Seed Queens (N.C.) Faces Top-Seeded Purdue in NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional

ST. LOUIS (Interstat) — A classic March matchup of David versus Goliath is set for Friday at Enterprise Center as the seed Queens (N.C.) Royals take on the top-seeded and third-ranked Purdue Boilermakers in the first round of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

The Royals (21-13), who earned an automatic bid by winning the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament, are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance since transitioning to Division I. They face a monumental task against a Purdue squad (27-8) that won the Big Ten regular-season title and is a popular pick to reach the Final Four.

Purdue, led by All-American candidate and floor general Braden Smith, enters as a heavy favorite. Smith has been a model of consistency, averaging a double-double over his last five games, including a 14-point, 11-assist performance in a win at Michigan on March 15. The Boilermakers’ offense, which averages over 83 points per game, runs through his playmaking and decision-making.

Queens will counter with the hot hand of guard Chris Ashby, who is coming off a career-high 34-point effort in the ASUN championship victory over Central Arkansas on March 8. Ashby has scored in double figures in five of his last seven games, providing the offensive spark for a Royals team that averages 84.5 points.

The Royals have won five of their last six games, but their schedule pales in comparison to Purdue’s gauntlet of high-major opponents. Purdue’s eight losses all came against power-conference teams, while Queens played a nonconference schedule typical of a mid-major program.

The key matchup will be in the paint, where Purdue’s formidable front line, featuring Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff, will test a Queens team that lacks comparable size. The Boilermakers are installed as 23.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 163.5 points.

Purdue, seeking to advance past the tournament’s first weekend after recent early exits, will aim to impose its will early. Queens, playing with house money, will rely on its up-tempo style and Ashby’s scoring punch in hopes of creating the kind of magic that defines March.

Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 7:10 p.m. EDT, with the winner advancing to face either seed Florida or seed Colorado State on Sunday.