Box Score GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team opened its season this evening on the road in the Lander Classic. Despite five Royals reaching double digit scoring, the Royals would fall 87-79 to the Bobcats of Georgia College & State University. The loss gives Queens a 0-1 record to begin the season, while the Bobcats open the year at 1-0.
 
After netting the first bucket on a lay-in from senior forward Nkosi Ali, the Royals held as much as a four-point lead until the Bobcats' Rio McMillian knocked down a pair of free-throws to tie the game at 8-8 with 16:32 on the clock. Georgia College then put together a 7-0 run, capitalizing on three consecutive turnovers by Queens to take their first lead of the game. A jumper from Marquis Rankin would end the run, but the Bobcats had a few more spurts to string together before the half was over.

Georgia College would see their largest lead over the Royals at 2:20 when Dwight Anderson knocked down a three-pointer to put his team ahead by 15 points, 46-31. Queens responded ending the period with a 7-0 run of their own to head into the locker room trailing 46-38.
 
The Royals would pull to within six of the Bobcats on a few occasions in the first five minutes of the second half, but each time Georgia College had an answer. By the under eight minute media, they had extended their lead to as much as 19 points.
 
A pair of free-throws by Todd Withers with 4:10 to play would cap a 14-2 run by Queens that cut the Bobcats' lead to just seven. On the next play, Georgia College's Ryan Blumenthal connected on a three-pointer to return his team's lead to 10, 81-71.
 
Following a pause in play due to a malfunction with the arena lights, a three-pointer from Rob Lewis would bring the Royals to within seven once more. Unfortunately, that was as close as Queens would get to the Bobcats before the final horn sounded.
 
After being outscored in the first half, 46-38, this evening, the Royals were able to match the Bobcats point for point in the second as each team put 41 points on the board. Queens shot 51.8-percent from the floor and 39.1-percent from the three, while the Bobcats shot 50-percent from the floor and 50-percent from the three.
 
Junior guard Rob Lewis led the Royals with 16 points. Lewis also tallied six assists and three rebounds. Sean Morgan added 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor and 5-of-7 shooting from the free-throw line. Marquis Rankin and Todd Withers scored 11 points apiece, while Jacarl Owens chipped in with 10 points. Nkosi Ali led under the glass, grabbing six rebounds. Morgan totaled five rebounds.
 
Anderson led the Bobcats with 15 points, while Blumenthal added 13 points. McMillian totaled 12 points and Terrell Harris scored 11 points. McMillian also pulled down eight boards.
 
The Royals will face Lander University tomorrow at 4 p.m.