HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The No. 10/15 Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (21-3, 18-3 SAC) used a dominant second half performance to defeat Coker University (4-18, 4-15 SAC), 103-53, inside Harris E. & Louise H. Deloach Center. The Royals win their eighth straight conference game, as they stay atop the South Atlantic Conference. With the win the Royals sweep the regular season series with the Cobras and take a 47-8 advantage in the all-time series.
 
The visiting Royals started out hot, hitting a pair of three pointers as they jumped out to an early 14-3 lead over the Cobras in the first five minutes of the game. Coker would respond, however, as they went on a quick 5-0 run to cut the lead to 14-8 with 13:09 to play. The Cobras would trim the Royals deficit to 19-14, before Queens caught fire on the offensive end and forced two Cobras turnovers to go on a 6-0 run to extend their lead to 25-14 with 9:20 remaining in half one.
 
After a back-and-forth few minutes of play, the Cobras knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to cut the Royals lead to five, 21-26, with 6:39 to play. The Royals would quickly respond, as a layup and a three-pointer extended their lead back to 10, 36-26 with 5:15 to play. Both teams would go back-and-forth the rest of the half, as the Royals took a 45-33 advantage over the Cobras into the break.
 
The Royals would come out on fire on the offensive end to start the second half, using a 15-3 run to extend their advantage to a commanding 60-36 lead over the hosting Cobras with 14:54 to play. Leading 71-47 with 9:07 to play, the Royals would pick up the pace on the offensive end once again, as they would re-extend their already commanding lead over the Cobras. The Royals would go on a 27-4 run to take a suffocating 98-51 lead with 2:05 to play, as the Royals cruised to a 103-53 road victory over Coker.
 
Seven Royals, Jay'Den Turner, AJ McKee, Quan McCluney, Trey Hubbard, Kenny Dye, BJ McLaurin and Jamari Smith all finished with double-digit points. Josh Dilling and Gavin Rains would come off the bench to contribute eight points each. Kenny Dye led the Royals with six rebounds. Kalib Matthews was crucial for the Royals on the defensive end, as he grabbed four rebounds, had two steals and a block off the bench.
 
Queens shot an incredibly efficient and season-best 62-percent from the field and 52-percent from behind the arc, while their stifling defense held the Cobras to just a 34-percent field goal percentage. The Royals defense swarmed the Cobras all night as they forced 20 Cobras turnovers, converting them into 32 points off turnovers. The Royals bench was crucial in the victory, as they outscored the Cobras bench 43-10.
 
Queens will return to action this Saturday afternoon, February 12th, as they host UVA-Wise  University inside Curry Arena for a South Atlantic Conference battle. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcasted on the Queens Sports 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.

The Queens University of Charlotte Department of Athletics has announced updates to its fan attendance policy for upcoming home athletic events due to the current rise in COVID-19 cases locally, statewide, and nationally. For the immediate future, Queens Athletics events will not be open to the general public.  Only individuals whose names are on the player/guest pass list will be admitted. Guests from visiting teams should work through their respective institutions to ensure that they are able to attend.  Additionally, 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.  This new policy went into effect on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022.

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.queensathletics.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.