Lakewood, N.J.- Georgian Court University kicked off the Thanksgiving holiday in grand fashion as the Lions put together a nifty 63-58 come-from-behind victory over visiting Queens College (N.Y.) Wednesday in a non-conference men's basketball mid-week matinee.

The effort provides GCU its first taste of a triumph in 2019-20 (1-4) while the Knights go to 1-6 on the year. Georgian Court also improves to 3-0 all-time vs. its rival from the East Coast Conference in what marks the first meeting between the two programs since Nov. 21, 2015.

Queens owned the advantage the entire first half, growing its surplus to a game-high 11 points when a layup by Eddie Mehmetaj (Jr.-Jamaica, Queens, N.Y.) put the visitors ahead, 29-18, with 4:02 to go before the break.

Coming out of intermission up by seven (31-26), Queens continued to coast in the second stanza, maintaining a nine-point lead (44-35) 6:13 into the period. Georgian Court found its spark at this point as a Caleb Bowser jumper at 12:13 ignited a 13-2 run that resulted in the Lions grabbing their first lead of the day (48-46) with 8:26 remaining.

GCU never looked back as the home team held on the rest of the way, outscoring Queens by a 17-10 margin over the remaining minutes en route to the win.

Bowser paced the GCU offense with his team-high 18 points, shooting 6-for-11 from the floor in 35 minutes. The senior also snared seven boards in the effort. Alonzo Ortiz-Traylor drained 16 points in 36 minutes, while totaling seven rebounds and four rejections.

Bryce Council enjoyed his best game of the year as the junior point guard poured in seven points and dished five assists.

Three Knights scored in double-digits, led by Elijah Bovell (Jr.-Baldwin, N.Y.) and his game-high 21 points (9-for-21 FG).

Georgian Court now looks ahead to Tuesday (Dec. 3) when then Lions commence CACC conference play with an 8:00 p.m. home game vs. Chestnut Hill College.