CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (8-2, 5-2 SAC) defeated Coker University (2-8, 2-5 SAC), 81-74 in a conference matchup inside Curry Arena. The Royals get a bounce-back victory, after suffering a defeat earlier in the week and improved to 5-1 inside Curry Arena.

Early on, both defenses were strong as both the Royals and Cobras struggled on the offensive end in a defensive battle, with the Royals holding a slim 12-9 advantage with 11:49 to play in the first half. However, as the half ended both teams found their rhythm on the offensive end. It remained a back-and-forth matchup as the Royals led, 37-35, at the half.

In the second half, the Royals came out hot on the offensive end, using a 7-2 run to extend their lead to 44-37, before the Cobras used an 11-2 run to retake the lead at 48-46. The Royals would then respond with an old-fashioned three-point play by Quan McCluney to retake the lead.

After taking a 57-56 lead on a BJ McLaurin free throw, the Royals would never trail in the ballgame again as they kept the Cobras from ever retaking the lead despite the Cobras resilience to keep the game close. Late free throws from Quan McCluney and Kenny Dye would secure the victory for the Royals, 81-74 over the Cobras.

Quan McCluney led the Royals with 22 points, while shooting 3-7 from behind the arc. Jamari Smith scored 16 points of his own, while Kenny Dye had 12 points and a team-leading 4 assists. Gavin Rains was a beast on the glass, corralling 16 rebounds.
The Royals shot 46% from the field and 33% from the three-point line. They were opportunistic when forcing Cobra turnovers, as they scored 22 points off miscues while holding the Cobras to just 11 points off turnovers. The Royals were also tenacious on the boards, outrebounding the Cobras 40-32 on the night.

The Royals return to action on Wednesday night December 15^th, when they get back on the road for a showdown at Wingate. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 p.m. Be sure to follow the Royals men's basketball program on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date on all the latest news and updates surrounding the team. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on social media @QueensAthletics to follow all of the Royals sports in action.