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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The second-ranked Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (13-0, 5-0 South Atlantic Conference) returns home on Jan. 3 to meet conference rival Wingate University (7-6, 4-1 SAC) in the first of two scheduled meetings this season. Wednesday night's game marks the 34^th all-time meeting between the Royals and the Bulldogs with Queens holding a 19-14 advantage.

Last year the two sides split four meetings with Wingate taking the first two in the regular season, but Queens winning both in the conference tournament semifinals and in the NCAA Regional Quarterfinals.

Opening tipoff from the Levine Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. Live video coverage will be available on the Queens Sports Network with Phil Constantino and John Short.


No. 2/3 Queens Royals (13-0, 5-0 SAC)
(Game Notes)

-The Royals enter the New Year unbeaten for the third consecutive season, and are 13-0 for the second straight year, after most recently defeating Tarleton State University 64-51 on Saturday, Dec. 30, in the final game of 2017.

-With the victory over Tarleton State, Queens completed its non-conference schedule unbeaten for the third consecutive season. The Royals last non-conference loss came versus Livingstone, 73-71, on Dec. 3, 2014. Queens has won 24 straight non-conference games including the postseason.

-Queens is the only program in the nation, in all levels of NCAA competition, to have started each of the last three seasons 10-0 or better.

-Queens is one of nine remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II.

-Queens is ranked No. 2 in the NABC/Division II National Rankings receiving one first-place vote and slotted only behind reigning national champion Northwest Missouri State University, who received 15 of a possible 16 first-place votes. The Royals are also ranked No. 3 nationally in the D2SIDA media poll, and are the top-ranked teams in the southeast region receiving four of a possible six votes for the top spot.

-The Royals have secured ten of their 13 wins by double figures, and have compiled seven wins over teams with a winning record, and one win over a nationally-ranked opponent. Queens is beating opponents by an average of 16.3 points per game, which ranks 15^th nationally.

-Queens is led by SAC Player of the Week Todd Withers who is averaging a team-high 14.4 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game. In his last game versus Tarleton State, Withers grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds and scored 11 points to record his 12^th career double-double and his 5^th of the season.

-In the month of December, Withers scored in double figures in all seven games (15.5 PPG) and posted a double-figure rebounding performance on four occasions (9.5 RPG).

-The Royals feature a balanced attack with four of five starters averaging double figures (Withers 14.4 PPG, Mike Davis 12.7 PPG, Jalin Alexander 10.8 PPG, and Ike Agusi 10.7 PPG), and have featured six different leading scorers in a game this season.

Wingate Bulldogs (7-6, 4-1 SAC)

-Wingate currently holds third place in the conference standings with its only SAC loss versus No. 6 Lincoln Memorial University, 88-65, on Dec. 13.

-The Bulldogs have won three straight games since losing to Lincoln Memorial, most recently having beaten the University of Mount Olive, 77-72, in a non-conference game on Dec. 30.

-Wingate is 5-0 at home this season, but just 1-5 away from Cuddy Arena.

-The Bulldogs were picked fifth in the SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll after a third-place finish last year.

-The Bulldogs finished last year 20-11 overall, 16-6 in conference play, and qualified for the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in the last six years.

-This year Wingate added a recruiting class of nine to a team that lost five of its top six scorers. Returning starter Zeriq Lolar currently leads the team in scoring at 13.8 points per game, followed closely by newcomer Marco Haskins at 13 points per game.