Postgame Interview with Lewis Diankulu

HICKORY, N.C. – The 25^th-ranked Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (6-2, 1-0 SAC) used a 10-0 mid-second half run to down No. 23 Lenoir-Rhyne University (7-1, 1-1 SAC), 76-69, in Wednesday night's South Atlantic Conference Opener at Shuford Gymnasium. Daniel Carr led Queens with 19 points, seven assists and two steals, while Shaun Willett recorded his sixth double-double in eight games with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Lewis Diankulu scored 17 points on 8-for-8 shooting with eight rebounds.

The Royals trailed by seven points, 25-18, with 3:19 left in the first half after a dunk from Bertrand Awana helped LR recapture its largest lead for the second time. Queens countered with a 6-0 run, including four points from Diankulu that cut the deficit to one, 25-24, with 56 seconds remaining in the half. LR took a one-point lead, 27-26, into the locker room.

Trailing by one early in the second half the Royals went of a 13-4 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Van Turner Jr. and a free throw from Jamari Smith that put the Royals up eight, 50-42, with 12:37 to play. Turner finished with 14 points on five of 12 shooting, four of 11 from beyond the 3-point line.

The Bears briefly retook the lead with 9:19 left, 51-50, after back-to-back two-point jumpers from Cory Thomas. However, Queens answered with the game defining run, scoring 10 points in a row, including four fast break points from Blake Morrow that were assisted by Jermaine Patterson, to grab its largest lead of the game, 60-51, with 7:01 remaining.

With the lead cut to a single possession, 72-69, with 11 seconds left, Patterson went 2-for-2 at the free throw line scoring his first career points to seal the victory.
Queens held Lenoir-Rhyne to 24-percent shooting from 3-point range and turned 17 turnovers into 22 points.

Queens returns home on Saturday afternoon to face Anderson University. Tickets are $6 and all Queens students will receive free admission with their Queens ID. Live play-by-play coverage will be available on the Queens Sports Network.

Click below for the postgame interview with senior forward Lewis Diankulu.