Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Senior guard Jarrett Stokes scored a season-high 33 points this evening as Queens University of Charlotte defeated Tusculum College, 83-63, in Curry Arena. The win extends the Royals' record to 3-4 on the season while putting them at .500 in the South Atlantic Conference. The Pioneers drop to 1-8 on the year and 0-5 in the league with the loss.
 
Stokes shot 8-12 from the floor and a perfect 12-12 from the foul line to lead all players on the court in scoring tonight. He also totaled six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Senior forward Josh Clyburn added 15 points, seven rebounds and seven blocks, while senior forward Brent Evans recorded his fourth straight double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
 
In the first half the Royals dominated the Pioneers in the paint outscoring Tusculum 20-8. The advantage inside combined with a defensive effort that included eight blocked shots helped the Royals roll into the halftime break with a 40-25 lead. Stokes would lead all on the court in the opening 20 minutes of action with 18 points on 5-10 shooting from the floor. The senior guard also shot a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe.
 
Queens would build its lead out to as much as 17 points three times in the second half before the Pioneers attempted a comeback. An 11-2 Tusculum run capped with a layup from Neal Spinks would bring the Pioneers to within eight of Queens, 54-46, with 12:27 to play. However, Queens' Clyburn would put an end to it with a fast break dunk in the open court. The dunk reignited the Royals offense as they put together a 13-2 run, creating a 19 point cushion with 9:09 on the clock.
 
The Pioneers wouldn't go away easily though, coming back once more to cut the Royals' lead to eight. This time Queens answered with 16 points while only allowing the visiting Pioneers to score four in the final six minutes of play.
 
Queens shot nearly 60 percent from the floor in the second half and connected on 4-4 from behind the three-point line. The Royals also outrebounded the Pioneers 44-33 and tallied a total of 12 blocks tonight.
 
Jalen Walker led the Pioneers with 17 points, while Darius Carter added 15 points. Addison Flynn and Spinks chipped in with 12 and 11 points, respectively.
 
Queens is back in action next Saturday on the road at Brevard College. Tip-off is at 4 p.m.