CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team will take the floor inside Curry Arena for the last time in the 2025 regular season when they host Austin Peay on Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN Plus. Prior to the game, the Royals will honor their 2025 senior class beginning at 6:40 p.m. The Royals head into their final home game tied for the fourth seed in the ASUN standings with Jacksonville and FGCU. The top four squads in the final league standings will earn the right to host a first-round tournament game.
 
GAMEDAY GUIDE VS. AUSTIN PEAY
Date: Thursday, February 20, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Curry Arena (Charlotte, N.C.)
Watch (ESPN Plus)
Stats (StatBroadcast)
Queens Game Notes
Tickets

THE MATCHUP
Queens and Austin Peay are set to meet for the fifth time in Division 1, and the second time this season. Queens commands a 3-1 series lead over the Governors. In their first meeting this season, the Royals took down the Governors in Clarksville 67-60 behind a dominant second half performance. Over the last 20 minutes of action, Queens shot 52 percent from the field. The Royals controlled the glass 53-23, including a 17-6 mark on the offensive boards.

SCOUTING THE ROYALS (17-10 overall, 10-4 ASUN)

• Queens enters Thursday night coming off a dominant 89-72 victory over Central Arkansas on Tuesday night. The Royals buried a season-high 16 three-pointers as sharpshooter Chris Ashby led the charge with a game-high 25 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the perimeter. The Royals defense interrupted the Bears offense forcing 18 turnovers which were converted into 30 points, the most points off turnovers against a Division 1 opponent this season.
• The Royals enter Thursday night 10-4 in league play marking their best record since joining the ASUN in 2023. Queens is tied with Jacksonville and FGCU for the fourth spot as they look to host a quarterfinal game in the ASUN Tournament.
• Since joining the ASUN in 2022, Queens has surpassed their projected finish every season as they work on their best finish in three seasons. In their first season, the Royals were picked to finish 13^th and finished ninth. Last season, Queens was picked to finish 10^th and turned in an eighth-place finish.
• Chris Ashby has been the sparkplug for the Royals lately averaging 21.0 points on 5.2 three-pointers over the last five games. The Houston native has dropped 25+ points on three occasions during that run. Ashby is four threes away from becoming the first player in Division 1 program history to hit 100 three-pointers in a season.
• Graduate student Leo Colimerio has been one of the league's top newcomers averaging 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game in ASUN play. The Fresno State transfer is nine points away from 1,000 career points between his time as a Bulldog and Royal.
• The nation's leading shot blocker Malcolm Wilson is averaging 3.5 blocks per game. The Georgetown transfer has swatted the second-most shots in a single season and coming off his 11^th five-block performance of the season. Wilson needs three blocks to reach 100 this season.
• The Royals are three wins away from hitting the 20-win mark in Division 1. Queens has reached that plateau 18 times in program history, all of which were in Division 2.
• Queens has been lockdown this season when it comes to closing games out holding a 17-1 record when leading with five minutes to go. The Royals saw their streak of 16 straight wins when leading with five minutes to go get snapped in an overtime thriller at Eastern Kentucky last weekend.
• The Royals bench has been a key to success ranking 15^th in Division 1, and leading the ASUN in scoring with 31.67 points per game. Key contributors have been Yoav Berman (7.9 PPG), Jaxon Pollard (7.9 PPG), and Nasir Mann (7.1). Across the squad, 10 different Royals are averaging at least 5.0 points per game.
• Sophomore Bryce Cash has filled the stat sheet each night as the Charlotte native is averaging 5.1 points, 4.2 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 great week in the Bluegrass State where he averaged 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game. The junior dropped a career-high 19 points while grabbing seven big rebounds against the Knights.
• 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 132 and is averaging 7.1 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 GOVERNORS (12-16 overall, 7-8 ASUN)

• Austin Peay enters Thursday night 12-16 overall and 7-8 in ASUN play. The Governors are coming off a tough 94-68 loss at Bellarmine on Tuesday night.
• Corey Gipson is in his second season at the helm of the Governors program. Under his direction, Austin Peay is 31-32 and coming off an ASUN Tournament Championship appearance and CollegeInsider Postseason Tournament.
• This season has been a tale of two destinations for the Governors as they are 14-3 inside F&M Bank Arena, but 5-13 away from their home court. Austin Peay is looking to snap a three-game road losing skid in league play after falling at North Alabama, Eastern Kentucky, and Bellarmine.
• Despite ranking 10th in the ASUN in scoring offense with 70.3 points per game, the Governors bring a steady defense that sits fifth in scoring defense. The Governors have struggled to connect from the field sitting 11th in the league with a 41 percent shooting clip.
• Four Governors are averaging double figures as LJ Thomas leads the charge with 13.5 points per game. The junior guard also adds 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
• 6-8 forward Sai Witt is a player to watch averaging 13.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. The veteran big has posted four double-doubles this season.
• Austin Peay was picked to finish second in the ASUN Men's Basketball Preseason Poll following a 19-16 mark, and 10-6 record in ASUN play last season.

 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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