Belmont Abbey College junior guard Courtney Naquin (Virginia
Beach, Va.) hit 17 points to lead the Crusaders to a 57-49 victory
over Johnson C. Smith University Saturday afternoon in the 2008
Queen City Classic, hosted by Wingate University in Cuddy
Arena.
The contest was the season opener for both teams. Johnson C.
Smith will play Queens University of Charlotte Sunday at 2 p.m.,
while Belmont Abbey will face host Wingate Sunday at 4 p.m.
Naquin was one of two Crusaders to hit double figures. Belmont
Abbey junior guard/forward Asha Hardaway (Greensboro, N.C.) had 14
points and seven rebounds. JCSU junior guard Wendy Stywalt
(Charlotte, N.C.) led the Golden Bulls with a game-high 18
points.
Belmont Abbey led the entire second half, but Johnson C. Smith
made a late run to make things very interesting. The Crusaders led
40-31 with 12:08 remaining in the contest, thanks to a free throw
by freshman forward Paula Regalado (Roanoke, Texas).
The Golden Bulls cut the margin to 47-45 on a fast break lay-up
by Stywalt with 2:08 to play. The Charlotte 49er transfer was
fouled on the play, but she missed the free throw. On the next
possession, Naquin nailed a three-pointer from downtown, pushing
the margin to 50-45 at the 1:36 mark. Johnson C. Smith cut the
margin to three on the next possession, but would get no closer the
rest of the way.
Both teams displayed opening game jitters in the shooting
department. Belmont Abbey hit 30.5 percent of its field goals
(18-of-59), while Johnson C. Smith managed only 34.4 percent
(21-of-61). Free throws were the deciding factor, as the Crusaders
hit 66.7 percent (16-of-24), while the Golden Bulls converted only
26.7 percent (four-of-15).
Naquin hit five three-point field goals, including three in the
crucial second half. Johnson C. Smith held a slim 47-46 rebounding
margin, thanks to 11 boards by junior forward Demetria Bell
(Indianapolis, Ind.) and 10 caroms by junior forward Nicole
Matthews (Baltimore, Md.). Belmont Abbey junior guard Ashley
Giddens (Reading, Pa.) had 11 rebounds to lead the Crusaders.
