Queens breaks 100 again in victory over SC State

Queens guard Nas Mann topped all Royals scorers with 23 in a Friday night win over SC State.  (Photo:  Queens University of Charlotte Athletics)

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CHARLOTTE – For Queens’ final home game of 2025, it seemed only appropriate that its contest against South Carolina State was the annual Christmas sweater game. The first half was as awesome as coach Grant Leonard’s Three Wise Men “We Dem Boys” sweater.

The second…well, at times, it was like that scratchy, brown garment you get from a distant family member and have to fake a smile while holding it up for everyone to see.

Queens got 23 points from guard Nas Mann, who led five Royals in double figures in a 102-78 victory over the Bulldogs. Leonard seemed willing to add part of the game to his collection of 40-plus holiday sweaters. The rest, he seemed willing to regift.

“That was the problem, 20 minutes isn’t 40,” said Leonard when commenting on the difference in defensive effort between the first and second halves. “This group can be special if we decide that our identity is going to start with defense as a group. I’m not sure we have enough guys on the team individually that identify as defensive players.”

“I’m proud that we were able to win the game by 24. I wasn’t happy with our second-half defensive effort at all.”

Those first 20 minutes started like a coveted present for the Royals. Queens (5-5) started the game on an 8-0 run, grabbing a double-digit lead just over two-and-a-half minutes into the action. Mann helped key the early burst, booking eight of the first 13 Queens points. South Carolina State (0-11) gradually carved the deficit to six twice in the first six minutes, first on a Jayden Johnson jumper and later on a Teon Tindal bucket.

Queens then treated the visitors like the party guests who brought the months-old fruit cake.

The Royals ripped off a sustained run in which they scored 12 straight points and 20 of 27 in the sequence, where freshman guard Jordan Watford scored the first five points and Mann the final four of the initial run. The burst put Queens ahead, 42-20, at the final media stoppage of the half. The Bulldogs would work the game within 18, but Kam Clark closed the period with a jumper and a buzzer-beating heave, putting Queens ahead, 49-26, at the interval.

Carson Schwieger immediately exorcised his first-half struggles as the second period started, knocking down a pair of triples to start the Royals on a 6-0 run. South Carolina State responded, tallying 17 of the next 26 points in a run keyed by guard Owen Bronston. Bronston booked 11 of the 17 points and knocked down three triples in the sequence, cutting the Queens lead to 64-43.

The Bulldogs and Royals then traded scores, with a rim-rattling Cam Clark dunk moving SC State within 22. The dunk sparked a Queens run, with Mann and freshman Isaiah Henry scoring the next nine points and extending the Royals’ advantage to 80-49 with 9:34 to play. State answered with an 11-2 salvo of its own to again draw within 21 with 7:19 remaining. Queens would never allow the visitors to draw closer.

Leonard expressed his frustration despite the result.

“We’re very talented – don’t get me wrong – but we took our foot off the pedal,” Leonard said. “We allowed them to dictate the second half and how it was going to be played. They got scrappy and we did not stay solid. (In the) first half, (we committed) four fouls. In the second half, 14 fouls. That’s not going to get it done. That was the difference in the game.”

As much as Mann keyed the first half, Schwieger keyed the second. Mann poured in a career-high 23 on 6-of-9 from the field and 9-of-12 from the charity stripe, while Schwieger shook off a 1-for-6 start from the field to contribute 17 while hitting four of his final five shots.

The pair shared a common theme: Trust.

“I just have the trust that my teammates and coaches instilled in me every single day,” Mann said. “If I miss a shot, I know they’re looking at me (and telling me to) take the next one.”

As for Schwieger – well, this may sound familiar.

“Carson mentioned going 1-for-6 to start,” Mann said. “(We told him), ‘You better not stop shooting the ball.’ It’s just the confidence they give us every single day.”

“The first half was rough,” Schwieger said. “I felt like I got a lot of good looks and then I came back and everyone told me to keep shooting the ball. Obviously, I was down a little bit because I thought I had a lot of good looks, but then the guys – Jordan Watford got me started. He (found me for) a clean look in the corner, then hit me for one more. After that, (Leonard) got a couple plays in for me and I knocked them down. It’s just the trust they have in me. It’s easy to play like that.”

The ease of play and crispness with which Queens moved the ball offensively was on full display, as the Royals scored over 100 points for the second time in as many games. Queens dished 24 helpers on 33 made shots and made 14 threes.

“I didn’t even realize we had that many assists,” Leonard said. “Last game (a 107-74 win over Gardner-Webb), we had 23. This game was 24. We’re good offensively – and I don’t want to harp on the wrong things – but I actually thought we left a lot of meat on the bone. We missed a lot of clean threes from really good shooters.”

“However, the ball moved and we gook good shots. We protected the ball and we got to the foul line. There were so many good things offensively, but to win a championship, you’re going to have to win when you don’t make shots. The first half showed how good we could be defensively. The second half showed what we look like when we’re not locked in defensively.”

Mann’s 23 led Queens and all scorers. Schwieger closely trailed with 17, tying his career-best from earlier this season against Sacred Heart. Guard Yoav Berman scored 15 off the bench on 5-for-9 shooting (4-for-4 free throws), with Henry and Avantae Parker adding 10 apiece. The Royals shot 50 percent (33-for-66) on the night, with 36 percent (14-for-39) of their threes finding the net. Queens also canned 22-of-29 (75.9 percent) from the line.

Bronston paced the Bulldogs with 17, righting an 0-for-6 ship from the first half to finish 6-for-14 from the floor. Johnson, Florian Tenebay, and Chris Parker added 10 each, with Parker snatching 20 of his team’s 40 boards. Parker had only collected 17 total caroms in his prior games since transferring in from Cape Fear Community College before the season. SC State knocked down 42.6 percent of its tries (29-for-68 from the deck), with 8-of-18 (44.4 percent) successfully connecting from distance. The visitors also hit 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) from the line.

Queens returns to action Sunday evening at 5:00 (Eastern) against Wake Forest at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. The game will appear on ACC Network. SC State will next play at home Tuesday evening at Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center in Orangeburg, S.C. Tip time is set for 6:00.

QUEENS 102, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 78

SC STATE (0-11)

D. Wright 3-4 0-0 6, Tenebay 4-6 2-5 10, Bronston 6-14 0-0 17, Johnson 4-13 1-2 10, Clark 4-9 0-0 8, Treadwell 2-6 0-0 6, Hodge 2-3 0-0 4, R. Wright 0-0 0-0 0, Tindal 2-2 3-5 7, Parker 2-11 6-6 10, Okojie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-68 12-18 78.

QUEENS (5-5)

Parker 3-3 3-4 10, Schwieger 5-11 2-2 17, Watford 1-3 2-3 5, Mann 6-9 9-12 23, Ashby 4-12 0-0 11, Jabriel 2-4 0-1 5, Berman 5-9 4-4 15, Henry 5-6 0-1 10, Larson 0-3 2-2 2, Clark 2-3 0-0 4, Celestin 0-0 0-0 0, Crider 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 33-66 22-29 102.

Halftime:  Queens 49-26. 3-Point goals:  Queens 14-39 (Parker 1-1, Schwieger 5-11, Watford 1-3, Mann 2-3, Ashby 3-10, Jabriel 1-2, Berman 1-5, Henry 0-1, Clark 0-1, Crider 0-2), SC State 8-18 (Tenebay 0-1, Bronston 5-8, Johnson 1-4, Treadwell 2-5). Fouled out:  NA.  Rebounds:  SC State 40 (Parker 20), Queens 38 (Schwieger/Mann/Henry/Larson 6). Total fouls:  SC State 21, Queens 18. Technicals:  NA.

 

Queens outlasts Gardner-Webb behind Colimerio's career day

 

Queens forward Leo Colimerio led all scorers with 27 points in Saturday afternoon's victory. (Photo:  Queens University of Charlotte Athletics)

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BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – It’s obviously a different sport, but there may be a little bit of John Smoltz in Leo Colimerio.

The Queens senior forward was the Royals’ starter, scoring 24 points in the first half. He then served as the closer, knocking down the two free throws that helped his team stave off a fierce Gardner-Webb comeback. Queens used the career day from Colimerio to get its second consecutive win away from Curry Arena, claiming an 85-83 victory over the Runnin’ Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at Paul Porter Arena.

“Those guys responded,” Gardner-Webb coach Jeremy Luther said when speaking of his team’s response and rally down the stretch. “I think we were down 10 or 11 and we came back and took the lead. We just didn’t have enough plays after that to complete it.”

Queens (6-5) proved to be the early aggressor. The Royals were able to work Colimerio into the paint to set up short jumpers or passes to scorers at the basket, shaking off an early pair of baskets by the Runnin’ Bulldogs to seize the advantage. Creating separation proved to be a bit of a struggle, however, as Queens could open no larger than a two-possession advantage for much of the opening stanza. The Runnin’ Bulldogs pulled level on a Jamaine Mann dunk at the 9:45 mark – only for Colimerio to unleash a personal 7-0 run to put Queens in a bit more comfortable situation.

The margin stayed roughly the same for another five minutes, before Gardner-Webb answered another Colimerio triple with a 7-0 burst of its own, with a Buddy Simmons trifecta and Anthony Selden layup following a Mann bucket to again pull the Runnin’ Bulldogs within a single point. Queens then counterpunched to end the half, closing on a 15-8 burst capped by a Mahan Jabriel three at the first-half horn to take a 44-36 ledger reading to the interval.

Queens grabbed the first two buckets of the second half and quickly opened a double-digit lead. Gardner-Webb (4-7) halved the deficit on an and-one from Mann with 13:17 to play. Just as quickly, however, Queens fired back to push it back to 10 with 12:18 remaining. The Runnin’ Bulldogs had a strong response prepared.

After Queens took a nine-point lead at 63-54, the home side scored 15 of the next 21 points to square the proceedings at 69 on an Ademide Badmus and-one with 6:51 to play. Jaxon Pollard countered 24 seconds later, though, drilling a corner triple to give the lead back to the Royals.

“There were a couple things that led to their run,” Queens coach Grant Leonard said. “There was a little bit of foul trouble on our part, which was on us, because we weren’t guarding well enough. Then, we had a couple careless turnovers, which allowed them to get loose in transition, so those two things were really it.”

Queens would lead by as many as five before Gardner-Webb made yet another charge.

Brendan Mykalcio converted an and-one with 4:15 left to again even the contest at 76. Simmons would then put Gardner-Webb back in front at 78-77 with 3:12 to play. That would be the final time the Runnin’ Bulldogs would lead in the game.

Nasir Mann would put home a teardrop runner as the shot clock evaporated to allow Queens to wrest away control with 2:21 to play. Yoav Berman canned a deep three to put the Royals up four. After Gardner-Webb cut it to one on a Simmons bucket with 30 seconds left, Pollard then put home a free throw, while Colimerio would sink the eventual game-clinching tries from the stripe with nine seconds to play.

“I’m just thankful for my teammates being able to find me in the high post,” Colimerio said. “This year’s been big for me, especially in getting my confidence up.

“It’s been a big emphasis for us in practice for how we’ve got to finish (games), and rebounds are major for us. I just feel like we’ve got to keep doing the little things on the road and execute the plan that (Leonard) gives to us. If we can follow that, then everything will be okay.”

Colimerio led all scorers, with his 27 just three points shy of equaling the career-high he set last season at Fresno State against BYU. The senior hit 8-of-12 from the deck (3-of-5 from distance) and 8-of-9 from the line. Center Malcolm Wilson added 11, hitting five of his six shots. Four additional Royals scored at least eight points apiece. Queens shot 56.3 percent (27-for-48) from the field, hitting nine threes in 17 tries. The Royals also hit 22-of-29 from the line, including 16-of-22 second-half tries.

Guard Bryce Cash was one of the four aforementioned Royals nearing double figures, as he shook off any concerns over an injury he was nursing to guide his team in 34 minutes of play.

“In Bryce I trust,” Leonard said. “If he says he can go, he can go. I trust the decisions he’s going to make with the ball. If you want to know why we’re better on the road this year, it’s Bryce’s decision-making and toughness. A couple years ago when we had (former guard) Kenny (Dye), we had that, and now we have it with Bryce. That’s not to knock anyone on last year’s team, but it’s the mental toughness that really wins on the road.”

Simmons tallied 23 for Gardner-Webb, hitting 10-of-16 attempts from the field and knocking down three threes in six tries.

“I thought he played really well tonight,” Luther said. “He got some big stops and hit some big shots. He’s got a long career ahead of him. He’s going to be really good.”

Mann booked 18, hitting 7-of-8 from the field. The Runnin’ Bulldogs shot a sizzling 61.5 percent (32-for-52) on the afternoon, with a 63 percent shooting effort in the second 20. Gardner-Webb struggled from the line, which proved problematic in the end. The Runnin’ Bulldogs hit just 11-of-22 (50 percent) from the stripe.

Both teams resume action with weekday tilts following final exams. Gardner-Webb travels to Statesboro, Ga., to square off with Georgia Southern Tuesday night. Game time is set for 7:00 (Eastern) inside the Hill Convocation Center, with streaming coverage slated for ESPN+. Queens welcomes Mercer to Curry Arena for a 7:00 tip Wednesday evening. That game will also be streamed via ESPN+.

QUEENS 85, GARDNER-WEBB 83

QUEENS (6-5)

Mathews 2-5 4-4 8, Cash 4-9 0-0 8, Ashby 0-3 4-4 4, Colimerio 8-12 8-9 27, Wilson 5-6 1-2 11, Mann 3-6 1-2 9, Shine 0-0 0-0 0, Jabriel 1-1 0-0 3, Nevill 0-0 0-0 0, Pollard 1-1 4-8 7, Berman 3-5 0-0 8. Totals 27-48 22-29 85.

GARDNER-WEBB (4-7)

Selden 3-6 0-1 7, Mann 7-8 3-7 18, Boyogueno 2-6 3-4 9, Badmus 2-2 1-1 5, Simmons 10-16 0-0 23, Mykalcio 2-2 2-4 6, Hudson 3-7 1-2 7, Lazar 1-1 0-0 3, Hawkins 1-2 0-0 2, Richards 1-2 1-3 3. Totals 32-52 11-22 83.

Halftime:  Queens 44-36. 3-Point goals:  Queens 9-17 (Mathews 0-1, Cash 0-1, Ashby 0-1, Colimerio 3-5, Mann 2-4, Jabriel 1-1, Pollard 1-1, Berman 2-3), Gardner-Webb 8-19 (Selden 1-3, Mann 1-2, Boyogueno 2-5, Simmons 3-6, Hudson 0-1, Lazar 1-1, Richards 0-1). Fouled out:  NA.  Rebounds:  Gardner-Webb 26 (Mann 7), Queens 25 (Cash 6). Total fouls:  Gardner-Webb 21, Queens 20. Technicals:  NA.

Points off turnovers:  Queens 20, Gardner-Webb 18.  Points in the paint:  Gardner-Webb 46, Queens 36. Second-chance points:  Gardner-Webb 10, Queens 6.  Fast-break points:  Gardner-Webb 9, Queens 7.  Bench points:  Queens 27, Gardner-Webb 21.

 

Winthrop fends off Queens in second installment of regional rivalry

Winthrop guard Nick Johnson scored 20 in the Eagles' Tuesday victory at Queens.  (Photo:  Winthrop Athletics)

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CHARLOTTE – We’ve all heard the phrase, “to the victor go the spoils.” What about the cookies, though?

More on that in a bit.

Given the 23 miles and 30 minutes – okay, in Charlotte traffic, maybe more like an hour – between Winthrop Coliseum and Queens’ Curry Arena, it makes sense for the Eagles and Royals to play on a regular basis. The sides did so for the second time since Queens’ ascent to Division I on a frigid Tuesday night in Charlotte.

In a fun, back-and-forth contest that featured lots of offense, Winthrop fended off numerous Queens charges in the second half and shot greater than 59 percent in the final 20 minutes to get past the Royals, 86-78.

“(Queens) is a hard place to play,” Winthrop coach Mark Prosser said after the game. “They’re very well-coached, they play really hard, and they’re talented. They have wonderful kids, too. We knew it was going to be a one-or-two-possession game. That’s how it always is.”

Queens (3-5) took the lead early in the contest, leading by as many as four after a Chris Ashby triple during the opening segment. Winthrop (7-3) quickly grabbed a lead it would not relinquish, however, using a 14-3 run to take a 21-12 lead on a Paul Jones three. Winthrop grew that lead as high as 11 – only for Queens to charge back on the strength of a 12-4 run that sliced the Eagle advantage to just three with 1:24 remaining in the first half. The visitors took a 40-35 margin to the interval, with both sides nearly even from the floor in the opening stanza.

“I felt like that was probably one of our best offensive games on the season,” Queens guard Bryce Cash said. “We got the shots we wanted. We got in the paint. We got kickouts. That made it easier for us to score.”

As for the defense, well…

“I’d say that was probably our worst defensive performance,” Cash said. “We’ve got practice tomorrow and practice the rest of the week to get better. That’s our main focus for now.”

After the Eagles ran their lead back to eight early in the second half, Queens again answered.  Another Ashby three, paired with two Asjon Anderson free throws, quickly knifed the Eagle lead to three. The run was again short-lived, as Winthrop countered with a 9-2 run that again extended the margin to 10.

From there, a pattern formed.

Queens rallied. The Royals cut the lead to three. The Eagles answered. The Royals rallied. The Eagles responded.

“I thought we had the chance to break them late in the second half,” Queens coach Grant Leonard said after the game. “We just didn’t finish a couple shots. Overall, I was happy offensively. I didn’t think that was why we lost the game. We let them shoot 59 percent in the second half. That was really the difference in the game.”

To Leonard’s point, the Eagles missed just 11 shots in the second half. Five of those came from distance. Also to Leonard’s point, the Royals shot 50 percent in the final 20. Queens also dropped 45.5 percent (5-for-11) from beyond the arc in the second half. It also bears mention that Winthrop went to the line 23 times in the second half – hitting a mere 13 – to Queens’ nine trips in the period.

“That should be enough,” Leonard said of his team’s second-half performance. “A couple loose balls and a couple free-throw box-outs that we just didn’t get were key in the game.”

Leonard also referenced the free throw situation.

“Both teams being in the bonus at the under-13 mark (of the second half) paralyzed the pace of the game.” Leonard said. “The players were not sure of what to do. I always appreciate the effort the officials put in, but I’m not sure they were talking to each other and on the same page in this game.”

Winthrop shot 34 free throws in the game, the second-most by a Division I opponent in Curry Arena despite being just the fourth-most the Eagles have tried in a contest. The 21 makes by the visitors were also the fourth-most in an Eagle outing this year.

The visitors shot 49.2 percent (30-for-61) in the game, including the sizzling second-half effort. Four Eagles scored in double figures, including 20 from guard Nick Johnson. Johnson hit 7-of-12 from the deck (2-for-5 from three) and 4-of-7 from the line. Point guard Kasen Harrison booked 15 on 5-for-8 from the field and 5-for-6 from the line. Forward K.J. Doucet added 13, while guard Ryan Jolly tallied 11 in reserve duty. All-Big South forward Kelton Talford battled foul trouble and was limited to 22 minutes and seven points. Forward/center Tai Hamilton played 17 minutes off the bench spelling Talford, scoring nine points on 4-for-5 from the field.

“He was fantastic,” Prosser said. “We have a depth of talent, and at different times, it presents itself. (Tai) felt that way today. It was awesome to see. We’ve seen it in practice. Today, hopefully, is a building block for him. He works extremely hard. He’s a great kid. He fits what we do really well. When hard work meets great kids with great work ethic, it’s a lot of fun for us to enjoy.”

Queens connected on 45.9 percent (28-for-61) from the field, including 35 percent (9-of-26) from deep. The Royals hit just 13-of-24 from the line. Ashby paced the home side with 20 on 7-of-14 from the field and 5-of-12 from the field. Forward Leo Colimerio turned in 14 on 5-for-8 shooting, with Cash contributing 13 on 5-for-6. Jaxon Pollard was the fourth Royal in double figures, with 11 in 25 minutes off the bench.

“I was finding my open looks and keeping the ball moving,” Ashby said of his performance. “I tried to make the defense break down.”

Listening to the coaches after the game, it was clear that while they like playing this game, they may not like playing the game. Coaches always assess their opponents, but it was clear Prosser and Leonard knew the value of the game despite knowing the battle they both faced.

“It’s really important (to play games like these),” Leonard said. “I appreciate that Winthrop is willing to play us here at home every other year, and having that series and regional opponent matters. We have a long-term contract with them. Hopefully we can get more teams on that train.”

“There are a lot of things about this game that make sense,” Prosser said. “This is a league game – basically – for us. Hopefully it’s a league game – basically – for them. To go on the road in a hostile environment, to be in a place where they’re extremely talented and making plays and it’s back-and-forth, that helps both teams. It’s going to be a great game for us. It’s two storied programs with great tradition playing against each other.”

Prosser may have summed it up the most succinctly, though.

“We’re fortunate to be able to get out of here with a win. I’m fortunate that I don’t have to worry about them for another year.”

Oh – about those cookies?

Winthrop has a tradition of what it calls “snack time” after road victories. What is the Eagles’ leader’s go-to snack?

“I’ve been going with Nutter Butters for the last couple,” Prosser said. “As an entire program, we’re all fired up for snack time. I’m going to stay with the Nutter Butters. I think they’ve been good for me.”

𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐖 = 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 🍫🍪

Pulled up to @QuikTrip for a little grub after the win! #ROCKtheHILL pic.twitter.com/R61rA1k20G

— Winthrop Basketball (@Winthrop_MBB) December 4, 2024

WINTHROP 86, QUEENS 78

WINTHROP (7-3)

Jones 2-6 1-2 7, Talford 3-10 1-4 7, Johnson 7-12 4-7 20, Harrison 5-8 5-6 15, Doucet 4-8 5-7 13, Wilson 1-2 0-0 2, Jolly 3-6 4-5 11, Diallo 0-0 0-0 0, Kamarad 0-0 0-0 0, Hamilton 4-5 1-3 9, Baker 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 30-61 21-34 86.

QUEENS (3-5)

Mathews 1-3 0-0 2, Cash 5-6 3-4 13, Ashby 7-14 1-1 20, Colimerio 5-8 3-5 14, Wilson 0-3 1-7 1, Mann 2-2 1-1 7, Jabriel 0-1 0-0, Nevill 0-0 0-0 0, Anderson 1-8 2-2 4, Pollard 5-11 1-2 11, Berman 2-5 1-2 6. Totals 28-61 13-24 78.

Halftime:  Winthrop 40-35. 3-Point goals:  Queens 9-26 (Ashby 5-12, Colimerio 1-3, Mann 2-2, Jabriel 0-1, Anderson 0-5, Pollard 0-2, Berman 1-1), Winthrop 5-18 (Jones 2-4, Johnson 2-5, Doucet 0-3, Wilson 0-1, Jolly 1-3, Baker 0-2). Fouled out:  Wilson (QUC)  Rebounds:  Winthrop 43 (Talford 9), Queens 36 (Pollard 8). Total fouls:  Queens 28, Winthrop 22. Technicals:  NA.

Points off turnovers:  Winthrop 17, Queens 15.  Points in the paint:  Winthrop 50, Queens 36. Second-chance points:  Winthrop 14, Queens 7.  Fast-break points:  Winthrop 9, Queens 7.  Bench points:  Queens 28, Winthrop 24.

 

Anderson's hot shooting night nudges Queens past Western Carolina

 

Queens guard Asjon Anderson led all scorers with 24 in Queens' win over Western Carolina Friday. (Photo:  Queens University of Charlotte Athletics)

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CHARLOTTE – When assembling his roster, Queens coach Grant Leonard wanted to have enough depth to have a different player be “the guy” every night.

Friday was Asjon Anderson’s night.

The junior JUCO transfer enjoyed a career night with 24 points – buoyed by four threes and 10 free throws – as the Royals turned away Western Carolina, 67-54, in round one of the ASUN/SoCon Challenge Friday night at Curry Arena.

“(The key was) just believing in myself,” Anderson said after the game. “My coaches and my teammates believed in me, too, and kept telling me to shoot and always be ready to shoot. Everyone believing in me made me believe in myself.”

It took very little time for Anderson to make an impact on the game. Western Carolina (1-1) jumped out to a 9-5 lead behind six early points from Princeton transfer forward Vernon Collins. Queens (2-0) countered with a 10-2 burst to take a 15-11 lead that Western would eventually match.

That’s when Anderson took over.

The guard tore off 11 straight points of his own for the Royals, drilling a trifecta of triples that grew the Royals’ lead to its first-half high. Anderson booked 16 of Queens’ first-half 28, helping steer Queens to a 28-20 interval advantage.

“(The personal run) just made me play harder and just let the game come to me, so it was big,” Anderson said.

“Asjon is really instant offense off the bench,” Leonard said. “I think his biggest hiccup this year has been trying to figure out when it’s been too much. I thought today he started defensively, and as he started to pressure the ball and caused some turnovers, it opened up the floor for him. He got some good looks and kind of got the confidence going, which was really good.”

A tug-of-war ensued early in the second half. WCU cut it to five on a Bernard Pelote triple, only for Queens to tear off an 8-0 run punctuated by a Chris Ashby three that forced Catamounts coach Tim Craft to request a stoppage. WCU would then score 14 of the next 18 points, knifing the advantage to an uncomfortable three points.

Queens – as it did all night – had a nearly immediate answer. The Royals went on a quick 7-0 run, keyed by a Leo Colimerio fast-break bucket that spurred the crowd. Colimerio had a conversation with Leonard on the sideline a bit earlier in the half, which the coach recapped after the game.

“(I told him) that we believe in him, he’s a really good player, and that he needs to just let it happen,” Leonard said. “Most days in practice, he’s our best player. He hasn’t gotten comfortable yet, but he will. He’s a really talented kid.”

When Anderson wasn’t filling up the basket, center Malcolm Wilson was grabbing errant shots and blocking shots away from it. Wilson followed up his 11-rebound, eight-block effort from Monday’s season-opener with a 12-rebound, six-block night Friday.

“Those plays are just energizing for me,” Wilson said. “When I get blocks, it helps me out. Seeing my team play as well as we did – we were all just playing for each other, so that’s what’s most important.”

Wilson’s continued development has been a clear source of pride for Leonard.

“This is why we (coach),” Leonard said. “I always say that you never give up on a big man, because they mature slower. For a kid that is the quality of human being that he is – the intelligence and how he treats other people – for him to put in the work and get rewarded for it is amazing.

“Basketball can humble people. He was a highly-ranked kid who went to Georgetown – an elite level school – and he was humbled a bit. I think he thought it was going to be instant pudding (at Queens) and he was humbled a bit again, and he didn’t give in. He kept working. Credit to (former Queens assistant) Walt Belcher, credit to (strength coach) Matt Donelson, credit to coach (Adam) Short on our staff. They’ve worked with him day in and day out. Malcolm really believes and he’s done a great job.”

Queens continued to keep Western Carolina at arm’s length through the second half, owing largely to the play of Anderson and Wilson. Point guard Bryce Cash helped set up Royal buckets, snaring five boards and dishing nine dimes.

“Bryce had nine assists and two turnovers, so we’ve probably got to give him the ball more and let him make the decisions,” Leonard said. “I thought he and Malcolm were really good at what they’re good at. Malcolm protected the rim and rebounded, and he set screens and got out of them. Bryce made great decisions with the ball.”

Anderson’s 24 points represented the only double-digit Queens scorer, though he led all scorers on the night. Forward Yoav Berman finished a point and a rebound shy of a double-double, while Colimerio added eight. The Royals shot 31.4 percent (22-for-70) on the night, with 8-of-31 (25.8 percent) of their threes finding the net. Queens outrebounded Western Carolina, 51-47, with a 17-12 advantage on the offensive boards.

Pelote paced Western Carolina with a 15-point, 16-board double-double, though he hit just 5-of-18 from the deck (1-for-7 from three) and 4-for-7 from the line. Forward Vernon Collins added 12 in reserve duty, procuring seven caroms. The Catamounts shot 31.3 percent (21-for-67) from the floor but hit just 14.3 percent (3-for-21) from distance.

Queens now heads to Utah to start a three-game road swing. The Royals travel to the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City to take on Utah Tuesday night. Tip time is set for 9:00 (Eastern), with coverage on ESPN+.

QUEENS 67, WESTERN CAROLINA 54

WESTERN CAROLINA (1-1)

Stansberry 0-8 0-0 0, Pelote 5-18 4-7 15, Emery 3-12 2-2 9, Livingston 2-6 0-0 4, Kell 4-9 0-2 8, McKey 1-1 1-1 3, Hyland 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan 1-3 0-0 3, Collins 5-9 2-4 12. Totals 21-67 9-16 54.

QUEENS (2-0)

Cash 2-8 0-0 4, Ashby 2-9 0-0 6, Colimerio 4-11 0-3 8, Berman 3-8 2-2 9, Wilson 3-5 1-4 7, Mann 0-1 2-2 2, Mathews 1-5 0-0 2, Jabriel 0-2 0-0 0, Anderson 5-14 10-12 24, Pollard 2-7 0-0 5. Totals 22-70 15-23 67.

Halftime:  Queens 28-20. 3-Point goals:  Queens 8-31 (Cash 0-3, Ashby 2-7, Colimerio 0-2, Berman 1-4, Mann 0-1, Mathews 0-1, Jabriel 0-2, Anderson 4-8, Pollard 1-3), Western Carolina 3-21 (Stansberry 0-5, Pelote 1-7, Emery 1-4, Livingston 0-2, Kell 0-1, Morgan 1-2). Fouled out:  NA  Rebounds:  Queens 51 (Wilson 12)), Western Carolina 47 (Pelote 16). Total fouls:  Western Carolina 22, Queens 15. Technicals:  NA.

Points off turnovers:  Queens 19, Western Carolina 11.  Points in the paint:  Western Carolina 36, Queens 28  Second-chance points:  Western Carolina 15, Queens 13.  Fast-break points:  Queens 18, Western Carolina 11.  Bench points:  Queens 33, Western Carolina 18.

 

Queens gets suffocating defensive effort, runs past Lynchburg to open regular season

Queens center Malcolm Wilson grabbed 11 rebounds and rejected seven shots in Monday night's win. (Photo:  Queens University of Charlotte Athletics)

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CHARLOTTE – On one hand, there was a lot to love in Queens University of Charlotte’s season-opener Monday night. The Royals’ defense held its opponent to a meager 16 percent shooting and rejected nine shots, including seven by center Malcolm Wilson.

On the other, well…

The good news? Queens placed four scorers in double figures and allowed well under a half-point per possession while never trailing in a 90-39 victory over Lynchburg Monday night in Curry Arena.

“I thought our defensive effort was fantastic,” Queens coach Grant Leonard said after the game. “We were really able to pressure the ball and use our length. We really helped (on defense) and recovered quite well. We contested shots, I think, the best that we have in many, many years. I was really happy with that.”

Queens (1-0) got on the board early on a pair of Wilson dunks. After the Royals stretched the lead to 10-2, Lynchburg (0-0) got a Jamarcus Brown bucket and three Piercen Young free throws to slice the Queens advantage to three. That was the last time the visiting Hornets challenged.

The Royal defense clamped down on the visiting Hornets, surrendering just two baskets in the next 16 Lynchburg tries. Wilson turned away some of those shots himself, helping set up fast breaks and forcing Lynchburg to play further and further from the basket. When Lynchburg missed shots, Wilson was there to snatch away the caroms and find teammates to help create offense on the other end.

“I think it was just the amount of work we put in this summer that is giving me a lot of confidence,” Wilson said. “I’ve been able to be more effective on the offensive end and really focus on the defensive end and rebounds. That’s my job – taking those opportunities and making sure I’m going after those possessions.”

Wilson played 14 minutes in the opening half, snatching six boards and rejecting four Hornet tries. When the 7-footer wasn’t altering shots, the rest of the Royal defense did so. Lynchburg hit just 6-for-32 (18.8 percent) of its tries in the opening stanza, with 2-for-16 (12.5 percent) of the Hornets’ tries from distance finding the mark. Queens rode the effort to a 46-21 margin at the interval, shooting nearly 46 percent and scoring 1.15 points per trip in the first 20.

“That’s just the focus of our team, I think – doing what we do no matter who we play and especially on the defensive end. I think we did that,” Wilson said.

The defensive clampdown carried on into the second half. Though Queens experimented with different combinations on the floor throughout the period, the Royals continued to limit the Hornets’ offensive output.

“They’re not confident in what they’re doing yet, but they’re really talented,” said Leonard of his bench players that got extended second-half minutes. “There was a group out there that had five freshmen at one time, with (guard) Jordon Nevill, Sawyer (Mayhugh), DJ (Shine), Maban (Jabriel), and (Yoav) Berman. (That’s a) really talented group, but they’ve just got to be more confident in what they do.

“They fouled, they kicked the ball around a little bit, but then when they got to spots, they were playing with pace, they got great looks. They’ve just got to understand that less is more, and if they figure that out, they’re going to be really good.”

Queens limited the Hornets to an even bigger defensive struggle in the second stanza. Lynchburg shot just 13.3 percent (4-for-30) in the period and missed all ten three-point attempts. The Hornets trailed by fewer than 30 points for one possession in the second half, after a Young jumper snipped the deficit to 28 with 16:11 remaining.

The night also marked the regular-season debut of sophomore Bryce Cash at the point guard position. Cash, the third point guard in Queens’ three Division I seasons, played limited minutes and scored just five points, but showed much of the skill and intellect that led Leonard to move the 6-5 sophomore to the position.

“Four assists and one turnover. That’s a big deal,” Leonard said. “I clearly need to get the ball in his hands more. He’s doing a lot more (on the floor) than he has, so he’s got to really work on his conditioning. Defensively, he’s so solid. He talks. He sees things beforehand and his understanding of our goals and concepts on both sides of the ball is high. That’s why he’s in the position he is, because he’s running our team on the floor.”

Queens placed four scorers in double figures, despite no player tallying greater than 23 minutes. Nasir Mann led the Royals and recorded a double-double, scoring 14 points and snaring 10 boards in just 19 minutes.

“He doesn’t have to put the ball on the floor to be a playmaker,” Leonard said of Mann. “He can run the floor, and he can cut, catch, and shoot. I’m really happy with what he did and happy for him, because I think you’re going to see him have a really good year and get better and better as the year progresses.”

Berman added 13 on 5-for-8 shooting (2-for-4 from three), with forward Leo Colimerio contributing 12 and guard Chris Ashby 11. Queens shot 46.2 percent (30-for-65) from the deck and hit 13-of-36 (36.1 percent) from distance.

Young led the Hornets with 11. Forward Mason Makovec added 10 in reserve duty, connecting on 2-of-5 from the field and 5-for-6 from the line. Lynchburg hit 10-of-62 field goal attempts and just 2-for-26 (7.7 percent) from distance. The Hornets scored 17 times on 25 tries (68 percent) from the charity stripe.

Queens returns to action Friday night at 7:00 in Curry Arena against Western Carolina in the ASUN/SoCon Challenge. The Catamounts are 1-0 following a season-opening victory over Bob Jones.

“The one thing we’ve got to clean up as a group is our turnovers,” Leonard said in preparation for Friday’s contest. “You can’t have 18 turnovers and think you’re going to beat a quality team. (Western Carolina coach) Tim Craft always has a quality team. The biggest thing for them is to recover tomorrow – Election Day – do their civic duty, and then on Wednesday and Thursday, we’re going to prep for Western Carolina.”