Box Score
 
RICHMOND, Va. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team began their season this evening upsetting NCAA Division I Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) on the road. The Royals won 75-73 over the Rams in what was their first exhibition game against a Division I opponent since the 2014-15 season.
 
In front of a packed house, the Royals shot 48.3-percent from the floor compared to VCU's 36-percent clip. Queens also shot 47.8-percent from the three, connecting on 11-of-23 shots from behind the arc. Leading the Royals' offense was Jalin Alexander who poured in 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Alexander was also 3-of-5 from the three. Mike Davis totaled 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting, while Daniel Carr added 11 points in his first ever collegiate game.
 
Newcomer Ike Agusi would be the one to score tonight's game winner over the Rams with just over one second to play. After leading by as much as 11, 55-44, following a free-throw from Daniel Camps at 12:25, Queens saw the Rams slowly chip away at their lead. A pair of free-throws from VCU's Mo Alie-Cox at 7:45 capped a 12-0 run that gave control of the game back to the Rams for the first time since the clock read 18:37 in the second half.  
 
Queens quickly responded on the opposite end of the court as Carr connected on a layup to return the lead to Queens. A three-pointer from Alexander followed giving the Royals a 60-56 lead with 6:30 to play. Alexander then knocked down a jumper to increase the visitor's lead to six, 62-56. The Royals went ahead by as much as seven points before the Rams pulled within one with 1:20 to play. Two ties would follow with the last coming at 73-73 on a pair of free-throws from Alie-Cox with nine seconds on the clock. Right after, the Royals inbounded the ball, and Agusi raced up the floor to score the game winner.
 
In the opening half of tonight's game, the Royals stayed close to the Rams leading on a few occasions. They saw their largest lead of the period at 11:38 when a three-pointer from Agusi put Queens ahead 15-11. The Rams responded taking over the lead and going up by six, 26-20, with 4:19 to play. However, their lead would be short lived as Queens battled back to even the score at 33-33 at the break.
 
VCU was led by JeQuan Lewis, who totaled 24 points to lead all players on the court. Lewis shot 6-10 from the three. Justin Tillman added 15 points, and Alie-Cox chipped in with 11 points. Despite shooting 36.4-percent from the floor, the Rams stayed in the game connecting on 25-of-28 shots from the charity stripe.
 
Queens will be back in action when they host the Embassy Suites SAC/PBC Tip-Off Challenge in Curry Arena, November 11-12. The Royals will take on Armstrong State University on Friday at 8 p.m., before facing Clayton State University on Saturday at 4 p.m.