RICHMOND, Ky. – Coming off a thrilling overtime victory at Bellarmine on Thursday night, the Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team will look to turn the page and continue their winning ways against a red-hot Eastern Kentucky squad. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. from Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus. The Royals secured their third straight trip to the ASUN Tournament with a victory last outing as they remain in the hunt for the top seed in the ASUN standings.
 
GAMEDAY GUIDE AT EASTERN KENTUCKY
Date: Saturday, February 15, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum (Richmond, Ky.)
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Queens Game Notes
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THE MATCHUP
Queens and Eastern Kentucky are set to meet for the fourth time in the last three seasons, and the first time this year. The Colonels hold a 2-1 advantage over the Royals who make their second-ever trip to Richmond. In their last meeting, Queens took down EKU inside Curry Arena, 94-76 behind 22-point efforts from former Royals AJ McKee and Deyton Albury. All three meetings have been shootouts as Queens is averaging 85.7 points in the series while the Colonels are putting up 82.7 points per game against Queens. Saturday evening has postseason seeding implications as both squads are tied for third in a battle for the top of the ASUN.

SCOUTING THE ROYALS (16-10 overall, 9-4 ASUN)

• Queens enters Saturday evening following a thrilling 92-87 overtime victory at Bellarmine on Thursday night. Sharpshooter Chris Ashby led the Royals with a career-high 30 points behind seven three-pointers while junior Nasir Mann turned in a career-high off the bench with 19 points. Despite trailing by as much as 16 with 10:00 minutes to go in the game, the Knights found their groove and came all the way back to force overtime.
• The Royals cinched their third straight trip to the ASUN Tournament with the victory on Thursday night. Queens remains in the hunt for the top seed as they enter the weekend tied for third with Eastern Kentucky and FGCU. Since joining the league in 2022, Queens has surpassed their projected finish in the preseason poll every year as they battle for their best finish in ASUN play with five games to go.
• This season, the ASUN has been one of the premier conferences in the country with four teams tied for the league lead heading into the new week. The mark is the most by any conference with the Ohio Valley (3), Southern (3), Big 12 (2), Big Sky (2), Big West (2), and SEC (2) closely behind.
• The Royals have flipped the page on the road this season going 7-6 away from Curry Arena after posting a 1-15 record last season. Queens is 5-1 in the ASUN on the road this year which is third-best in the league behind Jacksonville and Lipscomb.
• Queens is closing in on the 20-win mark for the first time in Division 1. The Royals are four wins away with five games to go as they look to reach the plateau for the 19^th time in program history.
• Chris Ashby moved into second all-time in career three-pointers made surpassing Todd Withers and Reginald Hopkins. The sharpshooter is looking to become the fourth player in school history to make 100 threes in a season as he currently sits at 87. Ashby is one of the league's top perimeter shooters attempting the most shots from downtown and burying the fourth most.
• The nation's leading shot blocker Malcolm Wilson is averaging 3.4 blocks per game. The Georgetown transfer has swatted the second-most shots in a single season. His performance protecting the rim has Queens ranked tied for 15^th in the country with Portland State.
• The Royals bench has been a key to success ranking 15^th in Division 1, and leading the ASUN in scoring with 31.65 points per game. Key contributors have been Yoav Berman (7.9 PPG), Jaxon Pollard (7.5 PPG), and Nasir Mann (7.2). Across the squad, 10 different Royals are averaging at least 5.0 points per game.
• Queens has shown their ability to close out games as they are 16-0 this season when leading with five minutes to go. Queens fell to 13-1 this season in games when leading at the half after Lipscomb stormed back on Saturday.
• Rebounding wins championships and Queens is third in the ASUN in total rebounds with 37.8 per game. The Royals are 14-2 on the season when they outrebound their opponent.
• Fresno State transfer Leo Colimerio has wreaked havoc on the ASUN in his first season as he leads the Royals in scoring while ranking second in rebounds and third in assists. In conference play, the Sao Paulo, Brazil native is averaging 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. Colimerio is 44 points away from reaching 1,000 in his career after netting 602 points at Fresno State.
• Sophomore Bryce Cash has filled the stat sheet each night as the Charlotte native is averaging 5.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and a team-high 4.0 assists per game. The unanimous All-ASUN freshman team selection from a season ago has dropped double figures in four games this season.
• Nasir Mann is coming off a clutch performance against Bellarmine as the junior turned in a career-high 19 points while adding seven rebounds. Mann reached double figures for the sixth time this season, and Queens is a perfect 6-0 when the veteran reaches double figures.
• Kalib Mathews continues to flourish in his final season in the Queen City. The Franklinton native has appeared in the third most games in program history at 130 and is averaging 7.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steal 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 COLONELS (15-11 overall, 9-4 ASUN)

• Eastern Kentucky enters Saturday evening 15-11 overall and 9-4 in ASUN play. The Colonels are coming off a 95-73 victory over West Georgia on Thursday night.
• The Colonels are riding a six-game winning streak heading into the weekend match.
• EKU has been nearly flawless in conference play over the last three seasons at home only dropping two league games on their home court. Earlier this season, Stetson became the only ASUN program this year to escape Alumni Coliseum victorious.
• A.W. Hamilton is in his seventh season at the helm of the Colonels program. Under his direction, EKU is 119-99 and coming off a season in which he was named ASUN Coach of the Year and NABC District III Coach of the Year. Last season, EKU captured the ASUN regular season title before falling in the first round of the ASUN Tournament.
• EKU presents one of the nation's best offenses averaging 78.5 points per game, a mark that is third in the ASUN and 77th in the country. The Colonels are lethal from the perimeter ranking top 40 in the country with 9.5 three-pointers per game.
• EKU is physical on the glass, specifically the offensive glass grabbing 14.4 offensive boards per game which leads the league and ranks 11th in the country.
• Sophomore George Kimble III paces the Colonels with 18.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. Kimble III leads the ASUN and ranks sixth in the country in steals.
• Preseason All-ASUN selection Devontae Blanton is a player to watch. The senior forward is averaging 16.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game.

 
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