LOUISVILLE, KY. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team (11-4 overall, 1-1 ASUN) will open 2023 on the road as the Royals are set to face the Bellarmine Knights (6-9 overall, 1-1 ASUN) on Thursday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST from Freedom Hall and the game will be broadcasted on ESPN Plus.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Royals suffered their first ASUN loss at Eastern Kentucky University despite a hard battle until the final horn. AJ McKee and BJ McLaurin matched their season-high in scoring. McKee led the charge with 20 points while bringing down seven rebounds while McLaurin poured in 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Thursday night will be the first meeting between the Royals and the Knights. The matchup is unique in that both squads are ineligible for NCAA Postseason play due to the NCAA's reclassification rule. The Royals are in their first year of a four-year probation while Bellarmine is ineligible until 2025.
 
Game Notes
QUEENS UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE (11-4 overall; 1-1 ASUN)

• Queens enters Thursday night averaging 80.4 points per game on 45-percent shooting from the field and 34-percent from behind the arc. The Royals rank second in the ASUN in scoring offense and first amongst provisional schools reclassifying to D1.
• On defense, the Royals are allowing 72.3 points per game on 44-percent shooting from the field and 31-percent from behind the arc. The Royals perimeter defense is third best in the ASUN behind Jacksonville and Kennesaw State.
• Queens has won their conference opener in the last nine seasons dating back to 2014-15.
• Through games on Jan. 3^rd, Queens sits 186^th in the KenPom Rankings and 157^th in the Net Rankings.
• Three current Royals rank top 10 in career defensive rebounds in program history, including Gavin Rains (6^th), Jay'Den Turner (8^th), and Kenny Dye (9^th). Rains and Turner are both top five in the league in rebounds per game this season.
• 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 4.1 boards and dishing out 4.8 assists per game. The Royals are 106-24 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 6.6 points and 10.2 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 15 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 15 games. McKee is the only player in the league to reach double figures in every game and he is coming off a season-high 20 points at Eastern Kentucky. In the last three games, McKee is averaging 18.0 points per game on 46-percent shooting from the field.
• BJ McLaurin and Kalib Mathews have been weapons for the Royals as the duo are averaging a combined 18.2 points on 49-percent shooting from the field. McLaurin is coming off a season-high 16 points at EKU while Mathews scored a career-high 16 points at High Point.
• The Royals are outrebounding opponents this season 614-502. Through 15 games, Queens is first in the ASUN in rebounds per game with 40.9 and second in the league in offensive boards per game with 13.0.

 
BELLARMINE UNIVERSITY (6-9 overall; 1-1 ASUN)

• Bellarmine enters Thursday night 6-9 overall and 1-1 in league play as they look to pick up a second straight win. The Knights dropped their ASUN opener 70-53 against Liberty last Thursday and took down North Alabama 69-65 on Monday night.
• The Knights non-conference schedule featured a tough slate as Bellarmine faced Louisville, Clemson, #8 Duke, #19/17 UCLA, and #19/18 Kentucky, and Murray State. In those games, Bellarmine went 2-4 with victories over Louisville and Murray State.
• Bellarmine is averaging 67.1 points per game on 46-percent shooting and 38-percent from behind the arc. The Knights slow and methodical offense is the second lowest scoring offense in the ASUN, however they rank fourth in field goal percentage seeing a high dose of quality shots.
• Bellarmine sits last in the league in rebounds per game averaging 29.3 boards.
• The Knights only have two players averaging double figures as Garrett Tipton leads the way with 11.9 points per game. The redshirt senior has started all 15 games and is averaging 18.2 points per game in the last five games.
• Last season, Bellarmine finished 20-13 overall and 11-5 in league play. The Knights took home the ASUN Tournament title by defeating Jacksonville University 77-72.
• Scott Hamilton enters his 18^th season at the helm of the Knights program. Under Hamilton, Bellarmine is 404-139 overall.

 
Fans and families can purchase their tickets for Thursday night's game by visiting the Bellarmine Athletics website. The game will tipoff at 6:30PM from Freedom Hall on ESPN Plus.

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.