LINCOLN, NEB. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (9-2) will look to extend their winning streak on Tuesday night when the Royals face the University of Nebraska (6-6 overall, 0-2 BIG TEN) inside Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM EST and will be broadcasted on the BIG+ Network. The evening clash will be the final game of the "Battle in the Vault" which the Huskers are hosting.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Royals used a strong second half performance to pick up their second straight road victory. Queens was led by AJ McKee as the sophomore matched his season-high with 16 points while grabbing five rebounds. BJ McLaurin provided valuable minutes in his fourth start of the season scoring 14 points and pulling down seven rebounds. The difference in the game came on the glass and at the free throw line. Queens outrebounded the Bucs 42-31, including 17 offensive rebounds which were converted into 23 points. The Royals physicality on the block got them to the free throw line which they went 17-for-21.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Tuesday night will mark the Royals first ever regular season game against a power five opponent. Queens has played three exhibition games against ACC opponents in program history, including the most recent in 2017-18 at Wake Forest where the Royals fell, 76-74.
 
Game Notes
QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE (9-2 overall; 0-0 ASUN)

• Queens enters Tuesday night averaging 81.4 points per game on 47-percent shooting from the field and 35-percent from behind the arc. The Royals rank second in the ASUN and top 30 nationally in points per outing.
• On defense, the Royals are allowing 70.2 points per game on 42-percent shooting from the field and 30-percent from behind the arc. The Royals perimeter defense is second best in the ASUN behind Jacksonville.
• The Royals have opened the season 9-2 for the second consecutive season.
• In this four-game winning streak, the Royals are averaging 81.5 points per game. In the last two seasons, Queens is a perfect 29-0 when reaching 80 points.
• Kenny Dye is the leader of the veteran Royals squad as the senior is averaging a team-high 17.5 points per game while hauling in 3.9 boards and dishing out 4.1 assists per game. The Royals are 104-22 when Dye is in the starting lineup as he is top three in points per game and assists per game in the ASUN.
• Junior Gavin Rains has been a force on the block for the Royals to open the season. The Trinity, N.C. native is averaging 7.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. The forward leads the ASUN in rebounds per game and is second in field goal percentage. Across the nation in D1, Rains is top 10 in rebounds per game. The forward has been a double-double machine producing 18 double-doubles in his career, and four this season.
• AJ McKee has been a consistent producer this season reaching double figures in all 11 games. McKee matched his season-high 16 points against ETSU as he sits second on the team in scoring and minutes per game.
• BJ McLaurin and Kalib Mathews have been weapons for the Royals as the duo is averaging a combined 18.3 points on 49-percent shooting from the field and 45-percent from behind the arc. McLaurin dropped in a season-high 16 points behind a career-best four three pointers at George Mason while Mathews scored a career-high 16 points against High Point.
• The Royals are outrebounding opponents this season 474-354. Through 11 games, Queens is first in the ASUN in rebounds per game with 43.1 and second in the league in offensive boards per game with 14.1. During this four-game winning streak, the Royals are winning the rebounding margin by an average of 12.0 boards per game.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA (6-6 overall; 0-2 BIG TEN)

• Nebraska enters Tuesday night on a three-game losing streak following a daunting stretch in the schedule. The Huskers fell to No. 14 Indiana, No. 4 Purdue, and Kansas State during that span. Prior to the losing skid, Nebraska took down No. 7 Creighton on the road by a final score of 63-53.
• The Huskers have played well inside Pinnacle Bank Arena holding a 4-1 record this season.
• Nebraska is averaging 67.7 points per game this season on 44-percent shooting from the field and 30-percent from behind the arc.
• Nebraska has allowed opponents to shoot 43-percent from the field which is second worst in the Big Ten.
• The Huskers are led offensively by Derrick Walker as the senior is averaging 14.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. The forward has reached double figures in six games this season, including 22 points in the victory over Creighton. Walker has three double-doubles on the year.
• Senior Sam Griesel is an all-around contributor for the Huskers. The North Dakota State transfer is averaging 10.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and a team-high 4.4 assists per game.
• Nebraska is a young squad which features 12 underclassmen.
• Last year, Nebraska finished with a 10-22 overall record and 4-16 mark in conference play. The Huskers fell in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament to Northwestern by a final score of 71-69.
• Fred Hoiberg enters his fourth season at the helm of the Huskers program. Under Hoiberg's direction, the Huskers are 30-73. Hoiberg joined the Nebraska program after previously serving as the head coach at Iowa State for five seasons.

Fans and families can purchase their tickets for Wednesday night's game by visiting the Nebraska Athletics website. The game will tipoff at 7:30PM from Pinnacle Bank Arena on the BIG+ Network.

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.