CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The No. 6/9 Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (26-3, 22-3 SAC) used a strong second half performance to defeat Catawba College (11-16, 10-15 SAC), 78-60, inside Curry Arena in the South Atlantic Conference quarterfinals on Wednesday night. With the win, the Royals advance to the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference tournament which will be played on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. inside Timmons Arena on the campus of Furman University. Queens will square off with Newberry College in the semifinals after the No. 6 seeded Wolves defeated the No. 3 Tusculum Pioneers 60-59.
 
The evening opened with both sides getting off to a sluggish start on the offensive end, with the Indians holding a 3-0 advantage after the first three minutes. The Royals would then storm to 11 unanswered points, as they took an 11-3 lead with 14:32 to play. The Indians would respond right back, however, going on an 8-0 run of their own to knot the game at 11 with 13:01 to play.  
 
Leading 17-15 with 11:09 to play, the Royals would ramp up the defensive pressure to go on an 11-0 run to take a 28-15 lead with 7:24 remaining in half one. Once again, the half of runs would continue, as the Indians would claw their way back into the game. Over the next seven minutes, the Indians outscored the Royals 19-4 to take their first lead of the game, 34-32, with six seconds remaining in the half. After a missed three-pointer by the Royals, Mike Fowler would get a tip-in rebound to tie the game at 34, heading into halftime.  
 
The Royals came out strong in the second half, going on a quick 6-0 run to take a 40-34 lead with 18:04 to play. The two sides would exchange baskets for the next few minutes, before the Royals went on a 9-2 run to extend their lead to 54-42.  
 
That run would prove to be the deciding factor in the game, as the two sides would go back-and-forth the rest of the way. The Indians would try to claw their way back into the game but the Royals would maintain their double-digit lead for the rest of the second half, as they cruised to a 78-60 win in the quarterfinals of the SAC conference tournament.  
 
Ten Royals scored a basket on the night. Kenny Dye led the way with a team-leading 18 points and four assists. Jamari Smith scored 13 points of his own, while grabbing eight rebounds. Gavin Rains corralled a team-leading 10 rebounds off the bench for the Royals. AJ McKee would provide a pivotal second half spark for the Royals with eight points and six boards. 
 
The Royals defense stifled the Indians all night, holding them to just 39-percent from the field and 22-percent from three-point range. The Royals were dominant on the glass, as they continued to be one of the nation's best rebounding teams out rebounding the Indians 56-36 on the night, including 23 offensive boards which they turned into 21 second chance points. The Royals also dominated the paint, scoring 44 points in the paint, while holding the Indians to just 34 points from the paint.  
 
 
With the win, the Royals will advance to the conference semifinals, where they face the Newberry Wolves in Greenville, South Carolina on Saturday, Mar. 5. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Fans can access tickets early for the semifinals by visiting the conference website or by purchasing at the box office. Adult tickets are $15, youth age 6-12/seniors 60+/active & retired military are $11, and college students with ID are $8.

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.