CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Despite a cold-shooting night, the top-seeded Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (29-4, 19-1 SAC), edged eighth-seeded Emmanuel College (25-10, 15-3), 76-72, on Saturday night at the Levine Center in the first round of the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship. Jermaine Patterson led Queens with a career-high 16 points, while Lewis Diankulu scored 12, Daniel Carr scored 11 and Blake Morrow added 10 points.

Queens took its largest first-half lead, 22-12, on a Kevion Blaylock layup with 9:14 remaining in the half. However, Emmanuel answered and took a 33-32 lead into halftime after Austin Greene banked in a deep left-wing 3 as the first half clock expired.

In the first half, Queens shot 0-for-10 from the 3-point line.

After exchanging the lead early in the second half, the Lions stretched its advantage to eight points, 61-53, after a Brandon Simpson layup with 7:50 to play. The Royals answered with a 7-0 run, capped by a Shaun Willett fast break dunk, that pulled Queens within one, 61-60.

The Royals took the lead, 67-65, when Kenny Dye fed Willett cutting to the basket for a lay-in. After a dry spell in which Queens missed five consecutive late-second half free throws, the Royals hit nine in a row to close out the victory in the final 31 seconds.

In total, Queens shot 40 percent from the floor and just 11.1 percent from 3-point range (2-18). Emmanuel shot 38.5 from the field and 40 percent from deep. Greene led the Lions with 24 points. Brandon Simpson followed with 15 points and 14 rebounds and Kendrick Colvin scored 14 points.

Queens will meet fourth-seeded Catawba College in the regional semifinals on Sunday night. Opening tipoff at the Levine Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10, $5 for children (17 and under), senior citizens (62 and older) and college students with their school ID. For more information, visit the official tournament page. Live play-by-play coverage will be available on the Queens Sports Network.