CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Junior Kenny Dye had a near triple-double with 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and redshirt-sophomore Jamari Smith poured in a career-high 23 points as the No.12/16 Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team collected a 77-73 victory in overtime against the Trojans of Anderson University inside Curry Arena.
 
In the opening game of a three-game homestand, the Royals (10-4, 9-3 SAC) shot 52.6 percent from the floor while holding the Trojans (3-6, 3-6 SAC) to a 36.2 percent shooting performance and held a 43-8 edge in total rebounds.
 
Queens held an early 7-3 lead before the Trojans stormed back with six unanswered points to go ahead by two, 9-7, with just under 15 minutes remaining in the first half. The Royals responded with a 9-0 run of their own, capped off by a 3-pointer from sophomore Jay'Den Turner, to build a seven-point lead. Turner finished with eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds off of the bench.
 
A Smith layup with 7:36 on the clock gave Queens its largest lead of the half at 25-16, but the Trojans battled back to cut the deficit to one, 31-30, with just over a minute to play. Turner's second 3-pointer of the night with 50 seconds to go put the Royals ahead 34-30 at the break.
 
Out of intermission, the Royals built the lead back to a nine-point edge, 43-34, over the first five minutes of the second half. Anderson eventually cut the lead to a point deficit again before taking a two-point lead, 51-49, with 9:05 remaining.
 
Queens answered with a 3-pointer from Dye on the next possession and remained in front until the Trojans got a deep three from Alex Keel with five minutes to go that put Anderson back ahead by one. Again, the Royals responded with a basket from Dye to gain a one-point advantage as the final five minutes of play featured three total ties on the scoreboard.
 
Anderson tied the game at 67-all on a 3-pointer from leading scorer Crosby James with 37 seconds left and had a chance to steal the road win, but Kai Rivers missed a free throw with .6 remaining to lead to overtime. James led all scorers with a season-high 25 points in 45 minutes of action.
 
In the extra period, Anderson led by as many as four points, 72-68, on Keel's second 3-pointer of the night. However, Queens scored the final seven points of the game as junior Quan McCluney put the game out of reach by sinking a free throw with two seconds remaining.
 
McCluney was the third Royal to score in double figures, finish with 12 points and six rebounds as seven different Royals scored in the victory.
 
Queens returns to the court on Thursday, February 11 when the team hosts Mars Hill University in an unconventional 3 p.m. tip-off from Charlotte. The afternoon contest will be streamed live on the Queens Sports Network and the Queens App available on AppleTV, Roku and any smart device.