Live Video: Queens Sports Network
Phil Constantino (pxp),
John Short (color)
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The No. 9/6 Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (17-2, 9-0 SAC) hosts Lenoir-Rhyne University (14-4, 7-3 SAC) on Wednesday night at the Levine Center for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night and Jersey Night. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.
All Queens faculty and staff members, and their families will receive free admission, and all students are encouraged to wear their favorite jersey with a chance to win a Queens basketball jersey. Halftime will feature a Duel of the Deans, between Dr. Rick Mathieu of the McColl School of Business and Dr. Tim Brown of the Knight School of Communication, in a shooting competition.
Entering Wednesday night, Queens holds a two-game lead over Lincoln Memorial University (9-2) atop the South Atlantic Conference standings. Lenoir-Rhyne is in third place, 3.5 games back of Queens.
The Royals and the Bears will meet for the 20th time overall, and the second time this season. Queens leads the all-time series 14-5, and has won each of the last six meetings, including a 76-69 road win earlier this season over then-No. 23 LR on Nov. 28. The Bears last beat the Royals on Feb. 24, 2016, 94-90.
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Quick Facts
No. 9/6 Queens Royals (19-2, 11-0 SAC)
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Game Notes)
-Last time out, led byÂ
Shaun Willett's 18th double-double, No. 9/6 Queens held off a second-half rally to defeat Anderson University, 83-75, on Saturday at the Abney Athletic Center. Willett scored 22 points with 13 rebounds, whileÂ
Daniel Carr scored 18 points,Â
Lewis Diankulu scored 17, andÂ
Kevion Blaylock grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds.
-Saturday's win stretched the Royals' winning streak to 14 games, the fourth-longest active streak in Division II. Queens has produced a winning streak of 12 games or more in each of the last four seasons. The Royals last lost a game on Nov. 24, versus Belmont Abbey College, 76-55, at the Levine Center.
-On Tuesday, Queens held to No. 9 in the NABC / Division II Rankings, and No. 6 in the most recent edition of the D2SIDA Media Poll. The placement in the ninth official coaches' poll of the season, marks the 54th consecutive week in which Queens has been featured in the poll dating back to Nov. 24, 2015, the first poll of the 2015-2016 season. The Royals have cracked the top-10 nationally in both polls during each of the last four seasons.
-With one more win, Queens will notch its 15th 20-win season in the program's 30-year history. A victory would also ensure at least 20 wins in each of the last four seasons.
-With his 18th double-double on Saturday versus Anderson, Willett maintained his NCAA lead (more than 1,200 institutions) for double-doubles this season. At the Division II level, Will Vorhees of Notre Dame College is second with 12 double-doubles. In Division I, Davontae Cacok of the University of North Carolina Wilmington has 16, and in Division III, Garrisson Duvivier of Gordon College has 15.
-Willett was named AstroTurf SAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week for games played Jan. 21-27, after averaging 20.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 43.8 percent shooting, 50 percent 3-point shooting, and 76.9 percent free throw shooting. The award was Willett's second Player of the Week honor this season, and the fourth time this year that a Queens player claimed the award. Willett previously took home the conference's weekly accolade for his performance Jan. 7-13, when he averaged 25 points, 16 rebounds and one steal across two games.
-Willett currently ranks fourth in the SAC in scoring, averaging 19.1 points per game. He is first in the League in rebounding, and third nationally, with 12.0 rebounds per game.
-Carr is seventh in the SAC in scoring (16.6 PPG), fifth in assists (4.7 APG) and sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (43.7%).
-Diankulu is the League's third-leading rebounder with 7.7 boards per game and ranks third in field goal percentage (60.1%).
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Van Turner Jr. is second in 3-point shooting (46.1%) and his 71 made 3-pointers ranks him in a tie for third nationally in 3-point field goals made this season.
-As a team, Queens is shooting 51.0 percent (No. 7 NCAA, No. 1 SAC) and 41.2 percent from three (No. 9 NCAA, No. 1 SAC).
-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 347-170 (.671 win pct.) and a record at Queens of 251-83 (.751 win pct.). Lundy has led Queens to all three of its Elite Eight appearances.
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Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (14-4, 7-3 SAC)
-The Bears enter Wednesday's game of off a win versus Catawba, 73-65, on Jan. 23.
-LR is led by the backcourt duo of Cory Thomas (15.9 PPG, No. 8 SAC) and Djibrill Diallo (15.4 PPG, No. 10 SAC), both of whom have previously been named SAC Player of the Week this season.
-As a team, LR ranks third in the SAC in field goal percentage (47.5%) and third in assists (16.9 APG).
-On the defensive end, the Bears are holding opponents to 73.6 points per game (No. 3 SAC).
-Head Coach Everick Sullivan is in his third year as LR head coach. A former University of Louisville standout, Sullivan holds an overall coaching record of 35-37 (.486 win pct.).
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