HICKORY, N.C. – Lewis Diankulu scored 18 points to pace six Royals in double figures, as the seventh-ranked Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (2-1) defeated Emmanuel College (0-1), 85-68, on Friday night at Shuford Gymnasium in its first game of the Conference Challenge. Diankulu shot 9-for-14 from the field and totaled six rebounds as Queens led by as many as 22 points and led for nearly 38 minutes.

The Royals took control with a 19-3 run that started with 8:53 remaining in the first half when Kevion Blaylock converted on two free throw attempts to give Queens a 21-16 lead. On the next possession, Daniel Carr connected on a 3-pointer, followed by a layup and a 3-point field goal from Shaun Willett which gave Queens 10 consecutive points and a 29-16 lead with 6:46 left. Blaylock scored a career-high 10 points, while Carr scored 15 points and tied a career-high with eight assists. Willett added 10 points.

Queens carried a 44-26 lead into the halftime break and stretched the lead to 22 points when Diankulu scored back-to-back buckets to open the second half. Led by a game-high 26 points from Brandon Simpson, Emmanuel cut the Queens lead to six, 58-52, with 10:14 to play. However, the Royals countered with an 18-8 run capped by a 3-pointer from Armoni Lee at the top of the key to reclaim a 16-point advantage, 76-70, with 5:54 left. Lee finished with 11 points on four of four shooting. Van Turner Jr. scored 11 points on 3-for-5 3-point shooting.

The Royals held the Lions to 38.7 percent shooting and 27.3 percent from distance while shooting at a 64-percent clip and 58.8 percent from outside. Queens outrebounded Emmanuel 33-27.

Queens returns to action on Saturday night versus Young Harris College in the final game of the Conference Challenge. Opening tipoff from Shuford Gymnasium on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Live play-by-play coverage will be available on the Queens Sports Network.