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Phil Constantino (pxp), John Short (color)

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The 17^th-ranked Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (12-2, 5-0 SAC) returns to action on Thursday night versus three-time national champion Virginia Union University (5-6, 2-1 CIAA) at the Levine Center in the final non-conference game of the season. All fans in attendance will receive free admission. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

The Royals and the Panthers will complete a two-game home-and-home series on Thursday, after Queens defeated VUU, 92-72, on Dec. 3 in Richmond, Virginia. Thursday also marks just the third all-time meeting between the two schools. The only other previous meeting came on March 8, 1996, when then second-seeded Queens fell to top-seeded Virginia Union, 81-58, in the South Atlantic Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Quick Facts
No. 17/13 Queens Royals (12-2, 5-0 SAC)
(Game Notes)

-Last time out, Lewis Diankulu scored a career-high 34 points, as Queens pulled away in the second half to defeat Coker College, 96-79, on Dec. 19 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.

-The win gave Queens a seventh consecutive win, and its fifth-straight by double figures. The win also gave the Royals sole possession of first place in the SAC standings entering the new year.

-Diankulu was named AstroTurf SAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week, for all games played Dec. 17-Jan. 1, after his 34-point performance versus Coker. The honor is the first weekly accolade in his career and the second time that a Royals player has claimed the award in three weeks.

-With his 11th double-double on Dec. 19 (14 points, 15 rebounds), Shaun Willett maintained his Division II lead and a tie for the NCAA lead (more than 1,200 institutions) for double-doubles this season. Mike Daum of South Dakota State University (DI) and Mike Rapoza of Anna Maria College (DIII) also have 11 double-doubles on the year. At the Division II level, Kendrick Colvin of Emmanuel College is second with 9.

-For another week, Queens remained in the official coaches' poll, improving two spots to No. 17 in the most recent edition of the NABC/Division II Rankings released on Friday, Dec. 21. The placement in the fifth official poll of the season marks the 50th consecutive week in which Queens has been featured in the national rankings dating back to the first poll of the 2015-2016 season on Nov. 24, 2015. The Royals opened the year at No. 7 in the coaches' poll and have cracked the top-10 nationally during each of the last four seasons. Additionally, Queens appeared at No. 13 nationally in the D2SIDA Media Poll released on Tuesday. The Royals are ranked second in the Southeast Region with a region record of 10-1.

-Willett currently ranks sixth in the SAC in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game. He is first in the League in rebounding, and second nationally, with 11.6 rebounds per game.

-Daniel Carr is ninth in the SAC in scoring (16.3 PPG), fourth in assists (4.8 APG), and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (49.2%).

-Diankulu is the League's fifth-leading rebounder with 7.6 boards per game and ranks third in field goal percentage (63.3%).

-Van Turner Jr. is eighth in 3-point shooting (49.1%) and his 52 made 3-pointers ranks him atop the SAC and tied for first nationally.

-As a team, Queens is shooting 52.2 percent (No. 7 NCAA, No. 1 SAC) and 43.5 percent from three (No. 4 NCAA, No. 1 SAC).

-Since allowing 87 points in each of the first two games of the season, the Royals have ramped it up defensively. Queens has held each of its last 12 opponents to less than 80 points, five of its last 12 to less than 70 points, and are allowing an average of 71.4 points per game in that stretch.

-The Royals are holding opponents to 41.4-percent shooting over the last 12 games, having five times in that span held an opponent under 40-percent shooting, including in three of the last four games. Two games ago, at Tusculum University on Dec. 16, Queens posted a season-best defensive performance, allowing 62 points and holding the Pioneers to 34.4-percent shooting.

-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 340-170 (.665 win pct.) and a record at Queens of 244-83 (.745 win pct.). Lundy has led Queens to all three of its Elite Eight appearances.
 
Virginia Union Panthers (5-6, 2-1 CIAA) 

-The Panthers are 5-6 overall, having won two straight games, most recently defeating Johnson C. Smith University, 79-65, on Dec. 17.

-Freshman guard Demarius Pitts leads the team, averaging 17.5 points per game. Pitts, the reigning CIAA Rookie of the Week, has claimed the award three times this season.

-William Jenkins is second in scoring averaging 13.9 points and a team-best 8.3 rebounds per game.

-Virginia Union claimed last year's CIAA Tournament Championship with an 82-52 win over Johnson C. Smith University at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

-Last season, VUU finished with an 18-15 overall record after losing to top-seeded Virginia State University, 81-76, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

-In the program's history, the Panthers have claimed 23 CIAA Championships, made seven Elite Eight appearances and won three National Championships, last winning the title in 2005.