The NCAA Tournament bracket is set, and it’s time to dive into the storylines that make March Madness so compelling. One such tale involves the Queens Royals, who might not be from where you’d expect.
Despite their regal-sounding name, the Royals hail from Charlotte, North Carolina, not New York City. This mix-up even caught Purdue's senior center, Oscar Cluff, off guard.
In a light-hearted moment that quickly went viral, Cluff admitted he thought Queens was in New York. Angela Moryan of WISH-TV corrected him during an interview, sparking laughter and a bit of embarrassment for the Australian player. But hey, at least he got the coast right!
So, who are these Queens Royals? They’re a small school making a big splash.
With just 1,599 students enrolled as of fall 2024, they’re dwarfed by Purdue’s massive 58,658-strong student body. The Royals are newcomers to Division I, having joined the Atlantic Sun Conference in the 2022-23 season.
This year, they clinched their first-ever March Madness berth by winning their conference tournament, finishing the season 21-13.
On the other side, Purdue is a perennial powerhouse, often in the mix for a national title. The Boilermakers boast three Final Four appearances, the latest in 2024, and just secured another Big Ten Tournament title with an 80-72 win over Michigan. Cluff was a standout in that game, dropping 21 points on efficient shooting.
However, Purdue fans know all too well the sting of an upset. They were on the wrong side of history in 2023, becoming the second No. 1 seed to fall to a No. 16 seed, losing to Fairleigh Dickinson.
As the No. 2 seed Boilermakers prepare to face the No. 15 seed Royals, Cluff’s geographical gaffe might just add another layer of intrigue. Should Queens pull off the upset, this mix-up could become the meme of the tournament. But regardless of the outcome, it’s moments like these that remind us why we love the madness of March.