CHARLOTTE – For anyone around the ASUN who hasn’t
been inside Curry Arena and relied solely on numbers, they may wonder why Chris
Ashby was the league’s Preseason Player of the Year.
Saturday, Ashby answered everybody’s questions. Eleven times.
The senior star set multiple personal records, including a
career-high 34 points, as Queens rewrote the school’s record book in a 98-76
offensive outburst over Bellarmine to move to 2-0 in the ASUN.
You know what happened.
Now, let’s go…Inside the Numbers!
- Of all the numbers that stood out from this game – and, as an editor’s note, this is why we’re breaking down the game this way, instead of via a game story – the three-ball obviously carried the day. Queens turned in record performances in numbers of threes attempted (54), made (24), and Ashby’s career-high and Division I best for a Royal (11).
“Obviously, we have record-breaker over here knocking down 11 threes,” Leonard said, while pointing at Ashby. “The hard thing about guarding us is that we allow a lot of guys to bring the ball up – and even (forward) Maban (Jabriel) at times, who’s 6-foot-9. Teams have got to figure out how they’re going to stop that. They decided to play zone and let us shoot 54 threes, which was an interesting decision.”
- Ashby broke a three-point dry spell in the conference opener against Eastern Kentucky, then had Saturday’s career effort. Ashby’s 20 three-point attempts was not a record – or really close – but the Houston native was incredibly effective. Ashby recorded a plus-28 in his time on the floor, which was by far the highest of any Royal.
“It feels good,” Ashby said. “I’ve put in the work, and my teammates just kept trusting me and getting me the ball.”
For his part, Ashby was at least a little aware of the record.
“I knew my record was 10. I didn’t know the school record was 10,” Ashby said. Leonard replied, “It was your record to start, so you broke your own record.”
- Queens tied a season-low in surrendering just three offensive rebounds to the Knights on the day. The Royals also allowed three in a loss to Villanova earlier this season. The mark eclipsed Queens’ prior season-low in a victory, set just two days prior against Eastern Kentucky.
Leonard should have been pleased with that number after the game, right? Well…
“I was pissed about all three,” Leonard said. “I thought we should have had them all. We told them – this is not a joke, I know we were plus-13 on the glass – but before the game, we said we were going to have a party on the glass. We ended up with 13 offensive rebounds to their three – that’s 10 extra possessions.”
“If you’re going to give us 12 more shots and then let us shoot a bunch of threes, we’re going to win. I’m just saying – I appreciate that our guys (repeatedly) went to the glass. They didn’t always get it, but you keep going, you stay consistent, and you wear them down.”
- Leonard was annoyed – coaches always are, in some way – with the Royals’ ball security in the second half. Even still, the result outweighed the annoyance.
“I was super pissed about the turnovers in the second half, because I didn’t think we should have eight. We were still plus-two in that margin.”
Despite the unforced errors, Queens still allowed just eight Bellarmine points off turnovers. The Royals turned 14 Knight miscues into 19 points.
- Saturday demonstrated the Royals’ versatility. Just shy of
48 hours after scoring 50 points in the paint against EKU, Queens notched just
18 in the lane against Bellarmine. This came largely due to the Bellarmine zone
allowing the Royals to pass out of the top of the key and find open shooters.
- Queens set yet another season-high offensively, dishing 27 dimes on 33 made shots. The Royals’ prior season-high was 24 against South Carolina State in mid-December.
“That’s probably my most favorite statistic is the amount of assists,” Leonard said. “Twenty-seven assists for a team is phenomenal. Hats off to these guys. I’m just proud of their effort.”
The Royals have recorded four 20-assist games this season. Along with the 24-assist effort against South Carolina State, Queens helped on 23 buckets against Gardner-Webb and 20 against Sacred Heart.
“I know that our guys play for a spirit and for each other,” Leonard said. “We run the floor for each other. We cut for each other. We screen for each other and we get paint touches for each other.”
- Guard Nas Mann epitomizes the team atmosphere with which Queens plays. Mann continued his development in 2025-26 by nearly logging a triple-double with eight points, eight assists, and 10 rebounds.
“Nas is an unbelievable player, in that he just makes the right play,” Leonard said. That’s why he’s gone from a good player last year to an elite player this year. They all trust each other and they play to their strengths.”
Mann explained the evolution of his game.
“We were talking over the summer, and the biggest thing they wanted me to do was that they said, ‘We want you to be Josh Hart for our team. Josh Hart rebounds, he scores, he passes, and I responded to them and said I couldn’t pass,’” Mann joked. “I surprised myself, and now I’m over here. You’ve got unbelievable shooters around me. You’ve got Chris, you’ve got (forward) Carson (Schwieger), you’ve got (forward Yoav) Berman.”
“It’s really all just slowed down for me. I’m seeing the lanes open up. I’m seeing my shots open up. I’m playing through my jump shot and playing off two feet. It’s really just the work and watching film, (along with) my coaches and teammates and all the faith they have in me.”
Ashby’s 34 led Queens and all scorers. Ashby hit 11-of-21
tries (11-of-20 from three) on the day. Three Royals joined him in doubles,
including Schwieger’s 17 on 6-for-12 shooting (5-for-11 from distance), 12 for
Jordan Watford to go with his eight helpers, and 11 for Berman. Queens
connected on 33-of-67 (49.3 percent) from the field and 24-of-54 (44.4 percent)
from beyond the arc. The Royals sank 8-of-13 (61.5 percent) from the line.
Star Bellarmine forward Jack Karasinski exceeded his 21
points per game average, booking 24 on 7-for-12 shooting and a perfect 5-of-5
from distance. Brian Waddell added 15 on 7-of-11 shooting, with Kenyon Goodin
scoring 11 and Tyler Doyle contributing 10. The Knights hit 25-of-48 tries
(52.1 percent) and knocked down 45 percent (9-of-20) from distance. Bellarmine
went to the line 25 times, hitting 17 (68 percent).
Bellarmine returns to Louisville for a pair of home games,
beginning with a Thursday tilt against 2-0 Central Arkansas. The Knights and
Bears are set for a 7:00 (Eastern) tip from Knights Hall, with streaming
coverage over ESPN+. Queens ventures to the Sunshine State for the first of a
pair against Jacksonville Thursday night. Game time from Swisher Gym is set for
7:00, with ESPN+ handling the stream.
QUEENS 98, BELLARMINE 76
BELLARMINE (5-9, 0-2 ASUN)
Waddell 7-11 0-0 15, Donald 1-4 0-0 2, Karasinski 7-12 5-9
24, Goodin 3-5 3-4 11, Bolden 0-2 0-0 0, Doyle 3-5 3-4 10, Watkins 0-0 3-4 3,
Wilson 2-4 1-2 5, Hunter 0-2 0-0 0, Whitaker 1-2 0-0 2, Neal 1-1 0-0 2, Clark
0-0 2-2 2, Wassler 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-48 17-25 76.
QUEENS (7-8, 2-0)
Parker 3-3 2-3 9, Schwieger 6-12 0-1 17, Mann 3-8 1-3 8,
Ashby 11-21 1-2 34, Berman 4-10 0-0 11, Watford 3-5 4-4 12, Larson 1-1 0-0 2,
Jabriel 1-3 0-0 3, Clark 1-3 0-0 2, Henry 0-1 0-0 0, Celestin 0-0 0-0 0, Crider
0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-67 8-13 98.
Halftime: Queens 50-40. 3-Point
goals: Queens 24-54 (Parker 1-1, Schwieger 5-11, Mann 1-5, Ashby
11-20, Berman 3-8, Watford 2-4, Jabriel 1-3, Clark 0-2, Henry 0-1), Bellarmine
9-20 (Waddell 1-3, Donald 0-2, Karasinski 5-5, Goodin 2-3, Bolden 0-1, Doyle
1-2, Wilson 0-1, Hunter 0-2, Whitaker 0-1). Fouled out: NA. Rebounds: Queens 40 (Mann 10), Bellarmine
27 (Goodin 6). Total fouls: Queens 23, Bellarmine 17.
Technicals: NA.
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