The answer to that last question is the No. 15 seed Queens University of Charlotte Royals, an Atlantic Sun Conference program that made the men\u2019s NCAA tournament for the first time in just its fourth season at the Division I level. If you don\u2019t know much about Queens, you\u2019re not alone. Purdue senior forward Oscar Cluff was confused as well.<\/p>\n On Sunday night after Purdue learned of its first-round opponent in March Madness, Cluff was asked what he knows about Queens.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s in New York somewhere,\u201d Cluff said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you know about Queens?\u201d \u2026 \u201cIt\u2019s in New York somewhere.\u201d \u2026 \u201cIt\u2019s in Charlotte. That\u2019s North Carolina.\u201d<\/p>\n I had this hilarious exchange with #Purdue<\/a>\u2019s Oscar Cluff talking about their first round opponent Queens. <\/p>\n No matter where the Royals are from, the Boilers will be\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/uMnVIgLQEi<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Angela Moryan (@AngelaMoryanTV) March 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Sorry, Mr. Cluff, it is not that Queens. <\/p>\n Where is Queens University of Charlotte located?<\/p>\n The answer is right in the name. Queens is located in Charlotte, about three miles south of Bank of America Stadium where the NFL\u2019s Carolina Panthers call home. <\/p>\n The Royals play their home games on campus at Curry Arena, a stadium with about 2,500 seats for spectators. <\/p>\n So, no, the Queens University Royals are not located in Queens, the New York City borough. That would be the Queens College Knights, who compete in the East Coast Conference at the Division II level. <\/p>\n Full history of Queens Royals men\u2019s basketball <\/p>\n Queens joined the Division I ranks in 2022, but the Royals weren\u2019t eligible to make the NCAA tournament until this year due to the NCAA\u2019s three-year postseason moratorium. They punched their ticket by defeating Central Arkansas in the Atlantic Sun Conference championship game on March 8, scoring 52 points in the second half to force overtime and win, 98\u201393. <\/p>\n Queens is just the fourth school in NCAA history to make the big dance in its first year of postseason eligibility, joining North Dakota State, UC San Diego and Northern Kentucky. <\/p>\n Grant Leonard has been the head coach at Queens since 2022. He was first hired as an assistant by Queens in 2013 and worked his way up to associate head coach, and later, head coach. Under Leonard\u2019s leadership, the Royals have gone 73\u201362 with winning seasons in three of their four D1 campaigns.<\/p>\n SEASON<\/p>\n RECORD<\/p>\n NOTES<\/p>\n 2022\u201323<\/p>\n 18\u201315<\/p>\n First year as Division I program<\/p>\n 2023\u201324<\/p>\n 14\u201319<\/p>\n Advanced to A-Sun quarterfinals<\/p>\n 2024\u201325<\/p>\n 20\u201315<\/p>\n Advanced to A-Sun semifinals; played in CBI<\/p>\n 2025\u201326<\/p>\n 21\u201313<\/p>\n A-Sun champion; No. 15 seed in NCAA tournament<\/p>\n Before they jumped to the Division I level, Queens was a successful Division II program, advancing to the Final Four in 2003 and \u201818.<\/p>\n Introducing \u2018Buddy the Dog,\u2019 Queens\u2019s unofficial mascot<\/p>\n If you needed another reason to root for Queens to become a Cinderella in this year\u2019s March Madness, Queens carries around a statue of a dog named Buddy to every game.<\/p>\n Buddy the Dog is handed out after each game to a deserving player of coach Grant Leonard\u2019s choice. Buddy, a German Shepherd statue, wears a \u201cB\u201d chain around his collar. He\u2019s actually the team\u2019s second edition of a traveling dog trophy after the first was, well, injured after a big win over Florida Gulf Coast in January. <\/p>\n Out with the old aura and in with the new \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n Buddy the Street Dog is aura \ud83d\ude0e#RoyalsRise<\/a> | #QUeenCity<\/a> | #CMA<\/a> | #WinToday<\/a> | #PTB<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/GUsCxCyBPi<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Queens (N.C.) Men\u2019s Basketball (@queensMBB) March 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Buddy will likely be watching from the bench as the Royals take on No. 2 Purdue on Friday night.<\/p>\n More March Madness from Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n Listen to SI\u2019s college sports podcast,\u00a0Others Receiving Votes, below or on\u00a0Apple<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Spotify<\/a>. Watch the show on\u00a0SI\u2019s YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\"){kind=icon}
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