OPENING TIP
Score: Queens 85 | North Alabama 78
Records: Queens (16-12 overall, 11-4 ASUN) | North Alabama (8-18 overall, 3-12 ASUN)
Location: CB&S Bank Arena (Florence, Ala.)
 
THE SHORT STORY
In a physical battle inside CB&S Bank Arena that saw six ties and 12 lead changes, the Queens University of Charlotte men's basketball team used a strong second-half performance to take down North Alabama on Wednesday night. The Royals outscored the Lions 57-45 in the second half on 65-percent shooting. With the win, Queens clinched a top-four seed in the upcoming ASUN Tournament at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

BY THE NUMBERS
-Sophomore Yoav Berman reached double figures for the 12^th straight game as he led the Royals with 16 points while adding three rebounds and two assists.
-Sophomore Maban Jabriel provided a huge spark off the bench for the Royals, turning in 14 points on 3-of-4 shooting from downtown. Jabriel also added two rebounds, one block, and one steal.
-Sharpshooters Carson Schwieger and Chris Ashby both reached double figures, combining for 22 points on five triples. The duo added six rebounds and four assists while Ashby swiped three steals to match his career-high.
-Senior Nasir Mann posted his 20^th game in double figures with 10 points while adding three rebounds and two assists.
-Despite only playing 19 minutes due to foul trouble, Avantae Parker added eight points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Over the last three games, the lengthy forward has swatted 10 shots.
-Freshman Jordan Watford facilitated the second half offense with 11 points and five assists across 19 minutes of work.
-Preseason All-ASUN selection Cornelious Williams turned in a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. 

NOTABLE MOMENTS
-North Alabama jumped out to a quick 10-7 lead in the first four minutes of action, connecting on 4-of-8 shots, including a pair of threes. Kevin de Kovachich powered that early offense for the Lions with five quick points while Avantae Parker countered on the Royals side with four points and two rebounds.
-Holding a one-point lead with 10:45 remaining in the first half, North Alabama strung together a quick 6-0 run, capitalizing on three Queens turnovers to increase their lead back to seven.
-Over the final 3:38 in the first half, the Royals struggled to find a bucket, but managed to contain the North Alabama offense from jumping ahead. Sophomore Yoav Berman buried a three-pointer at the buzzer to cut the deficit to 33-28 going into the break. In the opening half, the Royals were held to 28 points, which tied for the lowest mark in a single half in ASUN play this season.
-The late Berman triple proved to provide a spark as Queens came out of halftime on a 7-0 run to grab their first lead since the first minute of action. Carson Schwieger connected on a three-pointer before a North Alabama turnover was dunked home by Nasir Mann. Avantae Parker rounded out the run, grabbing a rebound and going coast-to-coast for an acrobatic layup and giving Queens a 35-33 lead.
-North Alabama couldn't miss in the second half, connecting on 12 straight buckets from the field to maintain a slim advantage for the majority of the half. However, Queens answered every Lions bucket to keep the deficit within striking distance.
-Leading 70-68 with 3:03 remaining in the game, Queens put together a 7-2 run, which was capped off by a Nasir Mann tip-in dunk to give the Royals a seven-point cushion. North Alabama would continue to fight, but Queens executed 8-of-8 opportunities from the charity stripe to seal the 85-78 victory.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Queens bounced back at the free-throw line, shooting 23-for-28 from the stripe while the Lions went 10-for-20.
-The Royals forced 10 North Alabama turnovers and converted those miscues into 15 points.
-North Alabama won the glass 33-27, including an 11-4 mark on the offensive end. The Lions converted those 11 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points.
-With the win, Queens improved to 4-2 all-time against North Alabama, and picked up their first win inside CB&S Bank Arena.

NEXT UP
Queens will hit the road for a game at North Alabama on Wednesday, February 18^th, at 7:00 p.m. inside CB&S Bank Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, and 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.