The Matchup
- The Queens University of Charlotte women's basketball team (0-0, 0-0 SAC) kicks off the 2020-21 regular season with a South Atlantic Conference (SAC) matchup at Mars Hill University (0-0, 0-0 SAC) on Tuesday, December 8. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. inside Stanford Arena.
Queens Storylines
- Queens welcomes new head coach,
Jen Brown, to lead the way for the Royals this season. Brown, a 2008 graduate and standout forward at James Madison (JMU), joins Queens following 12 seasons on the women's coaching staff at Virginia Tech. She spent her last four years with the Hokies as the top assistant.
- Senior guard
Kristian Eanes enters the season as the Royals' leading scorer and play-maker from 2019-20. She led the way with 16.8 points per game (ppg) - good for fourth-best in the SAC - and 17.4 ppg in conference-play. She also ranked second in the conference in steals per game (2.9).
Royals in the Backcourt
- Queens welcomes back redshirt sophomore guard,
Taylor Stevens. The Prince George, Va. native played in 26 games last season, with 15 starts. Averaging 7 points, 4.3 rebounds, nearly three assists and collecting 29 steals, her versatility on both ends will be crucial for the Royals heading into the new campaign. Guard
Caitlyn Moore returns for her senior season with the Royals. The Smyrna, Tenn. native started all 28 games she played, averaging 6.5 points, nearly five rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Junior guard
Tia McMillian started four games last season in 24 appearances. She averaged five ppg, while shooting 34.4 percent from three-point range.
- The Royals also return sophomore guards,
Kelsey Leedle and
Andrea Shire. four newcomers will join the backcourt group, including Cape Fear Commuity College transfer,
Kalaya Hall (So.), Durham, N.C. native
Jori Wilks, redshirt junior
Mikayla Sink, and Richmond, Va. native
Kristy Hamze.
In the Frontcourt
- Queens brings back its most efficient scorer from 2019-20 in senior center,
Julia Raflund. The Malmo, Sweden native started 24 of 27 games, scoring 7.7 ppg with a team-leading 55.5 shooting percentage. Fellow senior center
Lauren Fields will look to dominate the low-post one again for the Royals. Her 15 blocks a season ago, led the team. She made three starts in 19 games.
- The Royals welcome Coffeyville Community College transfer,
Christina Deng. In 2019-20, she averaged 5.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in 22 games (seven starts). In 2018-19, she appeared in 25 games as a freshman for Virginia Union University. Also making her Queens debut in 2020-21 will be 5'10 freshman forward,
Amari Davis (Charlotte, N.C.).
Opponent
- Following the postponement of their first three games, the Mars Hill Mountain Lions have yet to begin play this season.
- Mars Hill is coming off a 4-24 (2-20 in SAC play) campaign in 2019-20. Their most recent win came at Bluefield State College on Monday, December 2. Queens will matchup with Bluefield State later this season (Jan. 30).
- The Mountain Lions are led by senior guard De'Ja Marshall. The Chester, S.C. native led the team with 15.7 ppg and eight rebounds per game (rpg).
- Head coach Briana Clark enters her second season at the helm for Mars Hill. She spent the previous eight seasons as the head coach at Spartanburg Methodist College. She was a four-time Region X Coach of the Year and led the program to five Region X tournament championships.
Series History
- The all-time series is tied, 9-9
- The teams first squared off during the 1992-93 season. Mars Hill won the matchup, 87-80 on their home court.
- In the first meeting as SAC opponents, Queens topped the Mountain Lions, 70-57, at home during the 2013-14 season. Mars Hill earned the season split, besting the Royals, 67-64, later in the season.
- Last season, the teams split the two-game series. Each side took care of business on their home floor. Queens took the first contest, 73-39, on January 18, 2020. Mars Hill ended the regular season with a 104-70 win over the Royals.
