Postgame Interview with Bart Lundy

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Daniel Carr scored 28 points and Van Turner Jr. scored 23 on seven of 14 3-point shooting, as the Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (16-6, 11-5 SAC) defeated Tusculum University (14-10, 9-7 SAC), 87-72, on Saturday at Pioneer Arena. Kenny Dye scored 10 points with a career-high nine assists, Jamari Smith scored nine points with seven rebounds and Gavin Rains scored five points with six rebounds in 23 minutes in his first game back from injury.

Early on, after briefly trailing 3-2 just over two minutes in, Queens jumped out to a 12-5 lead when back-to-back 3's by Carr and Turner forced Tusculum to take a timeout with 15:26 to play in the first half. The Royals led for the rest of the game, despite a scoreless drought for the final 4:30 of the first half.

Leading by three at halftime, Queens stretched its edge to three scores, 34-27, when Turner hit a right-wing 3 and completed a four-point play just over a minute into the frame. After Tusculum cut the Queens lead to one, the Royals answered with a 13-4 run capped by another Turner 3-pointer to take their first double-figure lead, 49-39, with 13:18 to play. Queens led by at least two scores for the remainder of the game.

On a free throw with 1:40 left that put Queens up, 82-67, Carr scored his 26^th point of the night and the 1,368^th of his career, passing former teammate Todd Withers for eighth-place all-time on the Queens career scoring list. Carr scored 20 of his game-high 28 points in the second half.

Moments later, a steal by Rains sprung Jachai Taylor for an uncontested fastbreak lay-in that stretched the Royals' lead to its largest of the game, 86-67, with 38 seconds remaining.

Queens shot 54.2 percent from the field, 52.2 percent from 3-point range (12-23) and 74.2 percent from the free-throw line (23-31). The Royals assisted 18 of their 26 made baskets, outrebounded the Pioneers, 41-29, and survived a -9 turnover margin.

Queens held Tusculum to 40.6-percent shooting, 30-percent 3-point shooting (6-20), and 63.6 percent (14-22) at the free-throw line.

The Pioneers were led by 20 points from Trenton Gibson. Caleb Hodnett scored 15 with 9 rebounds. Tariq Jenkins and Dillon Smith scored 10 apiece.

The Royals return to action on Wednesday night at Newberry College. Opening tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Live play-by-play coverage will be available on the Queens Sports Network.