Game Day Essentials: Game #13 vs Queens

Queens Info

Head Coach: Grant Leonard
Location: Charlotte, NC
Conference: ASUN

Full Name: Queens University of Charlotte
Nickname: Royals

Mascot: Rex the Royal

Shirt not to wear: Alex Gordon Jersey

Last time out: Beat East Tennessee St.
Line: Nebraska by 11 (don't think there is an actual line)
Typical Rotation Depth: 8+

KenPom rank: 188

A couple of Famous Alumni: No

Other:  

• This is Queen's first year in D-1. Prior to this they were a D-II power, making the postseason the last 7 years.
• Queens is ineligible for post-season play until 2026-27 as part of their transition to D-1
• The Royals are small at most positions, clocking in at 341th in KenPom's average height stat. Nebraska is 57th.

This game is the 3rd in a tournament called the "Battle in the Vault". At 1, it's Concordia vs Oklahoma Wesleyan. At 4pm it's, 11-0 Mississippi St vs 8-3 Drake.  Nebraska vs Queens will start 30 minutes after the 4pm game, estimated time 6:30.

This isn't part of your season ticket package. You need to acquire tickets through Ticketmaster. https://www.ticketmaster.com/battle-in-the-vault-lincoln-nebraska-12-20-2022/event/06005D0B2A167DCD

KenPom Analysis:  Queens doesn't run the type of scheme that is likely to take advantage of Nebraska turning over the ball. This Royal team actively hunts offensive rebounds which will open Nebraska to transition points if they want them. Their FTA/FGA is fueled by Kenny Dye.

Player to watch: Kenny Dye

Highly experienced senior PG might be the best player on the court tonight. 3 level scorer, leads the team in scoring and assists.  Dye will also shadow the ball handler up the court on every possession like Bandomeul.

Player to watch: F Gavin Rains / BJ McLaurin

The Royals have a couple of undersized centers with very different games. Rains doesn't shoot 3s but can pass out of the post and is a rebounding machine, currently averging over 10 per 23 minutes of play. McLaurin has a nice outside stroke with his 46.2% 3pt shooting averaging allowing Queens to play 5 out.

KenPom most used lineup

Others to watch

• McKee is a beefy guard and the Queens second leading scorer
• Matthews has made over 50% of his 3s vs D-1 opponents
• Turner is an undersized rebounding glue guy
• 6'2" guard Chris Ashby is a 3pt specialist off the bench
• 6'5" guard Quan McCluney is a defender off the bench

Probable starters for Nebraska
5    Sam Griesel    G    6-7
25  Emmanuel Bandoumel    G    6-4

0   C.J. Wilcher    G    6-5

4   Juwan Gary  F  6-6

13  Derrick Walker    F    6-9

Bench

15   Blaise Keita C   6-11

30  Keisei Tominaga    G    6-2

32  Wilhelm Breidenbach    F    6-10

10  Jamarques Lawrence - G  6-3

12  Denim Dawson - F  6-6

33  Oleg Kojenets    F    7-0
12   Sam Hoiberg    G    6-0

31  Cale Jacobsen  G  6-4

35  Henry Burt  F  6-6

24  Jeffrey Grace III  G  6-3

Injured

3   Quaran McPherson   G   6-3 - Out for the Year

The Skinny: 

Nebraska had their first letdown game of the season in KC as the Wildcats ate them alive in the first half.  Silver lining to a game like that is the Huskers likely won't overlook Queens tonight.

Queens is an interesting teams as it's a bunch of high level tweener type of players who perform at a high level; they return almost the entire squad of a team that went 30-4 last year.  It all starts and ends with PG Kenny Dye who will hound the ball up the court on every possession.  The Royals will push pace but also are patient enough to work the ball around in the half court. Their entire team will hunt for offensive rebounds so we'll see how much pace this slow Nebraska team will want to push tonight; it's awful tempting to try and get easy buckets for an offense that has struggled to score most of the year.

Can't stress enough that this is a game that Nebraska can lose and that Queens, winners of 3 away games this season, won't be intimidated at all by this half filled area. Fortunately it's a team that isn't naturally suited to exploit Nebraska's weaknesses and with any luck we won't spend the next week cursing this game.

Prediction: Nebraska 78 - Queens 70