WATERBURY, Conn.  – As if the last two matchups between Post University Women's Basketball and Queens College did not provide enough fireworks in games decided by two points or less, Wednesday night in the Drubner Center proved to be no different as the Eagles held off a shorthanded Knights squad that scrapped and fought all night long, to pick up their first win of the season, and first win of Head Coach Courtney Burns career at Post, 61-55.

THE BASICS

Post University 61, Queens College 55 

Post University (1-1)

Queens College (0-3)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Graduate point guard Dede Stevenson would get the Eagles on the scoreboard to start things off for the Eagles, hitting the first of five first-half threes for Post University who shot 5-for-20 from long range in the first 20 minutes. Playing with only a six-man rotation throughout the game, foul trouble would allow Queens to take their first lead of the game, 6-5 behind four consecutive free throws made by freshman forward Nkiru Awaka and sophomore guard Brianna Davis with 6:02 remaining in the first.
 
Leading 8-5 after a two from freshman guard Jalea Abrams, that would be the largest lead the Knights would take in the first half and after graduate guard Trinity Bravo hit a two-pointer shortly after to make it 8-7, that would be the last time Queens would be in front in the first half. Graduate shooting guard Maya Klein's three would spark the rest of the quarter for the Eagles who carries a 17-13 lead into the second quarter.
 
Despite shooting 5-for-18 from the field in the second quarter, which featured a 2-for-11 showing from three-point range, Post would keep pace with the Knights as both sides would put up 14 points in a frame that saw Queens shoot 6-for-13 overall, but only take two threes, both of which they would miss. 12 first half fouls for the Eagles allowed for the Knights to stick around with 14 first-half free throws. However, only converting on half of those attempts, Post would be able to hang onto a 31-27 halftime lead.
 
Up to that points Stevenson led the way with eight points on 3-of-7 shooting with a 2-for-5 effort from beyond the arc. Awaka lead the way for the Knights with an efficient 4-for-7 shooting half with 12 points, eight rebounds, and four made free throws on seven attempts.
 
Coming out of the break, Queens College would tie the game up at 31 all with back-to-back baskets from Davis and Awaka forcing Head Coach Courtney Burns to call a timeout which would spark the first basket of the half for the Eagles to regain the lead. But the relentless Knights answered back with a 6-0 run after trailing 35-33, taking their largest lead of the evening after forcing a turnover on defense and forcing a few long misses from Post. Junior forward Latiesha Willis would close the third with a layup as Queens maintained a four-point advantage into the fourth, 44-40.
 
The fourth quarter would be a back-and-forth battle for both sides as an 8-0 run spurred on by five points from junior guard Naj White and a three from graduate guard Tijanae Simmons saw Post take a four-point lead back, 48-44. But yet again, the undermanned Knights would answer back and after trailing with 4:39 to go by one, Abrams and Willis hit back-to-back shots to put their team back in control, 52-49.
 
Six consecutive points from graduate guard Trinity Bravo proved crucial down the stretch in allowing the Eagles to go on a small run, jumping back ahead, 55-54, with 2:10 left in regulation. Despite two scoring chances from Queens, the Eagle defense would come up big and a three from Klein with 29 seconds left would end up being the dagger to give Post a four-point lead and go on to win their first game of the season, 61-55.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• In only 19 minutes of play, Trinity Bravo scored a team-high 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, proving to make a huge difference in the fourth with her six-point performance
• Shooting 9-for-12 from the floor, Nkiru Awaka finished with a double-double for Queens College with 23 points and 13 rebounds in the loss
• Taking 66 total shots in the affair, Post University shot the ball from long-range 32 times in the win, making just seven of them for a 21.9 three-point percentage on the evening
• Defensively, Post University doubled their steal numbers, getting 10 in the game as well as recorded four blocks compared to zero in their opener against Assumption

WHO'S NEXT
Post University will head on the road for the first time this season to face Saint Anselm College on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 PM. The Eagles are 0-5 all-time against the Hawks.