Box Score GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Royals traveled to Limestone College to face Lenoir-Rhyne University this evening in their season opener defeating the Bears 69-61 in the Conference Carolinas/SAC Challenge.

The Bears led for a short period before the Royals tied the game up at 8-8 on a lay-up by Joshua Twitty (Rutherfordton, N.C., Polk County). Another lay-up by Brent Evans (Beaufort, S.C., Battery Creek) followed giving Queens its first lead of the night with 11:41 on the clock. A few ties followed before the Royals were able to stretch their lead out to six on a basket from three-point land scored by Daniel Bailey (Irmo, S.C., Hammond ). The Bears would however make a late push to tie the game at 24-24 before ultimately knocking down a basket at the buzzer for a 28-25 lead going into the break.

The Royals controlled the ball well in the first half only committing three turnovers, while forcing 10 from the Bears. Queens was able to score ten points off of Lenoir-Rhyne's turnovers as well. However, the Royals struggled knocking down buckets completing the half with a 32.4 shooting percentage compared to the Bears' 50-percent shooting from the floor.

The Bears went up by as much as six before the Royals put together a comeback to tie the game and take the lead on back-to-back baskets by Evans. Denzel Dillingham of the Bears responded knocking down a basket to equalize the game for the seventh time of the night. Bailey answered with a two-pointer in the paint to put the Royals up for good. From that point, the Royals were able to find their offensive rhythm building a 13 point lead capped off by a dunk by Brandon Nichols (Fayetteville, N.C., Jack Britt).

Lenoir-Rhyne tried to force their way back into the game as Dillingham knocked down a three cutting Queens' lead down to five, 65-60, with 1:31 on the clock. That was as close as they would get as Evans sealed the deal with two field goals, one being a dunk, to end the game.

The Royals outscored the Bears in the paint 32-14 in the second half. Queens also improved their shooting percentage to 60-percent in period two, while the Bears shot 38.5-percent from the floor in the second.

Evans led the Royals with 25 points. Bailey recorded his first double-double of the year with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Antonio Stabler (Garner, N.C., Wakefield) had a solid night scoring eight points, while grabbing nine boards.

The Bears saw three players reach double digit scoring led by Allan Jones' 16 points. Dillingham and R. J. McClure collected 15 and 10, respectively.

Queens will return to the court tomorrow at 5:30 pm to take on Wingate University in their final game of the Conference Carolinas/SAC Challenge. Last season, the Royals fell 69-66 to the Bulldogs early in the season.