Following Charlotte’s home game against La Salle, the lady 49ers will travel on the road for two games against conference foes George Washington and Fordham.
These games will be crucial for the 49ers (7-8), as they boast an unimpressive 1-5 record away from the friendly confines of Halton Arena. They are 5-1 in defense of their home court.
The 49ers begin their two-game road stint with a 2:00 p.m. bout with George Washington on Saturday afternoon. This game presents a huge opportunity to pick up a win for Charlotte. As of Jan. 12, the Colonials have just a 3-10 record and are just 2-4 at home, they have also lost 10 of their last 11 games overall.
The Niners have also picked up their road play in recent games. Charlotte’s last two road-losses have come by a combined four points. The 49ers lost 56-54 at Virginia Tech back in December and recently lost their A-10 opener at Duquesne in double-overtime, 70-68.
This game will feature two teams that are looking to get back on track and make a move up the conference standings as both teams are coming off opening conference losses. As mentioned earlier, the Niners lost their opener at Duquesne, 70-68 in double-overtime while George Washington lost it’s first ever game to Dayton, 59-55.
Shannon McCallum leads a balanced Charlotte attack in scoring, averaging 11.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Aysha Jones isn’t far behind at 10.1 points and 4.4 rebounds and Ashley Spriggs rounds out the top three at 9.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.
In all, the Niners have five different players averaging more than eight points per game and are outrebounding their opponents 43.1 to 39.7.
George Washington comes in with a similar offensive attack. The Colonials are led by Tiana Myers, who averages 11.5 points and is shooting 40 percent from the field. The Colonials, much like Charlotte have six players that average more than seven points per game but are averaging only 36.0 rebounds per game.
This game should definitely be a tight one. The Colonials’ last six games have been decided by 10 points or less and they are holding opponents to just 68.4 points per game. If Charlotte can get a big game from Jones and McCallum, they should be able to pick up a much-needed road win.
Following Saturday’s game with George Washington, the 49ers will stay on the road to take on Fordham at 12:00 p.m., Wednesday afternoon. This game, much like the George Washington game, should present another opportunity for the Niners to pick up another road win.
The 6-10 Rams are very similar to the 49ers. They average 60.7 points per game compared to Charlotte’s 60.8 and hold their opponents to 62.1 points per game compared to Charlotte’s 60.8.
Unlike George Washington, Fordham is more of a one-woman show. Randall Hurst leads the Rams in scoring with 15.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. Following Hurst are Katie Vican (11.1 points) and Becky Peters (10.9 points). A key to this game might be the Niners’ ability to take advantage of the Rams on the glass. Charlotte averages 43.1 rebounds per game compared to Fordham’s 35.3.
Fordham will certainly be a stiffer test for Charlotte than George Washington, but if the 49ers can win the rebounding battle, they should be able to pick up their third road win of the year.
On another high note for the 49ers, freshman Jaquaria Forney was named A-10 Rookie of the Week for her efforts against Duquesne last week. The 5-foot-9 product out of Butler High averaged 8.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. She also shot 44 percent from the field. Forney also recorded her first career double-double, (14 points, 14 rebounds) in Charlotte’s A-10 opener against Duquesne—a 70-68 double-overtime loss.
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