Postgame Interview with Lewis Diankulu
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Lewis Diankulu scored a career-high 34 points, as the Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (12-2, 5-0 SAC) pulled away in the second half to defeat Coker College (2-8, 0-4 SAC), 96-79, on Wednesday night at the Levine Center. Diankulu shot 14 of 18 from the field and secured 10 rebounds to record his third career double-double. He became the first Royal to score 30 or more points in a game since
Jalin Alexander scored 31 at Anderson University on Jan. 21, 2017.
Diankulu paced four Royals in double figures, as
Shaun Willett scored 14 points with 15 rebounds to notch his NCAA-leading 11
th double-double of the season.
Daniel Carr and
Van Turner Jr. also each scored 14 apiece as Queens earned its seventh consecutive win.
Diankulu scored eight points by the first media timeout, as Queens led 14-8, with 14:22 left in the half. The Royals extended their lead to 10 points, with 11:59 left in the first, using a 10-0 run capped a Diankulu jumper in the paint that put Queens ahead, 20-10.
However, led by 21 first-half points from Khalil Halls, Coker climbed back, cut the deficit to one point, 22-21, with 9:19 on the clock, and trailed by six at halftime, 42-36. Halls finished the game with 31.
In the second half, Queens slowly stretched the lead to its highest of 18 points when Turner scored on a fastbreak to put the Royals ahead, 91-73, with 3:27 left.
As a team, Queens shot 47.3 percent from the field, turned the ball over just 10 times, and outrebounded Coker 47-37.
The Royals return to action after the holiday break, on Jan. 3, at home versus Virginia Union University. Tickets are $6 and all Queens students will receive free admission with their Queens ID. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Live play-by-play coverage will be available on the
Queens Sports Network.
Click below for the postgame interview with Diankulu.
