OPENING TIP
Score: Queens 101 | UNC Greensboro 94
Records: Queens (3-3) | UNC Greensboro (0-5)
Location: Curry Arena (Charlotte, N.C.)
 
THE SHORT STORY
In the first game of two as part of the ASUN/SoCon Challenge, the Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team defeated the UNC Greensboro Spartans 101 to 94. Five Royals reached double figures as both offenses shot over 50 percent from the field on the night, however, the Royals sharpshooting from deep along with the homecourt advantage helped to ultimately prevail as Queens never trailed and improve to 3-3 on the year.
 
FROM COACH LEONARD
"I think when we take care of the ball, we can be special offensively. You can honestly say that I emphasize it in practice all the time as well as in film. These guys are growing and getting better, it's not going to be perfect early in the season. I can honestly say, though, we're further ahead at this point this year than we were last year. So, the biggest thing is growth and continued improvement, which I think these guys have a healthy mindset for."

BY THE NUMBERS
- Senior guard Chris Ashby continued to have the hot hand from three, as he led the team with five made three-pointers and 18 points. The sharpshooter is closing in on the career record, sitting 38 threes away from breaking Chris Benson's all-time record back in 2003.
-Avantae Parker stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points and five rebounds to go along with an assist, a steal and a block.
-Carson Schweiger and Maban Jabriel provided quality minutes off the bench, hitting three three-pointers each for a combined 18 points.
-Star freshman Jordan Watford impressed in his first start, adding 13 points and six assists across 28 minutes of work.
-Sophomore playmaker Yoav Berman had a well-rounded performance, dropping 17 points, dishing out four assists and grabbing six rebounds while also hitting 7-of-8 looks from the charity stripe. 
-Senior guard Nasir Mann chipped in with 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists over 29 minutes of action.

NOTABLE MOMENTS
- The Royals began the game in an offensive rhythm, making five of their first eight looks from the field with four of those buckets coming in the paint.
-Leading 11-6 at the first media timeout, a pair of missed Spartans free throws were followed by consecutive made three pointers by Chris Ashby and Maban Jabriel. The triples sparked some momentum for the Royals, but UNCG fought back to make it a 22-19 game at the 11-minute-mark. 
-Both teams traded blows throughout the first half as the Spartans managed to keep the deficit within single digits until the two-minute mark, when Avantae Parker threw down a thunderous putback dunk followed by a corner three to give the Royals a 51-37 lead with 56 seconds left.
-After putting up a monstrous 51 points in the first half, Queens' offensive onslaught continued. The Royals put up 13 points in the first four minutes to lead 64-51 at the first media timeout of the second half.
-Following a Queens technical, the Spartans capitalized with a 9-2 run over a brief two minute span to cut the deficit back down to six.
-A stingy effort from the Spartans kept them within a single digit deficit for much of the second half, until a transition three-pointer from Maban Jabriel with 8:46 left to play began a 10-9 Queens run highlighted by a chase down block by Jordan Watford on a Spartan fast break.
-UNCG continued to hit tough shots to stick around up until the final buzzer, but Queens' sharpshooting from the free throw line kept them in check to hold onto the 101-94 victory.
 
FROM AVANTAE PARKER
"I take a lot of pride in my versatility, especially on the defensive end. That's what is most important because I don't always know if my offense is going to be clicking or what may happen. So, making sure I'm ready defensively every night is my number one priority."
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Royals shot the lights out all night, hitting 15 of their 32 three-point attempts. The 15 deep balls tied for 10^th in a single-game in program history.
-Queens dished out a season-high 19 assists on the night. Over the last two victories, the Royals ball movement has led to 39 assists.
-The Royals reached the 100-point threshold for the first time since December 9, 2023 against Carolina University.
-Queens improved to 3-0 in the ASUN/SoCon Challenge which debuted last season.

NEXT UP
Queens will make the trip down I-85 to Greenville, South Carolina to continue the ASUN/SoCon challenge against Furman on Sunday, November 23^rd. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Fans can purchase their tickets in advance here.
 
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.