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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The seventh-ranked Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (1-1) will meet Emmanuel College on Friday night in its first game of the Conference Challenge. This marks the first-ever meeting between the Royals and the Lions.
Opening tipoff from Shuford Gymnasium on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
 
Quick Facts

No. 7/8 Queens Royals (1-1)
(Game Notes)

- Queens opened its season in the prestigious Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic presented by Hillyard. The Royals won their first game, 101-87, over William Jewell College before dropping their second game, 87-74, to Northern State University in a rematch of last year's national semifinal. The elite field featured the last two national champions and three of last year's four national semifinalists.

 -In the season opener versus Jewell, Queens trailed by 11 in the first half before using a 20-0 run to seize control and break the game open. The Royals were led by Shaun Willett who recorded his fourth career double-double, tying a career high with 19 points and setting a new career high with 16 rebounds. Daniel Carr tied a career high with 17 points while notching a new career high with 8 assists. Jachai Taylor scored 13 points and secured a career-best nine rebounds in his Queens debut.

-On Sunday versus Northern State, Willett posted his fifth career double-double again leading the way with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Carr tallied a new career high with 18 points and Lewis Diankulu scored 14 points to go along with seven rebounds and two blocks. Willett and Carr were named to the All-Tournament Team for their performances.

-Sunday's setback put an end to the Royals streak of consecutive unbeaten starts to the season. In the last three years, Queens had previously opened a combined 44-0 before losing a game. The streak began with a 12-0 start to the 2015-2016 campaign which at the time set program records for both longest winning streak and best start to a season. The Royals eclipsed or tied both of those records during each of the next two years, both times opening 16-0 before losing. Queens was the only NCAA men's basketball program to open each of the last three seasons at least 10-0 before losing (more than 1,200 NCAA institutions).

-The loss also marked the earliest loss in a season since Queens fell in its season opener to Georgia College on Nov. 14, 2014, and the first regular-season non-conference loss since falling to Livingstone on Dec. 3, 2014. The Royals had won 23 straight non-conference regular-season games.

-Queens was ranked No. 7 nationally in the NABC/Division II Preseason Rankings marking the fourth consecutive year in which the Royals cracked the top 10 of the official coaches' poll. Queens has been featured in the rankings in every regular-season poll for the last 45 weeks, dating back to Nov. 24, 2015, the first poll of the 2015-2016 season. Additionally, the Royals were ranked No. 8 nationally in the D2SIDA Preseason Poll and No. 11 nationally by the Division II Bulletin.

-The Royals were picked No. 2 in the Conference's preseason poll receiving four first-place votes and 104 total points. Queens was voted second only to Lincoln Memorial University who garnered seven first-place votes and 107 total points.

-Queens returned five letter winners from last year's regional championship team; Lewis Diankulu (17.2 MPG, 8.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG), Shaun Willett (14.8 MPG, 9.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG), Daniel Carr (19.3 MPG, 7.1 PPG, 2.6 APG), Josh Brodowicz and Jonathan Horodyski. Diankulu is the only returning starter, while Carr (2) and Willett (1) both started at least one game last season. Diankulu, Carr, and Willett all saw time in all 36 contests.

-Willett and Carr were named preseason second-team all-conference selections, as voted by the League's coaches.

-The Royals added 10 newcomers to its quintet of returners for the 2018-2019 season. The class includes Division I transfer Jachai Taylor from Murray State University, Division II transfer Blake Morrow (12.7 PPG) from Eckerd College, junior college transfers Brandon Faison, Armoni Lee, Van Turner Jr., and Kevion Blaylock, and freshmen Jamari Smith, Jermaine Patterson, Kenny Dye and Chris Parks. Both Smith and Patterson were named their respective states' Players of the Year in high school.

-Head Coach Bart Lundy is in his sixth season since returning to Queens and his 11^th overall at the helm in Charlotte. In 17 years as a head coach in Division I and II, Lundy has posted an overall record of 329-169 (.661 win pct.) and a record at Queens of 233-82 (.741 win pct.). Lundy has led Queens to all three of its Elite Eight appearances.

Emmanuel College Lions (0-0)

-The Lions are the reigning NCCAA Division I National Champions after going 23-10 (12-6 CC) last year as a provisional member of Conference Carolinas without postseason eligibility. Emmanuel won all five of its national tournament games by double figures, including an 85-65 win over Southwestern Christian College in the title game.

-The 2018 National Championship was the third for Emmanuel since 2009. The Lions also claimed the title in 2009 and 2016.

-This season is the first in which the Lions will compete with full NCAA Division II membership and are postseason eligible. Emmanuel was picked fourth in the CC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

-The Lions return leading scorer Kendrick Colvin who averaged 17.3 points per game and was named an NCCAA First-Team All-American and a member of the All-Tournament Team.

-Head Coach Thomas Rosene was named the 2018 NCCAA National Coach of the Year, earning the award for the third time in his career. Rosene has led Emmanuel to all three of its national championships and 11-straight 20-win seasons.