General 11/23/2021 4:30:00 PM

Royals to Jump Start the 2022-23 Season in the Small College Basketball Tip Off Classic

KANSAS CITY, MO – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team is excited to announce they have been invited to be a part of the 2022 Small College Basketball Tip Off Classic alongside some of the best that Division II has to offer. The tournament brings together some of the most storied programs in Division II basketball for two days of high-flying, pulse-racing action that will get the Royals started for the 2022-23 season. The SCB Tip Off Classic will be moving to Lakeland, FL, in 2022 and will be held in Jenkins Fieldhouse on the campus of Florida Southern College. Games will be played on Saturday and Sunday November 5^th and 6^th.

"We are extremely excited about the opportunity to play in the SCB Tip-Off Classic next season," said head coach Bart Lundy "This is the premiere in-season DII Mens's event in the country and it will provide us with out of Region competition that we don't often get to see. We appreciate John McCarthy and Small College Basketball for the invitation. This provides a terrific opportunity to showcase our University and our MBB program amongst the best DII basketball programs in the nation!"

Queens is slated to tip their season off against perennial Division II powerhouse, Northwest Missouri State University, who has won three of the last four National Championships, including two-straight. The Royals will duel it out with the Bearcats on Saturday night in primetime at 8:00 pm. It will be the first ever meeting between the two programs, barring a meeting in this year's NCAA Tournament. The Royals will cap off their opening weekend by battling the host team, Florida Southern College, at 5:45 pm on Sunday, November 6. It will be the second all-time meeting with Queens having won the only previous matchup between the programs, defeating the Mocs, 78-74, in Lakeland, FL, on December 13, 2000.

The event will also be supported by Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing. John McCarthy had this to say about the SCB Tip Off Classic moving to Lakeland, FL:

"We are thrilled to bring the Small College Basketball Tip Off Classic to Lakeland," stated McCarthy. "With the tremendous support from Florida Southern College and the Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing, this will continue to be the most prestigious in-season event within NCAA Division II basketball. Together, we'll create a special experience for the student athletes, coaches and fans, right in the heart of the Sunshine State. I'd also like to extend my gratitude to the NCAA D2 Conference Commissioners Association for their continued support of our event, as they've continued to extend the exemption for our event."

The 2022 event will be expanding to 10 teams. Lakeland, FL will be the third location to host the event, since its inception in 2016.

Most recently the SCB National Hall of Fame Classic was held in St. Joseph, MO. After taking a year off in 2020, the event took place over the weekend of November 6^th and 7^th at the Civic Arena. With some of top NCAA Division II schools in the country taking part in the event, every game was exciting. Mark Jackson, Director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing, is extremely excited to bring the event to Central Florida:

"With its record of excellence, we're thrilled to have The Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic relocate to the Florida Southern College campus in Lakeland," said Jackson. "The addition of this event to our already expansive slate of premier athletic events means more heads in beds for Polk County and more great basketball for Florida to enjoy."

Below are the matchups for the 2022 SCB Tip Off Classic. Each day will consist of five games. The SCB Tip Off Classic will be in Lakeland, FL for the next three years. For more information on Small College Basketball and the SCB Tip Off Classic, please head to smallcollegebasketball.com.

Saturday, November 5, 2022
11:00    Hillsdale vs. Dallas Baptist
1:15       Nova Southeastern vs. Alabama-Huntsville
3:30       MN State-Moorhead vs. Valdosta State
5:45       Flagler vs. Florida Southern
8:00       Queens vs. NW MO State

Sunday, November 6, 2022
11:00    MN State-Moorhead vs. Alabama-Huntsville
1:15       Nova Southeastern vs. Dallas Baptist
3:30       Valdosta State vs. Hillsdale
5:45       Queens vs. Florida Southern
8:00       NW MO State vs. Flagler

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