The Charlotte 49ers return home for a two-game homestand this week, beginning with Winston-Salem State Tuesday at 8 p.m. and Saturday against Gardner Webb at 3:30 p.m.
Charlotte is coming off an impressive 22-point victory over No. 18 Louisville Saturday night, handing Rick Pitino his worst home loss as coach of the Cardinals.
The 6-1 49ers are off to their best start since the 2000-01 season, a year in which they made the NCAA Tournament. The last time Charlotte started the season 7-1 was in the 1994-95 season when they went on to an eventual 19-9 record behind the strong play of 49ers star Jarvis Lang (16.4 ppg; 8.9 rpg). In 1991-92, the 49ers started off 11-1. After an opening season loss, the 'Niners ripped off 11 straight wins.
The 49ers have never played Winston-Salem State while the 49ers own a 1-0 record all-time against Gardner Webb. Charlotte won the only meeting between the teams in 2007 with an 83-51 victory over the Bulldogs.
Junior An'Juan Wilderness was expected to make his return from a strained calf in Saturday's game at Louisville but did not return. He is listed as questionable for tomorrow's game against WSSU.
The 49ers' 22-point win over Louisville was the largest margin of victory for head coach Bobby Lutz over a Top 25 opponent. It also marked the third consecutive year that Charlotte has beaten a Top 25 team. The first time a team under Lutz has achieved that mark.
After his 21-point, 14-rebound effort against Louisville, standout freshman Chris Braswell was named A-10 Rookie of the Week. Braswell leads Charlotte in rebounds per game (9.1) and has three double-doubles through just seven games. the last freshman to lead Charlotte in rebounding was Jarvis Lang in 1990-91 (10.6). Former Charlotte freshman standouts Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell, Kevin King, Rodney White and Curtis Withers all had three double-doubles as freshman.
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