Live Audio: Queens Sports Network
Phil Constantino (pxp)

Live Video: Cavalier Sports Network

Live Stats: uvawisecavs.com

 
WISE, Va. – Following two weeks off for the Holiday break, the No. 21 Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (8-3, 3-2 SAC) returns to action versus The University of Virginia College at Wise (5-6, 1-4 SAC) on Saturday afternoon for the first all-time meeting with the South Atlantic Conference's newest member. Opening tipoff from the David J. Prior Convocation Center is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 

Quick Facts
No. 21 Queens Royals (8-3, 3-2 SAC)
(Game Notes)

-Last time out, in a matchup of regionally-ranked teams, No. 20/21 Queens fell to Tusculum University, 67-61. Van Turner Jr. led the Royals with 14 points, as Kenny Dye and Jachai Taylor each followed with 12. Playing without leading scorer Daniel Carr for the second consecutive game, the Royals failed to close out a once 12-point lead.

-So far this season, Queens has collected notable wins over the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (No. T-5) and Lees-McRae College (No. T-5), two regionally-ranked teams. The Royals have also beaten Emmanuel College and Lenoir-Rhyne University, two 2019 NCAA Tournament participants. Queens' only losses came at the hands of teams currently ranked in the regional rankings (No. 1 Lincoln Memorial, No. 2 Belmont Abbey, No. 8 Tusculum).

-On Tuesday, Dec. 31, the Royals fell out of the NABC / Division II Rankings for the first time this season, ending the program's streak of 65 consecutive weeks in the national coaches' poll. The streak, which began on Nov. 24, 2015, the first poll of the 2015-2016 season, lasted 1,498 days (4 years, 1 month and 7 days).

-Queens remains the No. 21-ranked team in the country in the D2SIDA Media Poll which was released on Dec. 16. The next edition of the media poll will be published on Tue. Jan. 7.

-The two-time reigning regional champions slipped one spot to No. 3 in the Southeast Region Poll, D2SIDA announced on Monday, Dec. 16. The Royals earned 50 points, placing only behind conference rival Lincoln Memorial University (11-1) who received all six first-place votes and earned 60 points, and Belmont Abbey College (9-3) who earned 52 points. The Royals were ranked No. 1 in the region in the preseason.

-A loss to Lincoln Memorial on Dec. 7, 73-64, snapped a 15-game road winning streak for Queens which was the longest active road winning streak in all levels of NCAA basketball. Queens previously last lost a road game on Feb. 24, 2018, at then-No. 1-ranked Lincoln Memorial, 80-65. The Royals finished last season 12-0 in road games and opened 2019-2020 with a 2-0 road record before losing. The streak lasted 651 days.

 -Over the previous three seasons, the Royals have won 93 games, the fourth most of any program at all NCAA levels during that span (Gonzaga 103, Northwest Missouri State 100, Villanova 94).

-The Royals have won 30 games or more in each of the last three seasons and are one of just two programs in all levels of NCAA basketball who have accomplished the feat (Gonzaga).

 
UVa-Wise Cavaliers (5-6, 1-4 SAC)
(Game Notes)
 
-UVa-Wise most recently defeated Ohio University-Chillicothe, 86-59, in its final game of the first half.

-After joining the SAC this past summer to become the League's 12th member institution, UVa-Wise was picked 11th in the SAC Preseason Poll.

-The Cavaliers finished last year with a 9-20 mark (6-16 MEC), placing 10th in the Mountain East Conference's final standings. The Cavs return four of five starters and nine letter winners from last year's team.

-UVa-Wise features four scorers who average double figures, led by preseason second-team all-conference selection Briggs Parris (16.5 PPG). Last season, Parris was named a second-team all-conference honoree in the Mountain East after averaging 16 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

-The Cavaliers are averaging 84.5 points per game.

-Head Coach Blake Mellinger is in his seventh season leading his alma mater. A 2006 graduate of UVa-Wise, Mellinger holds a record of 49-123 (.285 win pct.).