Belmont Abbey senior forward Shayla Jackson posted a near triple double by registering career-highs with 31 points, 19 rebounds and nine assists in all 50 minutes to lead the Crusaders women's basketball team past Queens 87-81 in double overtime this evening at the Wheeler Center. Belmont Abbey, winners of three-straight, move to 5-7 overall and 4-2 in Conference Carolinas, while the Royals drop to 5-6 overall and 4-1 in Conference Carolinas.

Jackson fashioned a near perfect shooting effort from the field, sinking 13 of 15 field goal attempts and five of seven free throws for a career-best 31 points. Her 19 rebounds, 14 on the defensive glass, are also a new career-high, as are her nine assists. She also had one steal. Freshman Kelsey Long posted 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while freshman guard Candace Fox, who along with Jackson played all 50 minutes, posted 14 points four assists, two steals and just one turnover. Melisa Foures added 11 points, five rebounds and two assists in 40 minutes. The Abbey shot 51.7 percent (31-60) from the floor and sank 21 of its 27 free throws.

Queens shot 41.5 (34-82) percent as Marissa Hudley scored 28 points in 50 minutes. She also had ten rebounds, eight on the offensive glass, with two steals. Shonice Pettaway added 17 points on eight of 12 shooting with seven rebounds and four steals. Dyonna Battle posted 13 points and Jessica Lewis added ten.

Both teams proved to be evenly matched keeping the score close throughout the first period. The largest lead was held by Queens with 6:38 on the clock when Lewis sunk a three-pointer putting the Royals up by five. The Crusaders closed the small margin in the closing minutes of the half entering the break down by one, 33-32.

With a little under eight minutes left in regulation, the Royals found a spark building a nice lead after a 7-2. However, the Royals defense couldn't hold the Crusaders off in the final minutes of play as Belmont Abbey closed the game with an eight-to-two run capped by a game tying lay-up scored by Jackson with eight tenths of a second left. Queens had one last chance to win the game with one second left on the clock but couldn't get a shot off forcing the game into overtime.

Overtime went back and forth much like regulation until Belmont Abbey took the lead by two, 72-70, with 49 seconds on the clock. Hudley rebounded the ball after a missed shot and went back up for the put-back getting fouled with four ticks left on the board. Hudley sunk both free-throws forcing a second overtime.

The Crusaders had the upper-hand in the closing minutes of the second overtime. After four ties, Belmont Abbey found room to score six straight points making the score 85-79 with only 25 seconds on the clock. Each team would score one final bucket before the final horn ended the game.