GAFFNEY, S.C. – Playing for the first time in three and a half weeks, the Limestone University women's basketball team shook off the rust with several stellar performances, including a pair of 20-point games and one double-double, in a 93-64 win over Queens University of Charlotte on Wednesday, February 17.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Limestone 93, Queens (N.C.) 64
Records: Limestone (5-7, 5-6), Queens (N.C.) (1-15, 1-14)
Location: Timken Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Junior Quin Byrd (Fountain Inn, S.C.) finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists
• Freshman Reagan Kargo (Summerfield, N.C.) tallied 20 points on 4-of-5 shooting from long range
• Junior Reagan McCray (Davie, Fla.) added 16 points behind four three-point bombs
• Graduate Lynadia Whiting (Waterbury, Conn.) chipped in 13 points and four assists off the bench
• Freshman Aaliyah Foxx-Rome (Dallas, Ga.) posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 boards
• Sophomore Alaan West (Harvey, La.) knocked down 10 points
• Junior Vonshayla Webb (Travelers Rest, S.C.) grabbed 10 rebounds to go with a pair of blocks
• Limestone went 37-of-75 (49%) from the field and 13-of-26 (50%) from three-point range
• The Saints finished with a 48-39 advantage on the boards and a 40-22 margin in the paint

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
The Royals drew first blood with a three-pointer, but a jumper in the paint by Byrd would spark a 10-0 run for the Saints. Kargo tallied five points during that stretch while West added three, putting Limestone in front 10-3 with 5:29 remaining in the first period, but Queens would close to within three a few ticks later.
 
Back-to-back triples by McCray and Byrd quickly pushed the Blue and Gold out to a nine-point lead, but the visitors countered with a 7-0 spurt to close the gap to 16-14 with 1:46 left. However, McCray would hit from downtown before Whiting capped a 9-0 run by beating the buzzer to give the Saints a 25-14 edge.
 
Second Quarter
 
Queens kept things close in the second, trimming the margin to 25-19 just 30 seconds into the period, but five straight points from Byrd again made it a double-digit game. Looking a bit rusty at times, Limestone had a hard time pulling away from the Royals as it clung to a narrow 38-35 lead with 3:49 remaining.
 
The Saints made a late charge in the half though as they held Queens scoreless over the final 3:49 of the second quarter, allowing the offense to open another double-digit cushion. The freshman duo of Foxx-Rome and Kargo combined to score nine straight points as Limestone took a 47-35 lead into the break.
 
Third Quarter
 
The Blue and Gold came out of the locker room bombing away from downtown as McCray and West each connected from long distance, making it a 53-35 game less than a minute into the second half. However, the Royals scored 11 of the next 14 points to stay within striking distance, 56-46, with 6:39 left.
 
The Saints would begin to open things up a bit midway through the third though as three-pointers by McCray and Kargo bookended an 11-4 stretch for the home team. Whiting would then knock one down from behind the arc before again beating the buzzer with a driving layup to put Limestone on top, 73-54.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
An old-fashion three-point play by Foxx-Rome started the final period before a layup by Byrd gave the Saints a comfortable 24-point margin, 78-54, early in the fourth. Queens gave it one last push, closing the gap to 17 a few moments later, but Limestone put to rest any thoughts of a comeback down the stretch.
 
Leading by 20 with 4:12 remaining in regulation, Whiting hit a little floater in the lane before feeding Byrd on a fast break score – the first of three straight buckets by Byrd. Kargo then applied the finishing touches for the Blue and Gold, knocking down her fourth triple of the game to seal the 93-64 win for the Saints.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Seeing action for the first time in almost a month, the Saints continued a back-and-forth with the Royals until a 15-0 run that spanned the halftime break allowed them to start pulling away. Queens stayed within striking distance in the third, but Limestone would never lose its double-digit cushion the rest of the way.
 
NOTABLES
 

• Limestone last played a game on January 23 when it defeated Anderson, 73-59
• The Saints had five games cancelled since then due to various COVID-19 protocols
• Despite the lengthy layoff, McCray still leads the SAC in three-pointers made and percentage
• She also ranks fourth in the league in scoring and eighth in total assists
• Byrd is also fourth in the league in scoring while Kargo is eighth
• Foxx-Rome posted her first career double-double
• Limestone has won five straight against Queens and seven of the last eight games

 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone will wrap up its 2020-21 regular season home schedule on Saturday, February 20 when it hosts first-place Carson-Newman University. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.