Queens guard Chris Ashby has the greenest light in college basketball. If the defense gives him even a few inches space, he is going to shoot.
That was very apparent during a 16-point win over Central Arkansas on Wednesday night.
Queens University of Charlotte competes in the Atlantic Sun. The Royals are currently in a three-way tie for second place in the conference standings with seven college basketball games remaining in the regular season. They could play their way into the NCAA Tournament depending on how the chips fall with Lipscomb, North Alabama, Jacksonville and Florida Gulf Coast. Their March Madness hopes also rely on Ashby.
Although Leo Colimerio leads the team in scoring, the Queens offense runs through the backcourt.
If the 6-foot-2 senior catches fire, there is no way to put out the flames. He makes 35% of his shots and the vast majority of his shots are from beyond the arc.
Ashby takes an average of 10.8 shots per game. 9.6 of them are threes.
Thursday was more than double that amount. Ashby took 27 shots against the Bears and 26 (!!) of them were from downtown. He made a career-high and school-record nine triples.
Chris Ashby…. that's the tweet
— Queens (N.C.) Men’s Basketball (@queensMBB) February 6, 2025
The sharpshooter connects on a Division 1 program record NINE threes for a career-high 27 points and the Royals roll past Central Arkansas for the third straight win 🔥#RoyalsRise | #QUeenCity | #LTM | #OSIOS pic.twitter.com/nF0Y0BWVXW
His shot selection was all over the place. Ashby took multiple shots from the logo.
"They got a three-point specialist" who just buried his SEVENTH three-pointer of the night 😲
— Queens (N.C.) Men’s Basketball (@queensMBB) February 6, 2025
📺https://t.co/qIdKnUODuh (ESPN+)
📷https://t.co/omac2T7GMc #RoyalsRise | #QUeenCity | #LTM | #OSIOS pic.twitter.com/3u3tOZJS4Z
Some were deeper than others.
NBA range for @1Cashby 👌#RoyalsRise | #QUeenCity | #LTM | #OSIOS pic.twitter.com/cUklGL5cBx
— Queens (N.C.) Men’s Basketball (@queensMBB) February 6, 2025
His ninth of nine three-pointers was a quick release from a good 25/26 feet.
NINE THREES FOR @1Cashby AND HE'S MADE THE MOST THREES BY A ROYAL IN DIVISION 1 🔥🔥🔥
— Queens (N.C.) Men’s Basketball (@queensMBB) February 6, 2025
📺https://t.co/qIdKnUODuh (ESPN+)
📷https://t.co/omac2T7GMc #RoyalsRise | #QUeenCity | #LTM | #OSIOS pic.twitter.com/GS8TDoJJqe
Chris Ashby is a streaky shooter. There are games where he goes 0-for-everything and there are games where he hits nine of 26 three-point shots. There are also plenty of games that fall somewhere in between.
If Ashby can get hot at the right time and keep that heat throughout the ASUN Tournament, Queens could play its way into its first-ever March Madness bid. The Royals will continue to live and die by the greenest light in college basketball.