OPENING TIP
Score: Queens 91 | Kennesaw State 82
Records: Queens (13-18, 7-9 ASUN) | Kennesaw State (15-15 6-10 ASUN)
Location: Curry Arena (Charlotte, N.C.)
 
THE SHORT STORY: Behind great offensive showings from AJ McKee and Chris Ashby, the Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team secured an impressive 91-82 victory over Kennesaw State in the regular season finale.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• After being honored on senior night, AJ McKee once again led the Royals offense. The Charlotte native poured in a game-high 25 points for Queens while also dishing out a team-leading and season-high six assists.
• Sharpshooter Chris Ashby was on fire for the Royals. Queens' prolific shooter went 6-for-9 from deep, including four in the second half. Ashby heads into postseason play on a tear, as he is 18-for-37 from three-point range in the past five games.
• Nassau native Deyton Albury added 14 points for the Royals while shooting 6-for-14 from the field. Albury eclipsed double digit points in 15-of-16 ASUN contests for Queens.
• Senior forward BJ McLaurin scored 10 points and pulled in seven rebounds in his final game inside Curry Arena. The 10 points marked the 17^th time the Fayetteville native has scored in double figures this year. 
• Highflyer Jacobi Sebock provided valuable minutes off the bench for Queens. The junior forward scored 11 points while grabbing seven rebounds, the most for Sebock since North Alabama on January 27th.
• Rookie Bryce Cash packed the stat sheet with eight points, seven rebounds, and a season-high five assists.
• For the Owls, Jamel King provided a spark off the bench for the visitors. The junior forward scored 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting from deep while also pulling down nine rebounds.
• The Royals won the rebounding battle 45-39 over the visiting Owls, including an 11-6 advantage on the offensive glass. The Royals were opportunistic with their second chances scoring 11 second-chance points.

NOTABLE MOMENTS

• The early minutes of the contest were back-and-forth before the Royals went on an 8-0 run to take a 26-16 lead. Queens would extend their lead to as large as 44-29 before taking a 52-39 lead into the intermission behind 26 points in the paint.
• The Royals would continue to trade baskets with the Owls keeping their lead above double digits before two Chris Ashby threes extended their lead to 83-62 with 9:44 to play.
• Queens would continue their torrid offensive night as they took a 90-71 lead with 4:10 to play.
• The Owls would lock in on defense, and cut into the Royals deficit as they trailed 91-82 with 52 seconds to play. However, the Royals ran the shot clock down before getting the final defensive stop on an emphatic block by Malcolm Wilson.

 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• Chris Ashby increased his season three-point total to 89 which tied for seventh most in a single season in program history.
• The victory over the Owls marked the 700^th all-time win in program history.
• The Royals distributed the ball effectively Friday night dishing out 18 assists which was a season-high against Division 1 opponents. Queens moves to 8-2 on the year when they distribute 15+ assists.
• Queens improved to 7-4 on the year when they win the rebounding battle.
• The hosts set the tone in the first half, with a blistering offensive display. The Royals 54 percent from the field, and 7-for-16 from deep in the first half. The Royals 52 points were the most points scored in the first half in ASUN play.
• Queens was incredibly efficient on the offensive end pouring in 91 points, including 12 makes from deep. The Royals moved to 8-4 on the season when they eclipsed 80 points.
• The free throw line proved to be a key difference as the Royals shot 15-for-20 from the charity stripe while the Owls were affected by the Curry Arena crowd shooting 14-for-24 from the line.

NEXT UP
The Royals will head back to DeLand, Florida to begin their ASUN Tournament run. The Royals will square off against FGCU this Monday, March 4^th. The full ASUN bracket will be announced later this evening following the conclusions of other games.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow Queens Men's Basketball on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok for news and updates throughout the season. Fans are also encouraged to follow Queens Athletics on social media to stay up to date on all the Royals sports in action.