than 10 minutes to go.
• Three points from Tynes paired with four foul shots from Damiri Lindo put the home team ahead by five, 72-67.
• Molloy would come within one, 74-73, but were unable to reign the Knights back in before time expired.

Top Performances

• Matos led with a game-high 35 points.
• Lane had a double-double with 12 points and a game-leading 14 rebounds.
• Merchant and junior Payton Shumpert each put up 10 points.
• Senior Mick Browne led with three assists and two steals to go with eight points.