5 things to know about Queens Royals basketball
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Photo: Courtesy of Queens Royals
The Queens Royals are heading to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history as a Division I school.
Why it matters: The small school based in Myers Park hopes to become the Cinderella team of this year's tournament.
Catch up quick: The No. 3-seeded Royals won the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament by taking down the tourney's No. 1 seed Central Arkansas 98-93.
What's next: The Royals, No. 15 in the West Region, will face No. 2 Purdue on Friday, March 20, at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo. The game is at 7:35pm ET and will air on TruTV.
Here are five things to know about the Royals.
This is the first year they're eligible for the Big Dance
The Royals (21-13) moved up from Division II to Division I in 2022. This is the first year the program is eligible for full NCAA post-season play amid the transition.
Players to watch
Guard Chris Ashby hit 10 three-pointers during the ASUN tournament final. He leads the team with 109 threes this season.
Guard Nasir Mann leads the Royals in scoring with 457 points. He's averaging 13.4 points per game. Mann is the younger brother of Hornets guard Tre Mann.
Both Ashby and Mann have started all 34 games this season.
Look for the signature sweater
Royals head coach Grant Leonard has become known for the unique sweaters he sports on the sidelines at games. For the tournament, expect something "joyous and green," he told reporters Monday. "St. Patrick's Day here we come," Leonard says.
Flashback: Several years ago, someone accused him of not having enough holiday spirit because basketball season, which spans the holidays, takes up much of his attention.
- "To compensate, I started wearing joyous holiday sweaters to bring out the festive mood," Leonard says. The tradition stuck.
Meet Buddy the street dog
Rex, a lion, is the Royals' mascot. But Buddy, a dog statue, represents the fight in the team. It started over the summer when the team described themselves as dogs. One of their assistant coaches asked the players if they were tough dogs or pampered dogs. Leonard wanted them to identify with being hungry for success and fighting for everything, so he ordered a dog statue that they named Buddy.
- "We adopted Buddy the street dog," Leonard says. "He travels with us."
The very first team
In 1989-1990, the Royals played their first season with a hot 5-0 start. Nearly 40 years later, they have a chance to make a splash on college basketball's biggest stage.