CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team is set to return to league play on Wednesday night as the Royals welcome North Alabama to Curry Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus. The Royals are looking to snap a three-game losing skid while the Lions enter on a three-game winning streak.
 
GAMEDAY GUIDE VS. NORTH ALABAMA
Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Curry Arena (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Stats (Statbroadcast)
Queens Game Notes
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THE MATCHUP
Queens and North Alabama are set to meet for the third time since the Royals joined the ASUN in 2022. The series is split 1-1 with the home team emerging victorious in both games. The last time these two programs met in the Queen City, the Royals poured on 107 points, the most points scored against a Division 1 opponent in the D1 era. Last season, Queens made the trip to Florence where three Royals turned in double-doubles, but a late 13-1 run from the Lions sparked by an 11 point surge from Dallas Howell led the Lions to victory.

SCOUTING THE ROYALS (12-9 overall, 5-3 ASUN)

• Queens enters Wednesday night coming off their third straight loss as they fell 87-77 to Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon. Malcolm Wilson led the Royals with a career-high 14 points while grabbing four rebounds and blocking five shots. Despite forcing the Dolphins into 16 turnovers, the visitors got 24 points from the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year, Robert McCray V.
• The Royals dropped back-to-back home games for the first time since their inaugural Division 1 season in 2022-23.
• Despite dropping three straight, the Royals hot start to conference play has them still sitting fifth in the league.
• Queens has defended their den in Division 1 holding a 25-11 record. This season, Queens is 6-3 inside Curry Arena.
• Since conference play started, the Royals have been one of the league's top offenses ranking fourth in scoring with 78.8 points per game. Queens has capitalized from the free throw line sinking 75 percent of their free attempts, the third-best mark in the ASUN through eight games.
• Winning the battle on the boards has been a key to success for the Royals as they rank second in rebounding and third in offensive boards in conference play. The Royals are 11-2 on the year when outrebounding their opponent.
• Queens is 9-4 on the season when dishing out 15+ assists. The Royals are averaging 16.3 dimes per game in conference play which leads the league. Sophomore Bryce Cash has facilitated the offense all season in his first year at the point with 4.2 assists per game which is fifth most in the league.
• As a team, Queens ranks tied for 17^th in the nation averaging 5.3 blocks per game. The mark leads the ASUN in part to 7-0 Malcolm Wilson's presence in the paint. The center has led the nation all season in blocked shots and became the fourth player in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball since 2014 to block 34+ shots before December 1^st.
• Depth has been a key to success early for the Royals as they rank 12^th in the country, and first in the ASUN in bench scoring with 32.9 points per game.
• Closing out games has been a strength for Queens this season as the Royals are 12-0 when leading with five minutes to go.
• Graduate student Leo Colimerio was named the CollegeInsider Lute Olson National Player of the Week, Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week, and ASUN Player of the Week earlier this season. The Sao Paulo, Brazil native leads the Royals in scoring. In league play, Colimerio is averaging 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
• Freshman Yoav Berman is coming off an impressive week where he averaged 16.5 points on 67 percent shooting from the field. Berman turned in a season-high 22 points in the midweek against North Florida.
• Sharpshooter Chris Ashby sits fourth all-time in career three-pointers and needs eight more threes to tie former Queens standout Todd Withers. Ashby has buried 65 shots from downtown as he looks to become the fourth player in school history to hit 100+ threes in a single season.
• Senior Jaxon Pollard has been a force on the block in conference play. The Cedar Hills native is scoring 8.3 points and grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game.
• Queens was picked to finish ninth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll. Since joining the league in 2022, the Royals have finished at least two positions higher than projected and claimed their spot in back-to-back ASUN Tournaments.

 
SCOUTING THE LIONS (14-7 overall, 6-2 ASUN)

• North Alabama enters Wednesday night 14-7 overall and 6-2 in ASUN play. The Lions are coming off a perfect week where they took down Lipscomb and Austin Peay inside CB&S Bank Arena at Flowers Hall.
• The Lions are tied for second in the ASUN standings and riding a three-game winning streak.
• Tony Pujol is in his seventh season at the helm of the Lions program. Under his direction, North Alabama is 92-110 and turned in their highest win total in nearly 10 years during the 2013-14. That season, the Lions competed in their first NCAA Division 1 postseason game with an appearance in the CBI Tournament.
• North Alabama brings the second-best scoring offense in the ASUN with 79.0 points per game, a mark that is also top 75 in the country.
• The Lions crash the offensive glass pulling down 12.6 offensive boards per game which is third in the league, and 60th in the nation.
• The duo of Taye Fields and Corneilous Williams lead the ASUN in rebounds per game with 8.7 and 8.5 rebounds per game, respectively.
• Preseason All-ASUN selection Jacari Lane leads the Lions with 16.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. The four-time ASUN Player of the Week is sixth in the league in scoring.
• Senior Taye Fields has been a physical presence for the Lions averaging 11.0 points and a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game. The guard is averaging a double-double in conference play as he has notched five on the season, including a 23-point and 17-rebound performance against Stetson.
• North Alabama was picked to finish third in the Preseason Coaches Poll following a 15-17 mark last season.

 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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