Box Score CHARLOTTE, S.C. – The Royals played their home opener this evening as they hosted the 2011 Queens Final Fire Classic at the Ovens Athletic Center. Queens University of Charlotte, ranked 25^th in the nation, faced Georgia College in men's basketball action defeating the Bobcats 71-58. Queens is now 3-0, while the Bobcats drop to 2-1.

Queens began the first half on an 8-0 run with four points coming from Brent Evans (Beaufort, S.C., Battery Creek). The Bobcats were able to get on the board with a three at the 18:02 mark from Mike Augustine. Preston Newlin (Graham, N.C., Graham) answered with a shot of his own from deep behind the arc, but his shot would be the last from Queens for about six minutes allowing Georgia College to tie the game up at 11-11. The Royals responded with a seven point spurt sparked by a fast break lay-up delivered by Brandon Nichols. Sean Eads (Greenville, S.C., Eastside) assisted on the play after picking up a steal on the defensive end. Queens then held as much as a seven point advantage for the remainder of the half.

At the break, Queens led 33-25 over the Bobcats after shooting 63.6-percent from the floor on 14-of-22 shooting. The Royals were able to dominate in the paint outscoring Georgia College 18-8.

In the second, the Royals were able to build a 68-47 lead with two minutes to go stringing together a number of runs en route to their win. The Bobcats shaved some points off of the Royals' lead turning up the pressure on defense late in the half, but the struggles they had knocking down baskets on the offensive end throughout the game had put them in a hole with no time to dig their way out as Queens took the 13 point win.

The Royals were led by Daniel Bailey (Irmo, S.C., Hammond ) and Nichols who each scored a game-high 19 points. Evans finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Eads dished out four assists and collected three steals in the win.

Ryan Aquino led the Bobcats with a double-double on 17 points and 10 rebounds. Augustine was the next leading scorer for Georgia College with 13 points. 

Queens will return to the court tomorrow evening against Winston-Salem State University for the final day of the Final Fire Classic. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.