Belmont Abbey senior guard Richard Barbee became just the fourth player in school history, and the first in 22 years, to record 2,000 career points as the eighth-seeded Crusaders upset the top-seeded Queens University Royals 84-81 this evening in Ovens Gym in the opening round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament. The Abbey moves to 14-13, while Queens is now 20-7. The Abbey will stay on the road Thursday as it faces Coker in the semifinal round. It is the first time since 2003 that the eighth seed upset the top seed.

Barbee needed 15 to record 2,000 and finished with 19. Kyle Phillips led the Crusaders with 21 as he moved his career scoring total to 997. Terrone Sheffey added 16, while Tyshawn Good posted 12, including four free throws in the final seven seconds to seal the win.

The two teams met at Ovens just two nights ago in the regular season finale as Queens took an 87-82 win to seal the Conference Regular Season title and number one seed. Queens had won both of the regular season meetings and the last three straight before tonight.

Belmont Abbey shot 49.2 percent (32-65) and dominated the boards by a 45-33 count. Phillips logged a double double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Darryl Durham added seven to go along with seven points. Phillips sank ten of his 16 shots and had a blocked shot and a steal, while Barbee converted five of his 11 shots and eight of nine from the free throw line. He added five assists and a steal in 35 minutes.

Queens shot 47.6 percent (30-63) as Reggie Hopkins led all scorers with 22 points. Antonio Stabler added 17, while Brent Evans, who had 32 in the matchup two nights ago, finished with 12 tonight. Daniel Bailey added 11.

The Crusaders never trailed as they roared out to a 10-0 lead in the first four minutes. Barbee, Sheffey and Phillips combined to score the first ten points before the Royals closed to within 12-11 with 13:06 left. Two free throws and a layup from Good widened the gap to five. Queens would score 18 of the next 31 points to deadlock the game at 29, but the Abbey would quickly regain the lead and push it to four on two Barbee free throws. Queens got it right back with a 6-2 run to knot the game for the fourth time, 37-37 with 2:21 left, but a Matthew Graves layup at 1:51 were the final points of the stanza as the Crusaders carried a 39-37 lead into the break.

In the second half the Abbey outscored the Royals 45-44 as its lead never rose any higher than seven points. Queens tied the game twice in the final 20 minutes, the last coming at the 7:46 mark on a three-pointer by Hopkins to even the count at 62. 11 seconds later, Sheffey gave the Crusaders the lead for good with a running layup, followed by a jumper to move the cushion to four. After an Evans basket cut the lead to a pair, Durham converted a traditional three-point play to extend the advantage to five at 69-64 with 5:19 to go.

Stabler pulled the Royals to within one on two free throws and a layup, but Sheffey responded with a three-pointer to make the score 72-68 with 4:09 left.

The Crusaders held their lead to as high as five points on a Phillips layup with 25 seconds left. His 21st and final points of the night padded the Abbey lead to five. Queens came right back with a trifecta by Hopkins with nine ticks left to cut the lead to a pair. After a timeout, Good swished two free throws with :07 on the clock to move the advantage back to four.

Hopkins again had an answer, burying a three with six seconds to go to cut the lead to 82-81. Hopkins fouled Good on the ensuing possession, and the sophomore from Jamaica, New York sealed the win with two successful free throws to secure the win. Queens did not get off a shot in the final two seconds as the Crusaders pulled the upset.

Barbee becomes just the fourth player, and the sixth man or woman, in school history to record 2,000 career points. He now has 2,004. Phillips needs just three points to become the 35th player in school history to reach 1,000 career points.