CHARLOTTE, NC — A mammoth performance from freshman center Gracie Merkle and another marvelous outing from surging senior forward Sheniqua Coatney fueled the Bellarmine University women's basketball team to a 69-51 victory over Queens on Saturday afternoon in ASUN action in Curry Arena.

Merkle secured her ASUN-best 18th double-double by halftime and finished with game highs of 24 points and 19 rebounds for Bellarmine (9-21, 5-12 ASUN), which exorcised some demons in regard to road contests with the authoritative win. The nine-time ASUN Freshman of the Week went 10-for-14 from the floor.

"The ladies did a really good job today of executing exactly what we wanted them to do," Knights Coach Chancellor Dugan said.

Coatney scored in double figures for the sixth straight game after pouring in 21 points. She hit 6-of-11 shots, 9-of-12 free throws, hauled in six rebounds and distributed a game-high four assists. Coatney and Merkle's 45 combined points were only six shy of Queens' team tally. Junior forward Lucy Robertson was also successful in and around the paint, hitting 3-of-4 shots for six points along with four rebounds.

"I was really pleased out there with what they did," Dugan said of her interior trio.

Bellarmine shot 46.4 percent from the floor while limiting Queens (8-20, 3-14) to only 23.8 percent. The Knights piled up 38 points in the paint, had 16 second-chance points and outrebounded the Royals 46-36.

"We were out in the passing lanes a lot, we denied the ball a lot and beat them on the boards by 10, which was a goal," Dugan said.

Bellarmine went up 4-3 on a Merkle basket about two minutes into the contest, and the Knights led the rest of the way. BU had an 18-12 advantage after the first quarter and extended it to 38-23 at halftime behind a 16-7 run in the period as Merkle and Coatney teamed up for 27 points by the break.

Sophomore guard Hayley Harrison, who returned after a game away due to injury, buried a 3-pointer off a feed from sophomore guard Lydia Reimbold as Bellarmine boosted its lead to 20 in the third quarter. Queens battled back to within 12 early in the fourth, but consecutive baskets by Merkle, Coatney and Reimbold distinguished any remaining threat.

The contest marked the final road game of the regular season for Bellarmine. The Knights will host Liberty at 6:30 p.m. (ET) Wednesday in Freedom Hall in their regular-season finale.

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