CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In a matchup of nationally-ranked teams, the 16^th-ranked Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (12-3, 7-2 SAC) jumped out to a 16-point halftime lead and cruised to a 90-80 victory over 25^th-ranked Catawba College (11-4, 6-3 SAC) on Wednesday night at the Levine Center. The Royals earned their 15^th consecutive victory over the Indians.

Daniel Carr led the team with 23 points and Van Turner Jr. followed with 18 points on six of 11 3-point shooting. Jamari Smith scored 14 points with eight rebounds, Kenny Dye scored 10 points, and Peanut Cunningham scored nine points with seven rebounds.

Up 14-11 after the game's second media timeout, Turner connected on back-to-back 3-pointers, putting the Royals ahead, 20-11, with 10:37 to go in the first half. Queens turned Turner's 6-0 spurt into a 17-7 run capped by a layup by Jermaine Patterson with 6:22 left in the frame that gave the Royals a 31-18 lead.

Queens took a 45-29 advantage into the locker room after a tip-in by Smith at the halftime buzzer.

On the first possession of the second half, Carr drilled a 3 to give the Royals a 19-point lead, 48-29. However, moments later, Catawba answered with a 9-0 run that featured five points from Terrence Whitfield and pulled the Indians within 10, 51-41, with 14:23 left.

Queens played from in front the remainder of the game and took its largest lead, 79-59, after a paint jumper by Carr with 6:01 remaining.

In the game's final minute, with 21 seconds left, Devin Cooper hit a 3 and Catawba cut the Queens lead to 88-80, the tightest margin of the second half. But on the ensuing possession, Carr hit a pair of free throws to seal the win.

Queens shot 45.8 percent from the floor, 40 percent from the 3-point line and 76.2 percent from the free-throw line. The Royals outrebounded the Indians, 46-41.

Devin Cooper led Catawba with 21 points, Whitfield followed with 20 and Marcell Haskett scored 14. The Royals held the Indians to 38.2-percent shooting and 29.6 percent 3-point shooting.

The game featured five technical fouls, three of which we assessed to Catawba (Whitfield, Malik Constantine, Team) and two that we assessed to Queens (Cunningham, Smith).

The Royals return to action on Saturday afternoon versus Mars Hill University at the Levine Center. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. Live play-by-play coverage will be available on the Queens Sports Network.