Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte picked up a commanding 89-62 victory this evening over the Bobcats of Lees-McRae College in men's basketball action. With the win, the Royals, who are now 1-2 on the year, open up Conference Carolinas play at 1-0. The Bobcats drop to 0-4 on the season and 0-1 in the league.
 
Senior forward Antonio Stabler (Garner, N.C., Wakefield) paced the Royals' offense with 16 points. He was also able to pull down seven rebounds. Senior guard Brandon Nichols (Fayetteville, N.C., Jack Britt) collected 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, while junior forward Brent Evans (Beaufort, S.C., Battery Creek) notched 11 points and eight rebounds. Senior guard Nate Blackburn (Burlington, N.C., Graham) shot 50-percent from behind the three-point line to score nine points.
 
Queens built much of its lead in the first half shooting 51.7-percent from the floor compared to Lees-McRae's 29.2 field goal percentage. Following a 4-4 tie at 17:59, Queens began to pull to away from the Bobcats. A 25-6 run in the half capped by a layup from Evans at 7:09 put the home team up 23 points. A made free-throw at 1:04 from senior forward Sam Johnson (Leicester, N.C., Asheville Christian) would give Queens its largest lead of the half, 48-21. Johnson would go on to complete the game with eight points.
 
In the second half, Queens' defense held the Bobcats scoreless until 15:37 when Charles Clarke knocked down two free-throws. During the Bobcats' drought, Queens extended its lead to as much as 33 points. The Royals were able to coast from that point on to collect their first win of the season.
 
Queens shot 46.2 percent from the floor this evening, while the Bobcats struggled at 27.5 percent.
 
Lees-McRae was led by Clarke who recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. DJ Brown scored 12 points.
 
The Royals return to the court on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., when the travel across town to take on Johnson C. Smith University.