LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The No. 19/20 Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team opens the new year with a South Atlantic Conference matchup against the Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne University. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. from Curry Arena in Charlotte.
 
Saturday marks the 26th all-time meeting between the two schools with Queens holding a 17-8 advantage in the series. The Royals are 9-3 against the Bears in the Queen City but are just 2-3 against LR over the last five matchups. Last year, Queens and Lenoir-Rhyne split the homeand-home series, while the Royals collected a 106-96 victory in the SAC Tournament. 
 
Queens Athletics will allow up to 25 fans to be in attendance at all home contests scheduled to take place inside the Curry Arena for the 2020-21. Fans allowed in the building must be listed on the team's pass list located at the ticket gate and will be required to wear masks while on campus.
 
IN THE BACKCOURT
 
-The Royals start the three-headed machine of juniors Kenny Dye, Kelyn Pennie and Malcolm Stevenson in the backcourt. Dye, a SAC Preseason All-Conference selection, ties for the team lead with 13.5 points per game while registering team-highs of 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
 
-Stevenson averages 12.5 points per game and makes 81.3 percent of his free throw attempts, while Pennie chips in 10.5 points per contest and ranks 8^th in the League making 50 percent (11-for-22) of his 3-point attempts.
 
-Queens redshirt-senior Darius Simmons pours in 19.5 points per game, the sixth highest average in the League. Fellow senior Mason Hawks chips in 14.5 points per contest and shoots 44.4 percent from 3-point range.
 
IN THE FRONT COURT
 
-Down low, Queens sophomore Gavin Rains controls the paint with averages of 13.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. He ranks second in the SAC in rebounds per game and is among the Top 20 shooting 52.2 percent from the floor. Fellow sophomore Jay'Den Turner is also among the League leaders with 7.3 rebounds per game.
 
-The Bears rely on 6-7 forward RJ Gunn who is able to score from beyond the arc and in the paint. Gunn averages 12.5 points per game and lead the team with six rebounds per game while shooting 35.7 percent from deep.
 
ON THE SIDELINES
 
-Queens Head Coach Bart Lundy is in his 19^th season overall and 13^th season at Queens. During his career with the Royals, Lundy is the program's winningest coach with a 289-95 (.753) record and has a 385-182 (.679) career coaching record at Queens and NCAA Division I High Point University.
 
-Lenoir-Rhyne Head Coach Everick Sullivan is in his fifth season in charge of the Bears and has a 58-58 (.500) overall record in Hickory. Sullivan led the Bears to an NCAA Tournament berth in 2018-19 and a No. 17 ranking during the season.
 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
 
-The Royals are 2-2 overall with a 1-1 record in SAC play. Queens averages 71.8 points per game on offense and has a plus-10 margin in rebounds per game. Defensively, Queens has forced opponents into 16.5 turnovers per contest, converting those miscues into 17.3 points per game.
 
-Last time out, Queens fell 80-71 to Wingate University on December 5 in Curry Arena. The Royals held a late lead before the Bulldogs rallied for a 16-5 run over the game's final 4:07 of play to steal the win. Pennie led all scorers with 20 points, making 6-of-9 3-point attempts, while Rains finished with 12 points and nine rebounds to narrowly miss his second double-double of the season.
 
-: The Bears are 2-0 this season with victories over Catawba and Mars Hill. Five Bears average double figures as the offense scores 81 points per game while giving up 75.5 point per game on the defensive end. Lenoir-Rhyne pulls down just 29.5 rebounds per game, which ranks near the bottom of the League.