CHARLOTTE, N.C. - On March 13, the Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team defeated top-ranked Lincoln Memorial University, 69-57, in the Southeast Regional Championship Game of the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championships. The win was the 31st of the season, making the 2017-2018 team the winningest in program history, and sending the team to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2003.

"This team will go down in the Queens record books as the most successful in the history of the program," said head coach Bart Lundy. "They represented themselves and Queens with great dignity and character."

The season began with a near upset of NCAA Division I power Wake Forest University on Nov. 3 in an exhibition game. Queens fell 76-74 but proceeded to rattle off 16 consecutive victories, a streak that tied program records for both best start to a season and longest winning streak.

The 12th win of the year came on the road over Tarleton State University, 64-51, on Dec. 30. As a result, Queens entered the New Year unbeaten for the third consecutive season, becoming the only NCAA program out of more than 1,200 member institutions across Divisions I, II, and III to accomplish the feat. The victory also marked the 23rd straight non-conference win for the Royals, including the postseason, capping an unbeaten regular-season non-conference schedule for the third-straight season.

Queens continued its winning ways, and on Jan. 9, sporting an unblemished 15-0 record, vaulted to No. 1 in the NABC/Division II National Rankings for the first time in program history, receiving 13 of a possible 16 first-place votes. The Royals became the first Charlotte-area men's college basketball program to receive a No. 1 national ranking in their classification.

Upon opening the year at No. 2 in the coaches' poll, Queens spent the entire season in the top 10 of the national polls finishing at No. 7 in coaches' poll and No. 5 in the D2SIDA Media poll. The success in the rankings extended the Royals' streak to 45 consecutive weeks in the top 25, beginning with the first poll of the 2015-2016 season on Nov. 24, 2015.

Queens finished the regular season with a 26-2 record (.928 win pct.), a program record for regular-season wins, surpassing the 2002-2003 team, who posted a 24-2 mark (.923 win pct.). The Royals eclipsed the 20-win threshold for the third year in a row and the 14th time in program history, however, both losses came at the hands of conference-rival Lincoln Memorial, and despite the historic record, Queens finished in second place in the South Atlantic Conference standings to LMU (20-0 SAC).

As the No. 2-seed in the conference tournament, Queens opened its postseason with wins over Lenoir-Rhyne University (73-61 on Feb. 28) and Carson-Newman University (92-73 on Mar. 3) to reach the SAC Tournament Championship Game for the second season in a row. Looking to defend its conference crown, the game came down to the final play. Queens fell to Lincoln Memorial 77-75.

An at-large selection, Queens earned the No. 2-seed in the Southeast Region of the NCAA Tournament, qualifying for the NCAAs for the third-straight season and the 11th time in the program's 30-year history. The Royals cruised past their first two opponents, beating Lees-McRae College, 90-69 in the first round on March 10, and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, 75-63, in the regional semifinals on March 11. The stage was set for the fourth meeting with Lincoln Memorial.

In front of an opposing crowd of 4,443 fans, Queens held the No. 2 offense in the country to 57 points, 41 points below its average, and beat LMU on its home floor for the first time in eight tries. The victory was also the program's first all-time over the No. 1-ranked team in the country. The Royals advanced to the Elite Eight for the third time in program history.

In the National Quarterfinals in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Queens edged California Baptist University 100-94, to make the National Semifinals for the second time, tying for the program's deepest postseason run. On March 22, the season came to an end in double overtime. Queens lost to Northern State University 105-99.

"At one point our only three loses of the season to one team, and they kept working until they broke through and beat LMU on the biggest stage," said Lundy. "Then they were seconds away from playing for and possibly winning a National Championship. Time will give perspective on the individual and team accomplishments of this group, but for all who were involved, and for those who enjoyed watching them, it was a fantastic run!"

The Royals finished the year with a 32-4 record (.889 win pct.), the most wins and best winning percentage ever posted by a Queens men's basketball team (30-4, 2016-27).

Four Royals picked up postseason accolades for their performance on the court. Senior forward Todd Withers was named an All-American by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) becoming the first Queens player since Spencer Ross in 2003-2004 to receive the honor. Withers was also named an All-District selection by the NABC, a Second-Team All-Region selection by the Division II Conference Commissioners' Association (D2CCA), and a First-Team All-Conference selection in the SAC.

Senior guard Mike Davis and senior point guard Ike Agusi were named to the conference's second team while Jalin Alexander received honorable-mention recognition from the League.

Upon the conclusion of their careers, seniors Darryl White, Tate Small, and Withers posted a four-year record of 102-29 (.778 win pct.). The final two years, which included the addition of seniors Agusi, Alexander, Davis, and Josh Van Weezep, featured a 62-8 record (.886 win pct.) The seven graduating seniors leave Queens as the winningest senior class in program history.