CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The No. 19/21 Queens University of Charlotte (9-2, 6-2 SAC) men's basketball team returns to Curry Arena on Saturday looking to build upon a two-game win streak when they welcome No. 10/11 Lincoln Memorial University (9-1, 6-1 SAC) for a rivalry showdown at 4:00 p.m. The Royals are coming off consecutive wins for the first time since opening the season a perfect 7-0. Following the weekend matchup, Queens will turnaround quickly as they welcome Johnson & Wales University on Monday, Dec. 20 at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday evening marks the 26^th all-time meeting between Queens and Lincoln Memorial, with the Railsplitters holding a 19-6 series lead. Queens and Lincoln Memorial first battled on Feb. 12, 1992 with the Railsplitters winning, 62-52. The Railsplitters managed to take ten of the first eleven matchups between the two. In their only matchup last season, Queens fell 77-63 despite four Royals reaching double figures. Jamari Smith led the charge with a game-best 22 points while hauling in eight rebounds. Gavin Rains added a dozen points with seven rebounds and three blocked shots. The difference proved to be turnovers as Queens committed 14 turnovers and Lincoln Memorial capitalized with 16 points off miscues.

Quick Facts (Game Notes)
Queens University of Charlotte (9-2, 6-2 South Atlantic Conference)

• In the season opener against Young Harris, the Royals set a new program record with 133 points scored as eight Royals finished with double figures.
• Head Coach Bart Lundy picked up his 400^th career victory in the dominant season opener. Lundy is in his 14^th season at Queens and 20^th season overall as a collegiate head coach.
• Queens has scored 80 or more points in all nine of their wins this season and are a perfect 8-0 when leading at halftime.
• The Royals are No. 4 in the nation in offensive rebounds per game with 15.9 a contest. Jamari Smith leads the team in scoring with 15.6 points per game, shooting just over 50-percent from the floor to go along with 52-percent from beyond the arc. Kenny Dye facilitates the offense with six assists per game to go along with his 14.3 points and 4.3 rebounds.  
• The Royals continue to display their depth as nine guys are averaging at least 14.0 minutes per game and five with over 20 minutes per game.  Those five guys account for 56 points of their 86.7 per game average. 
• Queens has been efficient shooting the deep ball behind Jamari Smith and Kenny Dye as both sit in the top three in the South Atlantic Conference. Smith holds a league-high 52-percent three-point field goal percentage while teammate Kenny Dye has buried 48.6-percent of his shots behind the arc.
• Kenny Dye notched his 1,000^th career point in the Royals 80-72 victory at Wingate on Dec. 15. The junior becomes the 19^th player in program history to hit the 1K mark.
• Queens checked into recent national rankings coming in at No. 19 in the D2SIDA National Media Poll and No. 21 in the NABC National Poll, as well as No. 3 in the D2SIDA Regional Poll.
• Returning their top six scorers and top five rebounders, Queens was picked to finish atop the South Atlantic Conference's Preseason Poll, as voted on by the League's coaches. The Royals received over half the first-place votes and 150 total votes as the preseason favorites.
• Kenny Dye and Jamari Smith were each named to the SAC's First-Team Preseason All-Conference Team and Gavin Rains earned Second-Team honors.

 
Lincoln Memorial (9-1, 6-1 SAC)

• Lincoln Memorial enters Saturday night's contest as winners of their last six games, including five conference takedowns. The Railsplitters only loss of the season came on the road at Wingate when the Bulldogs dropped the visitors 75-71 on Nov. 20.
• Lincoln Memorial has scored an average of 89.5 points per game which ranks No. 12 in the nation. The Railsplitters impressive scoring numbers come on 50-percent shooting from the floor and 38-percent from behind the arc. The Railsplitters are averaging a league-high 42 rebounds per game this season and have played physical defense forcing opponents into a 41-percent shooting mark and 29-percent mark from deep.
• The Railsplitters rely heavily on their starting five as they are each averaging at least 27 minutes per game, including 34.4 minutes from Chase Rankin and 31.9 minutes from Alex Dahling. Five Railsplitters are averaging double digit scoring with SAC Preseason Second Team All-Conference selection Jordan Guest leading the way at 16.1 points per game. The junior forward is hauling in 8.2 rebounds per game which ranks second in the conference behind Gavin Rains.
• Head Coach Jeremiah Samarrippas is in his first season as the Railsplitters head coach after former head coach Josh Schertz' departed for Indiana State after last season. Samarrippas is believed to be the third-youngest head coach among all levels of NCAA Men's Basketball and the second-youngest leading a Division II program. 
• Lincoln Memorial was picked to finish fourth in the SAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll following a 19-4 overall season, and 14-3 mark in SAC play last year. The Railsplitters are coming off a season in which they won the NCAA Southeast Regional and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.

Fans can purchase tickets for the game at the door and as a reminder, masks must be worn at all times while inside Curry Arena. Fans can tune in to the game tomorrow afternoon on the Queens Sports Network starting at 4:00 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.