OPENING TIP
Score: Queens 58 | Gardner-Webb 47
Records: Queens (1–0) | Gardner-Webb (0–1)
Location: Curry Arena (Charlotte, N.C.)

THE SHORT STORY
Queens opened the 2025–26 season with a balanced and disciplined performance, defeating Gardner-Webb 58–47 inside Curry Arena on Monday night. The Royals locked in defensively from the start, limiting the Runnin' Bulldogs to one field goal in the first quarter and 26.8 percent shooting overall.

From Coach Brown
"I'm really proud of our team's effort tonight. Our players did an excellent job following the scout and executing the game plan. It was truly a complete team win, everyone played their part and contributed to the result. I love our depth and versatility!"

BY THE NUMBERS

• Sophomore forward, Brenae Jones-Grant shined in her Queens debut, scoring a career-high 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting while adding 12 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals.
• Fellow newcomer Hannah Hicks pulled down a career-best 13 rebounds along with eight points and three steals in her first appearance as a Royal.
• Veteran guard, Jermany Mapp contributed eight points, four assists, and two made threes in 39 minutes of action.
• Dayuna Colvin added seven points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while Ana Barreto provided six points, five rebounds, and two steals.
• Freshmen Robynn Thompson and Breah Franks made immediate impacts off the bench in their collegiate debuts. Thompson scored six points with two steals. Franks added two points, two rebounds, and a block in her first appearance, giving the Royals valuable minutes in the post.
• Queens controlled the interior, winning the rebounding battle 46–28 and outscoring Gardner-Webb in the paint 28–16.
• The Royals also held advantages in second-chance points (17–9), fast break (16–7), and points off turnovers (20–16).

From Jones-Grant
"I'll be honest I was a little nervous about the game, but my coaches and sisters helped me just stay calm. I played good, I left some on the court, but every day is an opportunity to get better. It was a great first showing for my team and we look to build upon it on Thursday!"

NOTABLE MOMENTS

• Queens jumped out to an 18–5 lead after the first quarter, holding Gardner-Webb without a field goal for nearly six minutes.
• The Royals used a 9–2 run midway through the second quarter to push their advantage to double digits and carried a 32–17 lead into halftime.
• Gardner-Webb cut the margin to 12 early in the fourth quarter, but Queens rebounding and defensive pressure halted the comeback effort.
• The Royals dominated the glass down the stretch, converting key second-chance opportunities to seal the win.
• Queens never trailed in the contest.

INSIDE THE BOXSCORE

• The win marked Queens first season-opening victory since 2022–23 and the largest season-opening margin in its Division I era.
• Kelley Hutcherson made her first career appearance for the Royals.

NEXT UP
Queens continues its season-opening homestand Thursday night, hosting Mars Hill at 7 p.m. inside Curry Arena. Fans can purchase season and single-game tickets in advance by clicking this link.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Be sure to follow Queens Women's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram 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.