CARBONDALE, ILL. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball will hit the road for the second time this week heading northwest for a non-conference clash at Southern Illinois University on Friday, November 10^th. The Royals are looking to avenge an 89-73 opening-night loss at Marshall University on Monday night.
 
GAMEDAY GUIDE
Date: Friday, November 10, 2023
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Banterra Center (Carbondale, Ill.)
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THE MATCHUP
Friday night marks the first-ever meeting between the Royals and the Salukis. Both squads opened up the 2023-24 college basketball season on Monday night with different results. The Royals dropped the opener at Marshall after committing 18 turnovers which the Herd converted into 23 points. Southern Illinois kickstarted their season with an 88-57 triumph over Kentucky State as five Salukis reached double figures. Xavier Johnson led the way with a game-high 20 points and Clarence Rupert posted a 13-point and 11-rebound double-double.
 
SCOUTING THE ROYALS (0-1 overall, 0-0 ASUN)

• In the season opener, the Royals were plagued by a slow start and early turnovers. Within the first eight minutes, Queens committed seven turnovers which the Herd converted into 13 points. During that span, Marshall used a 12-0 run to grab a commanding 24-7 lead.
• Last season, the Royals posted an 8-5 record in games coming off a loss.
• Since transitioning to Division 1, the Royals are 7-11 in road contests, and 4-4 in non-conference road challenges.
• Junior guard Deyton Albury put together a solid opening night performance against the Herd. The Nassau, Bahamas native turned in a game-high 19 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
• Speed is the name of the game for the Royals style of play as they averaged the second most points in the league at 77.7. The mark was also the most amongst any school in the NCAA reclassification process.
• Queens is not afraid to shoot their shot from behind the arc as they averaged the fourth most three-pointers per game last season at 26.5. Three-point specialist Chris Ashby went 5-for-14 from behind the arc in the opener across a career-high 33 minutes of action.
• Preseason All-Conference recipient AJ McKee returns to the Royals offense after averaging 15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game last season. The Charlotte native was top five in the scoring in the ASUN reaching double figures in 31-of-33 games. In the season opener, McKee finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and three steals.
• Crashing the glass continues to be an emphasis for the Royals after pulling down the second most rebounds per game in the league. The Royals are 16-6 in Division 1 when outrebounding their opponent. In the opener, Queens won the battle on the boards 45-43, including 17 offensive rebounds which were the most since December 14, 2022 at East Tennessee State.
• The Royals are one of the nation's most efficient teams at getting to the free-throw line. Last year, the Royals made the most free throws in the ASUN as AJ McKee and Kenny Dye were the top two in the league in opportunities. Queens is 10-4 in non-conference Division 1 games in which they attempt more free throws than their opponent.
• Despite losing seven players, the Royals filled the void with key additions, including a pair of top 50 JUCO players in Deyton Albury and Jacobi Sebock. Queens added size and depth with Salt Lake Community College transfer Jaxon Pollard and Georgetown transfer Malcolm Wilson. Additionally, Queens paired the veteran talent with fresh youngsters in North Carolina high school standouts Bryce Cash and Kobe George.

 
SCOUTING THE SALUKIS (1-0 overall, 0-0 Missouri Valley)

• Southern Illinois opened up the 2023-24 season with an impressive 88-57 victory over Kentucky State on Monday night. Five players reached double figures led by Xavier Johnson with a game-high 20 points.
• Johnson was named Preseason Third Team All-MVC after averaging 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game last season.
• Saint Peter's transfer Clarence Rupert put together a strong opening night with a 13-point and 11-rebound double-double.
• The Salukis are looking to replace their top two scorers from last season Marcus Domask and Lance Jones. Domask transferred to Illinois after leading the Salukis with 16.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Jones landed at Purdue after scoring 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game.
• Southern Illinois filled those voids with Tulane transfer RJ McGee and Cincinnati transfer Jarrett Hensley.
• The Salukis hold a 26-6 record at home over the last three seasons.
• SIU was picked to finish ninth in the Missouri Valley after posting a 23-10 record last season.
• Southern Illinois enters his fifth season at the helm of the program. Under his direction, the Salukis have made two MVC Tournament semifinal appearances.

 
WHAT'S NEXT
Following the Friday night showdown, the Royals will return to the Queen City and gear up for their home opener on Tuesday, November 14^th when High Point comes to town. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN Plus. Fans can purchase their tickets in advance by visiting the Queens Athletics website.
 
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