Box Score
Post-Game Press Conference
 
HARROGATE, Tenn.  – Seventh-ranked Queens University of Charlotte, seeded second in the NCAA DII Men's Basketball Southeast Regional, defeated seventh-seeded Lees-McRae, 90-69, this afternoon to advance to round two of the Championships for the third straight year. The Royals move on to the semifinal round of the Southeast Regionals with a 29-3 record while the Bobcats bow out of tournament play at 23-9.
 
Queens shot 51-percent from the floor while holding the Bobcats to just 35-percent shooting to grab this afternoon's 21-point win, which is the most points the Royals have won by in the NCAA DII Men's Basketball Championships ever. The Royals also forced the Bobcats into 21 turnovers, converting them into 28 points. Additionally, Queens dominated in the paint outscoring Lees-McRae 52-24.
 
Todd Withers led all players on the court today with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting. The senior also totaled eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Ike Aguis and Lewis Diankulu followed with 12 points each. Agusi also recorded five assists and five steals while Diankulu had five rebounds. Jalin Alexander and Shaun Willett added 10 points each while Daniel Carr and Mike Davis chipped in with eight points apiece. Solomon Smith pulled down eight rebounds to match Withers under the glass while Willett totaled seven rebounds.
 
The Bobcats led for nine seconds of today's game after scoring the first basket on a jumper from Kamil Williams. Queens' Davis would quickly knot things up at 19:23 with a layup, and 13-0 run would follow helping the Royals build a 15-5 lead by the first media timeout at 14:32. Out of the break, Queens never looked back as they extended their lead to 17, 23-6, by 12:19. A bucket scored by Smith at 1:41 would give the Royals their largest lead of the half, 45-22, and they would maintain the 23-point advantage at the break, 49-26.
 
Queens' lead grew to its largest at 15:56 in the second when Carr scored a layup to put the Royals in front, 64-33. The Bobcats made an attempt to comeback cutting the margin to 19, 72-53, with 7:49 to play, but a dunk by Queens' Diankulu quickly shifted the momentum back to the Royals ending Lees-McRae's 10-2 run. Queens then went on to extend its lead to as much as 25 on several occasions before grabbing the 21-point victory.
 
Jordan Turner led Lees-McRae with 14 points this afternoon while Quay Kimble added 12 points. Josh Gaither scored 11 points and Lepreece Lynch chipped in with 10 points.
 
The Royals advance to face UNC-Pembroke in the NCAA DII Southeast Regional Semifinals tomorrow, March 11. The Braves defeated Francis Marion earlier today, 75-72 to advance. Queens trails in the all-time series with UNC-Pembroke, 5 -4, despite taking the last meeting between the two teams during the 2006-07 season when the Royals won 69-61 at home in The Oven. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.