KENNESAW, Ga. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team is set to open Atlantic Sun action on Saturday, January 6^th when they travel to Kennesaw State for a bout with the reigning league champions. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus.
 
GAMEDAY GUIDE
Date: January 6, 2024
Time: 5:00 PM
Location: KSU Convocation Center (Kennesaw, Ga.)
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THE MATCHUP
Saturday evening marks the fourth all-time meeting between the Royals and the Owls. The programs met three times last season with the Owls taking the series 2-1. The new league foes battled to the wire in all three games as the average margin of victory was less than six points. In the final meeting, the Owls took down the Royals 67-66 in the ASUN Tournament Quarterfinals. Queens went cold from behind the arc shooting 4-of-20 matching their season low while also committing 14 turnovers which the Owls converted into 13 points.
 
SCOUTING THE ROYALS (6-9 overall, 0-0 ASUN)

• Queens is coming off their second consecutive matchup with an AP Top 25 opponent last weekend. The Royals fell at #16 Duke on Saturday afternoon 106-69 despite a solid first-half showing. After going into the break down 46-33, the Royals were outscored 60-36 in the second half. Turnovers plagued the Royals as a season-high 19 miscues turned into 33 points for the Blue Devils.
• The Royals enter conference play searching for their first true road victory of the season. Queens is 0-8 on the road for the first time in program history.
• Saturday evening marks the ASUN opener for both squads. Over the last 10 years, the Royals are 9-1 in league openers, including a current nine-game winning streak.
• The Royals offense runs through the perimeter as Queens averages the second most three-pointers per game at 29.1 which ranks top 15 nationally. The Royals are burying 9.8 three-pointers per game which is fourth best in the league.
• The Royals offense is capable of putting up incredible numbers as they sit fourth in the league in scoring with 79.9 points per game. Queens has reached the 80-point threshold six times this season and holds a 4-2 record in those games. The Royals are the highest-scoring team amongst schools making the transition to Division 1.
• Queens just wrapped up non-conference play which featured the 64^th hardest strength of schedule according to KenPom. Bellarmine and Florida Gulf Coast were the only two ASUN programs with a higher strength of schedule.
• Distributing the ball is key for the Royals as they are 5-2 on the year when dishing out 15+ assists as a team. Queens ranks fourth in the ASUN in assists as Deyton Albury leads the way with 4.4 per game, a mark that is also seventh-best in the league.
• The Royals have struggled defensively this season as they are giving up the most points on average in the league at 82.9. However, Queens sports the sixth-best perimeter defense in the league as opponents are shooting 32 percent from behind the arc against them.
• Preseason All-Conference recipient AJ McKee anchors the Royals offense and is averaging 16.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. The Charlotte native sits sixth in the league in scoring and fourth in steals.
• Junior guard Deyton Albury has put together a solid start to his first campaign in the Queen City. The Nassau, Bahamas native is top 10 in the league in scoring, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, steals, and assists. Albury has reached double figures in 12 games this season, including six straight. Against Appalachian State, the junior poured in a career-high 25 points.
• Senior BJ McLaurin has started all 15 games on the block for the Royals. The forward has reached double figures in eight games this year, including four of the last six contests. McLaurin turned in his second double-double of the season after scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against Winthrop.
• Sharpshooter Chris Ashby leads the Royals perimeter scoring as the junior is averaging 10.4 points per game on 42 percent shooting from behind the arc. The Houston, Texas native ranks third in the league in three-point field goal percentage as he has buried a three-pointer in 40-of-48 career games as Royal.

 
SCOUTING THE OWLS (9-5 overall, 0-0 ASUN)

• The reigning ASUN Tournament champions enter Saturday evening 9-5 overall and on a two-game losing skid after falling at Indiana and UNC Asheville to close out 2023.
• Kennesaw State has played well inside the KSU Convocation Center as the Owls are 5-0 at home this year. Last season, the Royals snapped KSU's school-record 14-game home winning streak.
• The Owls are led by Preseason All-ASUN selection Terrell Burden. The senior guard is averaging 13.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. Burden has a pair of double-doubles under his belt this season after scoring 13 points and dishing out 10 assists against FIU before dropping 15 points and 10 assists against UNC Asheville.
• Sophomore Simeon Cottle has stepped into a significant role averaging a team-high 16.6 points per game. The guard is shooting 41 percent from the field and 33 percent from behind the arc. Cottle has reached double figures in 12 games, including a season-high 27 points against Georgia State on December 2^nd.
• The Owls are the league's best-scoring offense pouring in 85.5 points per game which is 16^th best in the nation. KSU attempts the fifth most three-pointers per game in the country at 30.8.
• The Owls present size and physicality with six players standing 6-7 or taller. KSU uses that size to their advantage averaging 41.3 rebounds per game which is second-best in the league.
• Kennesaw State was picked to finish fourth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and second in the ASUN Preseason Media Poll following a 26-9 overall record and 15-3 mark in league play last season.
• The Owls are coming off their first trip to the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Tournament after winning the ASUN Tournament title last season. KSU faced off against Xavier in the opening round of the tournament and fell 72-67.
• Antoine Pettway is in his first season at the helm of the Owls following a stellar 15-year stint on the Alabama coaching staff. With Pettway on staff, Alabama spent several weeks as the nation's No. 1 ranked team in 2022-23. Known as one of the nation's top recruiters, Pettway brought in the third-ranked class which included two five start and two four-star recruits, highlighted by 2022-23 National Player of the Year and current Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller.

 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Royals will return to the Queen City and welcome FGCU for their ASUN home opener on Wednesday, January 10^th. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from Curry Arena and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow the Royals on Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on social media to stay up to date on all the Royals sports in action.