Preview: Queens (NC) Royals at Western Carolina Catamounts CULLOWHEE, N.C. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum will meet Sunday when the Queens (NC) Royals visit the Western Carolina Catamounts in a nonconference women’s basketball game at the Ramsey Center. The Royals (3-4) enter after a 59-69 loss at UNC Wilmington on Nov. 30, a game in which forward Hannah Hicks posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds alongside five blocked shots. Hicks, a key player to watch, has been inconsistent but impactful, averaging 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Queens’ other victories this season came against South Carolina State, Mars Hill and Gardner-Webb. Western Carolina (2-8) looks to snap a seven-game skid, most recently a 44-55 home loss to South Carolina Upstate on Wednesday. Guard Betsey Burnett has been a bright spot, leading the team with 17 points in that contest. Over her last five games, Burnett is averaging 10.8 points. The Catamounts’ only wins are blowouts over non-Division I foes Tusculum and Virginia-Lynchburg, struggling against a schedule that included heavyweights like Oklahoma, Clemson and South Carolina. Both squads have faced defensive challenges. Queens allows an average of 74.4 points in its losses, while Western Carolina has been held under 65 points in all eight defeats. The matchup may hinge on which team can establish offensive rhythm and limit turnovers. This is the first meeting between the programs. For Queens, it begins a two-game road swing before returning home. Western Carolina plays its final home nonconference game before a tough road test at Gardner-Webb next weekend. Tip-off is scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025.