CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team looks to right the ship as they play host to the first-place Eastern Kentucky Colonels on Thursday Night inside Curry Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus.
 
GAMEDAY GUIDE
Date: February 1st, 2024
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Curry Arena (Charlotte, N.C.)
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THE MATCHUP
Thursday's battle will be the third all-time meeting between the two schools. Last year, the Colonels took both contests in a home-and-home affair. Eastern Kentucky took the first game 88-83 in Richmond before knocking off Queens inside Curry Arena 84-80 on February 9th, 2023. The Colonels totaled 48 second-half points in their come-from-behind victory in Charlotte.
 
SCOUTING THE ROYALS (8-14 overall, 2-5 ASUN)

• The Royals are coming off a tough 90-84 road loss to North Alabama on Saturday night. Despite the loss, three Royals recorded double-doubles for the second time in Division 1 program history. Deyton Albury poured in a season-high 29 points while grabbing eleven rebounds and dishing out a team-high seven assists. BJ McLaurin notched his third double-double of the year with an 18-point and 11-rebound effort. Newcomer Jacobi Sebock rounded out the double-doubles with his first of the year scoring 14 points and pulling down 11 boards.
• Queens enters Thursday night looking to continue to defend their home court as the Royals are 7-2 inside Curry Arena.
• The Royals offense is centered around the three-point shot as they have attempted the second most in the league, and are top 25 nationally in attempts per game. Queens is knocking down 9.2 three-pointers per game which is fifth best in the league and ranks top 40 in the NCAA in makes per game. When the Royals make their season average from deep, they are 7-4 on the season.
• The Royals offense can score in a hurry as they are fourth in the conference in scoring with 79.6 points per game. Queens has reached the 80-point threshold eight times this season and holds a 5-3 record in those games.
• Sharing the ball is a huge key for the Royals as they are 6-2 on the year when dishing out 15+ assists as a team. Queens ranks fifth in the ASUN in assists. Guard Deyton Albury leads the way with 4.1 per game which is seventh best in the ASUN.
• Queens is one of the fastest-paced teams in the country as they are sixth in the country in pace of play according to KenPom. 
• The Royals have struggled on the defensive end this season as they are giving up the most points on average in the league at 82.8, and their opponents are shooting a conference-high 47 percent from the field. 
• Junior guard Deyton Albury has stepped into a leadership role in his first year in the Queen City. The Royals' leading scorer is tied for second in the league in points per game and is coming off ASUN Newcomer of the Week honors. The Nassau, Bahamas native is also top-ten in the ASUN in field goal percentage, assists, and steals. Albury has reached double figures in 19 games this season, including thirteen straight.
• The Royals' senior leader AJ McKee is the anchor for the Royals offense. On the season, the senior guard is averaging 16.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. The Charlotte native is eighth in the league in scoring and second in steals. McKee poured in a season-high 28 points against Central Arkansas while also swiping a career-high five steals. 
• Senior forward BJ McLaurin has started all 22 games down low for the Royals. The forward has reached double figures in 12 games this year. The Fayetteville native recorded his third double-double of the season on Saturday and ranks 10th in the conference in rebounds per game at 6.0.
• Sharpshooting guard Chris Ashby leads the Royals perimeter scoring as the junior ranks fourth in the league in three-point field goal percentage shooting 39 percent from behind the arc. The Houston, Texas native has made at least three three-pointers in eleven games this year.

 
SCOUTING THE COLONELS (11-9 overall, 7-0 ASUN)

• The Colonels enter Thursday night 11-9 overall and 7-0 in conference play. On Saturday, they secured their seventh straight victory in a win over North Florida, 89-76.  
• Eastern Kentucky comes into Thursday night's contest a perfect 7-0 in ASUN play as they sit atop the conference standings. 
• Isaiah Cozart is the senior leader for the visiting Colonels. The senior big man is a physical presence down low leading the league in rebounds (9.9) and blocks (3.9). The unanimous preseason ASUN Defensive Player of the Year also ranks top-ten in the conference in points per game averaging 15.4.
• Sophomore guard Leland Walker commands the Colonel offense. The Indianapolis native is second in the team in scoring and leads EKU in assists with 4.6 per game. Walker dished out a career-high 16 assists against Wilberforce on November 10th, 2023. 
• Devontae Blanton is a steadying presence for EKU. The senior forward has eclipsed double-digit points in 15-of-20 contests this year. 
• The Colonels can score in bunches as they average 81.6 points per game which is second in the conference and 31st nationally. The Colonels have eclipsed the 80-point mark 10 times and are 8-2 in those games. 
• EKU dominates the glass as they rank top 15 nationally in rebounds per game. 
• Eastern Kentucky was picked to finish first in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and first in the ASUN Preseason Media Poll. The Colonels posted a 23-14 overall record and a 12-6 record in league play last season.
• A.W Hamilton is in his sixth season at the helm as head coach of Eastern Kentucky. Before EKU, Hamilton served as the Head Coach at Hargrave Military Academy, and spent one year as an assistant at NC State. Hamilton is one of three coaches in Colonel history to lead the program to multiple 20-win seasons. He has an overall 96-83 record and a 55-40 record in conference play as the head coach at Eastern Kentucky. 

 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Royals will be back at home this Saturday afternoon as they host Bellarmine University on Homecoming Weekend. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus. 
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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