HICKORY, N.C. - The No. 6/9 Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (24-3, 20-3 SAC) used a dominant first half to cruise past Lenoir-Rhyne University (10-16, 9-14 SAC), 89-62, inside Shuford Gym on Wednesday night. With the win the Royals sweep the regular season series with the Bears, as well as snap their two-game losing streak when traveling to Shuford Gym. The win also marks their 11^th straight conference win as they stay in a tie for the conference lead with Lincoln Memorial. For the first time in program history, Queens has reached 20 conference wins after previously reaching 19 in three different seasons.
 
The visiting Royals came out of the gate on fire, as they used four made three-pointers, including three from Quan McCluney to jump out to a 16-5 lead within the first four minutes. After the two sides traded baskets, the Royals would go on a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 24-9 with 11:23 remaining. 
 
Over the next several minutes both the Bears and the Royals would trade buckets, before the Royals would go on an 11-0 run to extend their lead to 43-19 with 2:33 to play in the half. In the final minutes of the half, the Royals would outscore the Bears 9-6 to extend their lead to a commanding 52-25 halftime lead. Quan McCluney was electric in the first half, knocking down five shots from deep to total 15 first-half points. The Royals shot a scorching hot 55-percent from the field in the first half and they totaled 13 assists on 19 made shots.
 
The Royals would cool down in the second half, as their field goal percentage dropped. The two sides remained in a stalemate, as the Royals lead remained around 25 points for most of the second half. The Bears would trim the Royals lead before the Royals would go on runs to re-extend their lead to a commanding margin. After the lead was shrunk to 77-56 with 4:02 to play, the Royals outscored the Bears 12-6 over the final four minutes as they cruised to an 89-62 victory over the Bears. The Royals remain a perfect 21-0 when leading at halftime this season.
 
Quan McCluney led the Royals with 18 points, including 5-for-10 from deep while also adding a pair of blocks. The two Royals on the 2022 Bevo Francis Top 50 Watch List, Jamari Smith and Kenny Dye, added 16 points of their own. Dye led the Royals with seven assists and grabbed five rebounds. Jay'Den Turner led the Royals with six rebounds on the night and Mike Fowler was efficient on the night, adding seven points and five rebounds off the bench.
 
The Royals shot an efficient 49-percent from the field on the night, while they prevented the Bears from getting hot from behind the arc as the hosts would go 1-for-15 from three. The Royals remain one of the nation's best rebounding teams, as they outrebounded the Bears 42-30 on the night, which included a 14-9 advantage on the offensive glass. The 42 rebound effort marks the 18^th time this season that Queens has posted at least 40 rebounds in a game as the Royals have outrebounded their opponent in all but three games. The Royals moved the ball efficiently, as they earned 22 assists on 33 of their made field goals. Queens dominated the pace of play never trailing after the first made bucket.
 
The Royals will wrap up the regular season on Saturday afternoon, February 26^th as they host Wingate University for a South Atlantic Conference matchup inside Curry Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 pm, as the Royals will look to extend their season-long winning streak to 12 games. 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.
 
The Queens University of Charlotte Athletic Department has made updates to it's fan policy for indoor sports as the COVID-19 climate continues to change. Starting Monday, Feb. 21, Queens Athletics events held inside Curry Arena will be open to fans up to 50 percent capacity. There is no longer a restriction on the general public attending. Teams currently in season that this effects are men's and women's basketball and men's volleyball. Masks are required while indoors for attendance. Please click here for the cost to attend events.
 
Social distancing and face coverings are required at all times.
 
Gates will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the scheduled event.
 
No tailgating is allowed on the premises.

Queens Athletics will continue to stream as many home events as possible on the Queens Sports Network. To keep up with the Royals from home, stream games live on your computer or mobile devices by visiting www.queensathletic.com or downloading the Queens Royals app. Additionally, fans can download the Queens Athletics app on their Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV devices. Just type Queens University or Queens University Athletics into the search bar. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on all social media platforms by searching @QueensAthletics for updates. 
 
This policy is subject to change at any time based on changes in the current climate.