Karen Aston’s team was having flashbacks Wednesday night. The 49ers were one of the top teams in the A-10 this season, but struggled at times with closing teams out.
Wednesday, they reversed the trend.
Despite squandering a 15-point halftime lead, the 49ers are moving on to the next round of the Women’s NIT after a 62-56 win over the Liberty Flames at Halton Arena.
“There have been times this year where its been a struggle—where we’ve lost leads,” Aston said. “We haven’t handled it well at times this year so I saw some growth in our team. You’re encouraged to see them still working on things.”
Charlotte jumped out to an early lead and led by as many as 18, 31-13 in the first half behind a trapping defensive scheme and high defensive pressure on Liberty’s guards. That pressure resulted in 13 first half turnovers for the Flames and 18 points off turnovers for the 49ers, leading to a 37-22 lead at the break.
“One of the goals of this was for us to dictate the tempo,” guard Epiphany Woodson said. “We wanted to speed them up and they wanted to slow us down. The first half we did a good job of getting the ball and going, we had a lot of transition buckets.”
Liberty got a boost in the second half from both Avery Warley and Devon Brown, who were both held to just four and two points in the first half, respectively. Despite foul trouble, Warley—the Big South’s leader in field goal percentage—score 10 second half points and grabbed five more rebounds.
I think we went to sleep a couple times in the second half,” Aston said, “but all in all, she’s (Warley) a good player and I thought we did a good job defensively.”
Brown gave the Flames immediate offense, scoring 12 second half points as Liberty closed the gap to 58-54 with just under two minutes remaining in regulation on a Kylee Beecher layup. Charlotte knocked down some key foul shots down the stretch to hold on and will face the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Columbia.
Liberty’s turnovers turned into instant points for the 49ers, as Charlotte scored 24 points off turnovers and registered a 20-8 margin in fast break points. Liberty, one of the nation’s top rebounding teams, had 49 compared to just 39 for Charlotte.
Charlotte’s Woodson led all scorers with 22 points while Amanda Dowe scored 12 and grabbed nine rebounds for Charlotte.
“I was proud of how our team stuck it out and stayed together, we worked together and got the win,” Woodson said.
The win was the 24th for Charlotte on the year, tying the 1990-91 team for most all-time.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Charlotte to play Charlotte
The Charlotte 49ers baseball team will play an exhibition against the Charlotte Knights on April 5. The game will be in place of two games that were rained out for the 49ers earlier this week. The game will be played in Fort Mill. No time has been set to this point. More details coming soon on this story.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Charlotte-Missouri baseball
1st inning:
Top: Corey Roberts got the start on the hill for Charlotte and didn't waste much time in retiring the side. Centerfielder Blake Brown led off the game for Mizzou with a pop-up to shallow right field to Charlotte's Tony Montalbano. Jonah Schmidt and Conner Mach both flew out to center and left field, respectively, to end the inning.
Bottom: Missouri starting pitcher Jeff Scardino was equally impressive to Roberts, striking out Cory Tilton, Shane Brown and Shane Basen on just 16 pitches to end the inning.
2nd inning:
Top: After two outs to open the inning, Missouri designated hitter Dane Opel blooped a hit to right field. After tipping the next pitch foul, Scott Sommerfield was thrown out at first to end the inning.
Bottom: Justin Wilson accounted for Charlotte's first out of the inning with a grounder to short stop Eric Garcia. Charlotte short stop Corey Shaylor grounded a 1-2 pitch to Garcia for the second out of the inning and Justin Seager closed out the inning with a flyball to center field.
3rd inning:
Top: Mizzou left fielder Ryan Gebhart hooked a Robert's pitch down the right field line for a 0-out triple to open the inning. Andrew Thigpen then scored Gebhart with a SAC fly to center, making the score 1-0. Brown picked up the second out for Missouri when he went down looking on three pitches from Roberts. Schmidt made the score 2-0 Missouri just two pitches later when he laced a 1-0 Roberts pitch over the left field fence, the first homerun of the season at "The Hayes." Roberts got out of the inning when Mach grounded out to second.
Bottom: Montalbano picked up Charlotte's first hit of the game when he chopped a full-count pitch past first base. He wasn't there for long, though, as Miguel Rodriguez grounded into a 6-4-3 double play on the next pitch. Justin Roland flew out to shallow center to end the inning.
4th inning:
Top:
Garcia was Roberts' first victim in the top of the fourth when he flew out to Tilton in center field. Catcher Andreas Plackis then went down swinging on a full count and after Opel struck out on three pitches, the inning was over. Roberts accumulated five strikeouts over the first four innings.
Bottom:
Tilton grounded Scardino's first pitch right back to the mound for Charlotte's first out and after Brown grounded out to Mach, there were two outs. Basen ended the inning on when he went down after three Scardino pitches in the next at-bat.
5th inning:
Top: Sommerfield opened the fifth inning with another flyball to a waiting Tilton for the first out. Gebhart didn't have as much luck in his second at-bat, as Roberts struck him out swinging. Roberts picked up his seventh strike out of the game on the next batter when Thigpen went down swinging.
Bottom: Wilson got the bottom of the fifth started for Charlotte with a chopper to the firstbaseman Sommerfield. Scardino covered the bag and just beat Wilson to first for the first out. Shaylor was just Charlotte's second base-runner of the game the next time up as Scardino walked him on five pitches. Next at bat was Seager, who took Scardino's first offering and flew out to center for the second out. Montalbano ended the inning when his foul pop-up was caught by the Missouri catcher Plackis.
6th inning:
Top: Roberts rang up Brown to start the sixth for his 8th strikeout of the game and second consecutive of Brown. After homering in his most recent at-bat, Schmidt drew a walk from Roberts on a full-count pitch to give Mizzou their first base-runner of the inning. He was thrown out by Charlotte's Rodriguez after attempting a steal of second on the next pitch, though for the second out. Mach was then Roberts' ninth victim of the game on a called third strike to end the inning.
Bottom: Scardino opened the bottom half of the sixth with a strikeout of Rodriguez and got Roland out on a throw to first base on the next pitch. Charlotte's Tilton ended the inning just two pitches later when he flew out to shallow right field.
7th inning:
Top: Garcia accounted for the first out of the seventh when he hit a 1-2 Roberts offering to a waiting Shaylor at short. Roberts got Plackis to fly out to left center for the second out but allowed a bloop single to shallow center by Opel in the next at-bat. Sommerfield flew out to deep right center on a 2-2 pitch in the next at-bat, though to end the inning.
Bottom: Scardino shwcased his fielding skills to open the 7th when he took a Brown bunt and easily threw him out at first. Basen got only Charlotte's second hit of the game in the next at-bat when he took a 1-1 Scardino fastball and sent it to the left-field warning track for a stand-up double. Wilson then got Charlotte on the board, scoring Basen with a single through the right side. Shaylor then got on-board when he hit a dribbler through the same hole, advancing Wilson to second. Scardino got out of the jam, though, as Seager grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
8th inning:
Top: Tyler Pilkington came to Roberts' relief in the 8th after Roberts threw 7 innings of four-hit baseball. Gebhart put a chink in Pilkington's armor early as he reached first on a hit through the left side. Thigpen then advanced Gebhart to second on a bunt down the left-field line for the first out. Brock Hudgens then took to the hill for Charlotte. Hudgens allowed a double to center by Brown, but Gebhart was thrown out at home by Tilton to keep it a one-run ballgame. Schmidt then flew out to deep right field to end the inning.
Bottom: Montalbano led off the eigth with his second hit of the day, this time a bloop single to right center that just dropped in. Rodriguez followed that up with a bunt that advanced Montalbano over to second on the frst out of the inning. Montalbano then advanced to third on a chopper to second by Roland for the second out of the 8th. Scardino ended the inning with Tilton on the next at-bat, though, and Charlotte trails 2-1 heading to the 9th.
9th inning:
Top: Ryan Mas came to the hill in relief to start the 9th for Charlotte and struck out Mach in his first at-bat. Garcia was Mas' second victim as he flew out to centerfield to a waiting Tilton. Mas then got Plackis to ground out to third to end the inning.
Bottom: Phil McCormick came to Scardino's relief in the bottom half of the 9th and struck out Brown for the first out. Charlotte's Basen got aboard, though when McCormick walked him on a 8+ pitch at-bat. Basen advanced to third on an errant throw to second by Missouri's Garcia. Wilson reached first and Charlotte had runners on the corners with just 1 out. Shaylor then hit a blooper to second that was bobbled by Missouri's Mach, which allowed Basen to score, tying the game at 2. Wilson was forced out at third on a base hit by Seager and after Montalbano struck out, the game heads to the 10th.
10th inning:
Top: Mas got the first out of the inning for Charlotte after he struck out Missouri's DH, Opel. Sommerfield reached first on a hit to shallow left center with one out, though. Gebhart chopped a 2-2 pitch over Mas, but Roland was right there to tag Sommerfield out at second for the second out; his throw to first wasn't in time to get Gebhart. Mas then walked Thigpen on five pitches, though, and Mizzou had a runner in scoring position. Brown then ended the inning with a foul pop-up to first, where Seager made the easy catch.
Bottom: Rodriguez opened the inning for Charlotte with a single that got through the Missouri short stop Garcia. Roland then advanced Rodriguez to second on a chopper back to McCormick for the first out. Tilton didn't win it with another walk-off like in the first game, but advanced Rodriguez to third when he was thrown out at first. Pinch hitter Ross Steedly ended the inning when he grounded out to second on the first pitch of the at-bat.
11th inning:
Top: John Hamilton came in to relieve Mas and walked Brannon Champagne in the first at-bat of the 11th before getting Mach to fly out to deep right field. Garcia then advanced Champagne to second when he grounded to second, where Shaylor bobbled the ball, allowing Garcia to reach first. In the next at-bat, Plackis advanced Champagne to 3rd when he hit a groundball to short. Garcia was forced out at second. After Opel was thrown out at first, the 11th is over.
Bottom: Basen picked up the first out of the 11th for Charlotte when he grounded out to third. McCormick then walked Wilson on six pitches, bringing Shaylor to the plate. Shaylor flew out to right field, though scoring the second out. Seager singled through the right side, advancing Basen to third to put Charlotte in yet another position to win the game. Montalbano struck out for the second time with RISP, though and Charlotte and Missouri heads to the 12th.
Top: Corey Roberts got the start on the hill for Charlotte and didn't waste much time in retiring the side. Centerfielder Blake Brown led off the game for Mizzou with a pop-up to shallow right field to Charlotte's Tony Montalbano. Jonah Schmidt and Conner Mach both flew out to center and left field, respectively, to end the inning.
Bottom: Missouri starting pitcher Jeff Scardino was equally impressive to Roberts, striking out Cory Tilton, Shane Brown and Shane Basen on just 16 pitches to end the inning.
2nd inning:
Top: After two outs to open the inning, Missouri designated hitter Dane Opel blooped a hit to right field. After tipping the next pitch foul, Scott Sommerfield was thrown out at first to end the inning.
Bottom: Justin Wilson accounted for Charlotte's first out of the inning with a grounder to short stop Eric Garcia. Charlotte short stop Corey Shaylor grounded a 1-2 pitch to Garcia for the second out of the inning and Justin Seager closed out the inning with a flyball to center field.
3rd inning:
Top: Mizzou left fielder Ryan Gebhart hooked a Robert's pitch down the right field line for a 0-out triple to open the inning. Andrew Thigpen then scored Gebhart with a SAC fly to center, making the score 1-0. Brown picked up the second out for Missouri when he went down looking on three pitches from Roberts. Schmidt made the score 2-0 Missouri just two pitches later when he laced a 1-0 Roberts pitch over the left field fence, the first homerun of the season at "The Hayes." Roberts got out of the inning when Mach grounded out to second.
Bottom: Montalbano picked up Charlotte's first hit of the game when he chopped a full-count pitch past first base. He wasn't there for long, though, as Miguel Rodriguez grounded into a 6-4-3 double play on the next pitch. Justin Roland flew out to shallow center to end the inning.
4th inning:
Top:
Garcia was Roberts' first victim in the top of the fourth when he flew out to Tilton in center field. Catcher Andreas Plackis then went down swinging on a full count and after Opel struck out on three pitches, the inning was over. Roberts accumulated five strikeouts over the first four innings.
Bottom:
Tilton grounded Scardino's first pitch right back to the mound for Charlotte's first out and after Brown grounded out to Mach, there were two outs. Basen ended the inning on when he went down after three Scardino pitches in the next at-bat.
5th inning:
Top: Sommerfield opened the fifth inning with another flyball to a waiting Tilton for the first out. Gebhart didn't have as much luck in his second at-bat, as Roberts struck him out swinging. Roberts picked up his seventh strike out of the game on the next batter when Thigpen went down swinging.
Bottom: Wilson got the bottom of the fifth started for Charlotte with a chopper to the firstbaseman Sommerfield. Scardino covered the bag and just beat Wilson to first for the first out. Shaylor was just Charlotte's second base-runner of the game the next time up as Scardino walked him on five pitches. Next at bat was Seager, who took Scardino's first offering and flew out to center for the second out. Montalbano ended the inning when his foul pop-up was caught by the Missouri catcher Plackis.
6th inning:
Top: Roberts rang up Brown to start the sixth for his 8th strikeout of the game and second consecutive of Brown. After homering in his most recent at-bat, Schmidt drew a walk from Roberts on a full-count pitch to give Mizzou their first base-runner of the inning. He was thrown out by Charlotte's Rodriguez after attempting a steal of second on the next pitch, though for the second out. Mach was then Roberts' ninth victim of the game on a called third strike to end the inning.
Bottom: Scardino opened the bottom half of the sixth with a strikeout of Rodriguez and got Roland out on a throw to first base on the next pitch. Charlotte's Tilton ended the inning just two pitches later when he flew out to shallow right field.
7th inning:
Top: Garcia accounted for the first out of the seventh when he hit a 1-2 Roberts offering to a waiting Shaylor at short. Roberts got Plackis to fly out to left center for the second out but allowed a bloop single to shallow center by Opel in the next at-bat. Sommerfield flew out to deep right center on a 2-2 pitch in the next at-bat, though to end the inning.
Bottom: Scardino shwcased his fielding skills to open the 7th when he took a Brown bunt and easily threw him out at first. Basen got only Charlotte's second hit of the game in the next at-bat when he took a 1-1 Scardino fastball and sent it to the left-field warning track for a stand-up double. Wilson then got Charlotte on the board, scoring Basen with a single through the right side. Shaylor then got on-board when he hit a dribbler through the same hole, advancing Wilson to second. Scardino got out of the jam, though, as Seager grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
8th inning:
Top: Tyler Pilkington came to Roberts' relief in the 8th after Roberts threw 7 innings of four-hit baseball. Gebhart put a chink in Pilkington's armor early as he reached first on a hit through the left side. Thigpen then advanced Gebhart to second on a bunt down the left-field line for the first out. Brock Hudgens then took to the hill for Charlotte. Hudgens allowed a double to center by Brown, but Gebhart was thrown out at home by Tilton to keep it a one-run ballgame. Schmidt then flew out to deep right field to end the inning.
Bottom: Montalbano led off the eigth with his second hit of the day, this time a bloop single to right center that just dropped in. Rodriguez followed that up with a bunt that advanced Montalbano over to second on the frst out of the inning. Montalbano then advanced to third on a chopper to second by Roland for the second out of the 8th. Scardino ended the inning with Tilton on the next at-bat, though, and Charlotte trails 2-1 heading to the 9th.
9th inning:
Top: Ryan Mas came to the hill in relief to start the 9th for Charlotte and struck out Mach in his first at-bat. Garcia was Mas' second victim as he flew out to centerfield to a waiting Tilton. Mas then got Plackis to ground out to third to end the inning.
Bottom: Phil McCormick came to Scardino's relief in the bottom half of the 9th and struck out Brown for the first out. Charlotte's Basen got aboard, though when McCormick walked him on a 8+ pitch at-bat. Basen advanced to third on an errant throw to second by Missouri's Garcia. Wilson reached first and Charlotte had runners on the corners with just 1 out. Shaylor then hit a blooper to second that was bobbled by Missouri's Mach, which allowed Basen to score, tying the game at 2. Wilson was forced out at third on a base hit by Seager and after Montalbano struck out, the game heads to the 10th.
10th inning:
Top: Mas got the first out of the inning for Charlotte after he struck out Missouri's DH, Opel. Sommerfield reached first on a hit to shallow left center with one out, though. Gebhart chopped a 2-2 pitch over Mas, but Roland was right there to tag Sommerfield out at second for the second out; his throw to first wasn't in time to get Gebhart. Mas then walked Thigpen on five pitches, though, and Mizzou had a runner in scoring position. Brown then ended the inning with a foul pop-up to first, where Seager made the easy catch.
Bottom: Rodriguez opened the inning for Charlotte with a single that got through the Missouri short stop Garcia. Roland then advanced Rodriguez to second on a chopper back to McCormick for the first out. Tilton didn't win it with another walk-off like in the first game, but advanced Rodriguez to third when he was thrown out at first. Pinch hitter Ross Steedly ended the inning when he grounded out to second on the first pitch of the at-bat.
11th inning:
Top: John Hamilton came in to relieve Mas and walked Brannon Champagne in the first at-bat of the 11th before getting Mach to fly out to deep right field. Garcia then advanced Champagne to second when he grounded to second, where Shaylor bobbled the ball, allowing Garcia to reach first. In the next at-bat, Plackis advanced Champagne to 3rd when he hit a groundball to short. Garcia was forced out at second. After Opel was thrown out at first, the 11th is over.
Bottom: Basen picked up the first out of the 11th for Charlotte when he grounded out to third. McCormick then walked Wilson on six pitches, bringing Shaylor to the plate. Shaylor flew out to right field, though scoring the second out. Seager singled through the right side, advancing Basen to third to put Charlotte in yet another position to win the game. Montalbano struck out for the second time with RISP, though and Charlotte and Missouri heads to the 12th.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Charlotte falls to Duquesne
The last time the Charlotte 49ers saw the Duquesne Dukes, Karen Aston’s crew might have taken their most gut-wrenching loss of the season. Charlotte allowed five points over the final 14 seconds and fell 70-68 to the Dukes in double-overtime.
Wednesday night had a similar ring to it as Duquesne surged past Charlotte in the second half to steal a win that was seemingly in the grasp of Aston’s 49ers. Charlotte took a 50-40 edge after a bucket at the 14:52 mark of the second half and seemed to be well on their way to an easy win.
That’s the last time the 49ers would score over the next seven minutes, though, as Duquesne used a 24-5 run to hand the 49ers another heartbreaking loss, 76-63. Known as a strong road team, Duquesne entered the night with an NCAA-leading 12 road wins.
"Not a very good mood at all," Aston said. "I'm really disappointed in the way we played the last 10 minutes. We made horrible decisions offensively. I thought it was way too much one-on-one and people trying to do stuff by themselves."
After scoring 13 points over the first five minutes of the second half, the 49ers scored only 13 more points over the final 14:52, leading to their seventh loss of the season.
Epiphany Woodson, Jennifer Hailey and Shannon McCallum all had 13 points to lead Charlotte as the Dukes inched a game closer to the 49ers in the A-10 standings. Charlotte travels to Olean, NY on Saturday afternoon for a match-up with St. Bonaventure.
After amassing 11 turnovers in the first half, things didn’t get much better for the 49ers, who had 10 more empty possessions in the second stanza. Duquesne also outscored Charlotte 20-12 in the paint in the second half as they shot 9-of-30 from the field. The 49ers hit just one 3-pointer in the game.
"Quite honestly, our team folded tonight," Aston said. "They didn't show a lot of character over the last 10 minutes. Again, sometimes you just have to say it like it is. I'm incredibly disappointed."
Orsi Szecsi led the Dukes with 23 points and nine rebounds.
Wednesday night had a similar ring to it as Duquesne surged past Charlotte in the second half to steal a win that was seemingly in the grasp of Aston’s 49ers. Charlotte took a 50-40 edge after a bucket at the 14:52 mark of the second half and seemed to be well on their way to an easy win.
That’s the last time the 49ers would score over the next seven minutes, though, as Duquesne used a 24-5 run to hand the 49ers another heartbreaking loss, 76-63. Known as a strong road team, Duquesne entered the night with an NCAA-leading 12 road wins.
"Not a very good mood at all," Aston said. "I'm really disappointed in the way we played the last 10 minutes. We made horrible decisions offensively. I thought it was way too much one-on-one and people trying to do stuff by themselves."
After scoring 13 points over the first five minutes of the second half, the 49ers scored only 13 more points over the final 14:52, leading to their seventh loss of the season.
Epiphany Woodson, Jennifer Hailey and Shannon McCallum all had 13 points to lead Charlotte as the Dukes inched a game closer to the 49ers in the A-10 standings. Charlotte travels to Olean, NY on Saturday afternoon for a match-up with St. Bonaventure.
After amassing 11 turnovers in the first half, things didn’t get much better for the 49ers, who had 10 more empty possessions in the second stanza. Duquesne also outscored Charlotte 20-12 in the paint in the second half as they shot 9-of-30 from the field. The 49ers hit just one 3-pointer in the game.
"Quite honestly, our team folded tonight," Aston said. "They didn't show a lot of character over the last 10 minutes. Again, sometimes you just have to say it like it is. I'm incredibly disappointed."
Orsi Szecsi led the Dukes with 23 points and nine rebounds.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Tyler wins ROW, again
Gabby Tyler is quickly becoming a big name in the A-10 and is tearing up the rookie rankings after being named A-10 Rookie of the Week for the third time in a row on Monday. The fourth such award for her this season.
Tyler helped the Niners to a pair of home blowout wins over George Washington and Dayton this week and has the them talking NCAA Tournament. The Emporia, VA native recorded nine points and eight boards against George Washington on Wednesday and then matched that performance with nine and eight on Saturday in a huge win over Dayton.
Tyler shot 44 percent from the field and 83 percent from the charity stripe last week. Charlotte puts their nine-game road winning streak on the line when they face La Salle on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
Tyler helped the Niners to a pair of home blowout wins over George Washington and Dayton this week and has the them talking NCAA Tournament. The Emporia, VA native recorded nine points and eight boards against George Washington on Wednesday and then matched that performance with nine and eight on Saturday in a huge win over Dayton.
Tyler shot 44 percent from the field and 83 percent from the charity stripe last week. Charlotte puts their nine-game road winning streak on the line when they face La Salle on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
49ers coast to fourth straight win
Wednesday night didn't exactly start out the way Charlotte 49er head coach Karen Aston drew it up. Charlotte (18-5; 6-2) faced a trending George Washington team (7-15; 2-6) that--before winning two straight--had lost seven consecutive games.
But in the first half, Aston's 49ers looked like the team that averaged just over 56 points per game and had only one win in their last nine road games.
"I think you get in lulls sometimes in conference play and you have to try and have some maturity and work through them," Aston said of the team's slow start. "I kind of sniffed this out a little bit the last couple days of practice, I thought they had been pretty lethargic."
Charlotte shot just 29 percent from the field (0-7 3 FG) and turned the ball over nine times en route to a 27-21 lead for the Colonials at the break. George Washington wasn't much better (39 percent FG) but turned Charlott's turnovers into some easy transition buckets.
The deficit would have been larger for the 49ers if their rebounding edge (21-18) hadn't given them numerous second chance points.
Whatever Aston said to her players in the locker room seemed to hit home. Charlotte opened the second half on a 22-5 run over the first eight minutes and took a commanding 43-32 lead into the final 12 minutes.
"The reality of, 'If you don't win this game, you don't have a shot (at the NCAAs)'," Aston said of her teams urgency in the second half. "We're still trying to get there--that's our goal. It wasn't a lot of X's and O's, we just weren't playing very hard."
Helping Charlotte to their large second half run was a limited number of turnovers--just two over the first 10 minutes--and a growing rebounding margin. Charlotte outscored GWU 50-28 in the second half to win their fourth consecutive game and seventh in the last eight, 71-55.
Sophomore forward Jennifer Hailey picked up her second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 14 boards while reigning A-10 Rookie of the Week Gabby Tyler added nine points and eight rebounds for the 49ers (19-5; 7-2).
"I thought Jenn Hailey was terrific," Aston said. "You can look at her numbers, and they're not spectacular, but just her presence. She's just become a little bit of a leader."
Charlotte won the rebounding battle 47-34 and committed only five second half turnovers.
The 49ers will try to make it 20 wins on the season Saturday night in Halton Arena for a match-up with the Dayton Flyers.
But in the first half, Aston's 49ers looked like the team that averaged just over 56 points per game and had only one win in their last nine road games.
"I think you get in lulls sometimes in conference play and you have to try and have some maturity and work through them," Aston said of the team's slow start. "I kind of sniffed this out a little bit the last couple days of practice, I thought they had been pretty lethargic."
Charlotte shot just 29 percent from the field (0-7 3 FG) and turned the ball over nine times en route to a 27-21 lead for the Colonials at the break. George Washington wasn't much better (39 percent FG) but turned Charlott's turnovers into some easy transition buckets.
The deficit would have been larger for the 49ers if their rebounding edge (21-18) hadn't given them numerous second chance points.
Whatever Aston said to her players in the locker room seemed to hit home. Charlotte opened the second half on a 22-5 run over the first eight minutes and took a commanding 43-32 lead into the final 12 minutes.
"The reality of, 'If you don't win this game, you don't have a shot (at the NCAAs)'," Aston said of her teams urgency in the second half. "We're still trying to get there--that's our goal. It wasn't a lot of X's and O's, we just weren't playing very hard."
Helping Charlotte to their large second half run was a limited number of turnovers--just two over the first 10 minutes--and a growing rebounding margin. Charlotte outscored GWU 50-28 in the second half to win their fourth consecutive game and seventh in the last eight, 71-55.
Sophomore forward Jennifer Hailey picked up her second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 14 boards while reigning A-10 Rookie of the Week Gabby Tyler added nine points and eight rebounds for the 49ers (19-5; 7-2).
"I thought Jenn Hailey was terrific," Aston said. "You can look at her numbers, and they're not spectacular, but just her presence. She's just become a little bit of a leader."
Charlotte won the rebounding battle 47-34 and committed only five second half turnovers.
The 49ers will try to make it 20 wins on the season Saturday night in Halton Arena for a match-up with the Dayton Flyers.
Forum Notes
Scheduling:
Charlotte has scheduled their first FBS opponent--the Virginia Tech Hokies--for the first game of the 2019 season in Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA.
Earlier in the day, the 49ers announced three more home games for the 2013 season against UNC Pembroke, North Greenville and Chowan. Charlotte added a two-year contract with the Furman Paladins on Tuesday with the first game of the series coming in Greenville on Nov. 15, 2014. Charlotte has just one game left to schedule for 2013.
Other notes:
-Athletics Director Judy Rose said she has had contact with three FCS conferences recently; the Colonial Athletic Association, Big South and Southern Conference. When Charlotte does join a conference, Rose said she hopes to keep all other sports in the Atlantic 10. New football programs must play FCS football for at least two years, and Chancellor Phil Dubois said the 49ers will likely wait much longer than that to move to FBS.
"I don't want to sacrifice our freshman to a bunch of meat-eaters," Dubois said.
-Rose hopes to have a coach in place by April 1, just 27 days before the official groundbreaking on the stadium at 3:30 that day with a tailgate party to follow. The 49ers will play all games in the afternoon--at least at first--because lights for the stadium aren't yet in the budget. They would cost about $800,000.
-The initial stadium will have around a 15,300 capacity with the possibility to expand to 40,000 seats in the distant future. Rose said 7,000 seats will be reserved for student seating. Dubois said the capacity would stay at 15,000 for "a while" based on what other FCS programs average for attendance--around 7,500.
-Dubois said the team wouldn't entertain the idea of playing games in Bank of America stadium but that Carolina Panthers' President Danny Morrison had visited him, letting him know that the 49ers are always welcome at B of A. Dubois also noted that the stadium might be used for high school football games and that there is a chance he might pursue having the Shrine Bowl there.
-Plans for a marching band aren't in the cards for the time being, either. Rose noted that a traditional marching band costs around $250,000 annually and that the budget won't allow it imediately.
Charlotte has scheduled their first FBS opponent--the Virginia Tech Hokies--for the first game of the 2019 season in Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA.
Earlier in the day, the 49ers announced three more home games for the 2013 season against UNC Pembroke, North Greenville and Chowan. Charlotte added a two-year contract with the Furman Paladins on Tuesday with the first game of the series coming in Greenville on Nov. 15, 2014. Charlotte has just one game left to schedule for 2013.
Other notes:
-Athletics Director Judy Rose said she has had contact with three FCS conferences recently; the Colonial Athletic Association, Big South and Southern Conference. When Charlotte does join a conference, Rose said she hopes to keep all other sports in the Atlantic 10. New football programs must play FCS football for at least two years, and Chancellor Phil Dubois said the 49ers will likely wait much longer than that to move to FBS.
"I don't want to sacrifice our freshman to a bunch of meat-eaters," Dubois said.
-Rose hopes to have a coach in place by April 1, just 27 days before the official groundbreaking on the stadium at 3:30 that day with a tailgate party to follow. The 49ers will play all games in the afternoon--at least at first--because lights for the stadium aren't yet in the budget. They would cost about $800,000.
-The initial stadium will have around a 15,300 capacity with the possibility to expand to 40,000 seats in the distant future. Rose said 7,000 seats will be reserved for student seating. Dubois said the capacity would stay at 15,000 for "a while" based on what other FCS programs average for attendance--around 7,500.
-Dubois said the team wouldn't entertain the idea of playing games in Bank of America stadium but that Carolina Panthers' President Danny Morrison had visited him, letting him know that the 49ers are always welcome at B of A. Dubois also noted that the stadium might be used for high school football games and that there is a chance he might pursue having the Shrine Bowl there.
-Plans for a marching band aren't in the cards for the time being, either. Rose noted that a traditional marching band costs around $250,000 annually and that the budget won't allow it imediately.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Charlotte to play Furman in football
The Charlotte 49ers have finalized a contract to play the Furman Paladins in football in 2014 and 2015.
The 49ers will play at Furman on Nov. 15, 2014 with the Paladins returning to Charlotte in 2015 on a date to be determined.
The 49ers will play at Furman on Nov. 15, 2014 with the Paladins returning to Charlotte in 2015 on a date to be determined.
Monday, February 7, 2011
49ers' Tyler named Rookie of the Week
Charlotte 49ers' women's basketball forward Gabby Tyler was named A-10 Rookie of the Week for the second time in as many weeks and third time this season.
Tyler gave coach Karen Aston a solid effort in an 80-53 win over UMass on Saturday, racking up nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tyler, who ranks third on the team with 17 blocked shots this season, averages just over six points and four rebounds per game.
Charlotte hosts a pair of A-10 foes this week starting with George Washington on Wednesday night. The 49ers complete the week's play on Saturday with a 7 p.m. match-up with the Dayton Flyers.
Tyler wasn't the only 49er student-athlete to win an A-10 award this week as sophomore women's tennis player Anna Ekelund was named A-10 Performer of the Week.
Ekelund has paced Charlotte to a nice start in 2011, scoring 10 singles and eight doubles wins. A native of Sweden, Ekelund picked up three consecutive straight set victories to start the season for Charlotte. It is the first such award in Ekelund's career.
Charlotte takes to the road on Thursday for a 2:30 p.m. match with Gardner-Webb.
Tyler gave coach Karen Aston a solid effort in an 80-53 win over UMass on Saturday, racking up nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tyler, who ranks third on the team with 17 blocked shots this season, averages just over six points and four rebounds per game.
Charlotte hosts a pair of A-10 foes this week starting with George Washington on Wednesday night. The 49ers complete the week's play on Saturday with a 7 p.m. match-up with the Dayton Flyers.
Tyler wasn't the only 49er student-athlete to win an A-10 award this week as sophomore women's tennis player Anna Ekelund was named A-10 Performer of the Week.
Ekelund has paced Charlotte to a nice start in 2011, scoring 10 singles and eight doubles wins. A native of Sweden, Ekelund picked up three consecutive straight set victories to start the season for Charlotte. It is the first such award in Ekelund's career.
Charlotte takes to the road on Thursday for a 2:30 p.m. match with Gardner-Webb.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Joseph considering Charlotte
Minnesota guard Devoe Joseph has announced he's leaving the Golden Gophers immediately. Schools Joseph is considering include West Virginia, Baylor, Pitt, Oregon, Niagra and Charlotte in no particular order.
Joseph was suspended twice while at Minnesota for off court issues and played in only eight games this season (11.3 ppg). He scored 14 points in a blowout loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game last season.
Pitt wouldn't likely be a good fit for Joseph, who has little eligibility left to go along with the off court issues. Pitt is also without any more scholarships.
Joseph was suspended twice while at Minnesota for off court issues and played in only eight games this season (11.3 ppg). He scored 14 points in a blowout loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game last season.
Pitt wouldn't likely be a good fit for Joseph, who has little eligibility left to go along with the off court issues. Pitt is also without any more scholarships.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Sherrill to play against Tennessee
Charlotte 49ers sophomore forward K.J. Sherrill will make his season debut tonight against Tennessee according to a source close to the situation.
Sherrill tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee during "Major Madness" back in October and has missed Charlotte's first 10 games. It's not determined in what capcity he'll play.
Tip for the game is at 8 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena
Sherrill tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee during "Major Madness" back in October and has missed Charlotte's first 10 games. It's not determined in what capcity he'll play.
Tip for the game is at 8 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Winthrop pregame notes
The Charlotte 49ers have been in a state of turmoil in the early going in the 2010-11 campaign. The task won't get much easier tonight as the Winthrop Eagles pay a visit to Halton Arena at 7:30 p.m. Here are some pregame notes and things to watch for in tonight's match-up.
Dewhurst out, again: Charlotte senior Charles Dewhurst hasn't caught any breaks in his career at Charlotte, and on Monday, he was dealt another untimely blow. Dewhurst had just been cleared to play after coming off a knee injury and was probable for tonight's game. But just hours later, he broke his left index finger in practice and has been ruled out indefinitely.
Sherrill closer: Charlotte sophomore small forward K.J. Sherrill tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee during Major Madness and was ruled out for 8-12 weeks. Sherrill is on the mend though and is back on the court working out individually. He hopes to be back by January.
Corbin returns: Winthrop will get some timely rebounding help tonight with the return of 6-7 forward Charles Corbin. Corbin hasn't played this season due to a violation of team rules as he was present at a party where a marijuana arrest was made. He averaged 6.7 ppg and 5.1 rpg last season and can create space around the basket with his muscular build.
Scorching the nets: Winthrop sophomore guard Robbie Dreher had a tough freshman season, hitting only 29 percent of his shots from the field and just 20 percent from beyond the arc. You might say he's turned things around in 2010. Dreher is averaging 17 points per game, including three 20+ point performances. He's also averaging 49 percent from the field and 52 percent from deep. Charlotte must contain Dreher if they want to get that elusive fourth win.
Dewhurst out, again: Charlotte senior Charles Dewhurst hasn't caught any breaks in his career at Charlotte, and on Monday, he was dealt another untimely blow. Dewhurst had just been cleared to play after coming off a knee injury and was probable for tonight's game. But just hours later, he broke his left index finger in practice and has been ruled out indefinitely.
Sherrill closer: Charlotte sophomore small forward K.J. Sherrill tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee during Major Madness and was ruled out for 8-12 weeks. Sherrill is on the mend though and is back on the court working out individually. He hopes to be back by January.
Corbin returns: Winthrop will get some timely rebounding help tonight with the return of 6-7 forward Charles Corbin. Corbin hasn't played this season due to a violation of team rules as he was present at a party where a marijuana arrest was made. He averaged 6.7 ppg and 5.1 rpg last season and can create space around the basket with his muscular build.
Scorching the nets: Winthrop sophomore guard Robbie Dreher had a tough freshman season, hitting only 29 percent of his shots from the field and just 20 percent from beyond the arc. You might say he's turned things around in 2010. Dreher is averaging 17 points per game, including three 20+ point performances. He's also averaging 49 percent from the field and 52 percent from deep. Charlotte must contain Dreher if they want to get that elusive fourth win.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Spears suspended
Charlotte 49ers senior forward Shamari Spears has been suspended indefinitely by head coach Alan Major for a violation of team rules, a team spokesperson announced before Charlotte's game against Radford.
This is Spears' second suspension of the season as he also missed the season opener for a violation of team rules. Spears was also suspended for the season opener last season. He was a preseason second team All-A-10 player.
This is Spears' second suspension of the season as he also missed the season opener for a violation of team rules. Spears was also suspended for the season opener last season. He was a preseason second team All-A-10 player.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
My turkeys of the year in sports
There were a lot of great sporting accomplishments in 2010. However, there were also some turkeys in the wide world of sports. Here's a small list I've formulated in no particular order.
Jim Joyce: Joyce robbed the sports world of one of its most exciting moments. Joyce cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game when he called Jason Donald safe at first on what would have been the 27th out. A full-time major league umpire for more than 20 years, Joyce was the biggest turkey in baseball in 2010. "I just cost that kid a perfect game," he said. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay. It was the biggest call of my career."
New Jersey Devils front office: The Devils gave Ilya Kovalchuk a 15-year contract worth $102 million. How does Kovalchuk repay the Devils? He's on pace for a smashing 39 points this season. Set to be paid $6.666 million this season, Kovalchuk would be paid $170,940.16 per point if he reaches the 39-point plateau. Yep, that contract looks well worth it so far.
Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens: Batman and Robin have taken Cincinnati by storm by piling up an AFC-worst 2-8 record and a league-high seven-game losing streak. On a lighter note, the two receivers have combined for 12 touchdowns and landed a TV show on the king of all sports networks; Versus.
Brett Favre: Need I say anything more?
Tiger Woods: Everyone remembers where they were when Tiger had his car accident last Black Friday. A year later, Tiger's been through the worst year of his professional career. In one foul swoop, he lost his kids, his wife and his golf game. Countless mistresses emerged and Woods admitted to having a one-night stand with his neighbor's 21-year-old daughter, whom he had known since she was 14. Tiger's divorce with his wife Elin became official on Aug. 23.
LeBron James: Last but not least, The King--of all turkeys. The Decision, as it was called on ESPN was one of the biggest jokes in recent memory and led to one of the most overused quotes of all time. “In this fall, this is very tough, in this fall I’m going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat." James' "Decision" locked up the No. 1 spot on my turkey list. The negative energy LeBron created has followed him to Miami, where the 8-7 Heat have lost three straight and look pretty average. His betrayal of Cleveland is second only to Art Modell's relocation of the Browns to Baltimore and has made him one of the most hated men in sports.
Some honorable mentions:
1. Lane Kiffin for skipping out on Tennessee in the middle of the night.
2. Tony Parker cheating on Eva Longoria--really?
3. Reggie Bush became the first player to ever return the Heisman Trophy.
4. Roger Goodell--These fines are getting out of hand. And oh by the way, a lockout is looming.
5. Bruce Pearl--Apparently the cheating in Knoxville doesn't stop at football.
Who do you think should be on the list? Did I leave anyone out? Comments welcome.
Jim Joyce: Joyce robbed the sports world of one of its most exciting moments. Joyce cost Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game when he called Jason Donald safe at first on what would have been the 27th out. A full-time major league umpire for more than 20 years, Joyce was the biggest turkey in baseball in 2010. "I just cost that kid a perfect game," he said. "I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay. It was the biggest call of my career."
New Jersey Devils front office: The Devils gave Ilya Kovalchuk a 15-year contract worth $102 million. How does Kovalchuk repay the Devils? He's on pace for a smashing 39 points this season. Set to be paid $6.666 million this season, Kovalchuk would be paid $170,940.16 per point if he reaches the 39-point plateau. Yep, that contract looks well worth it so far.
Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens: Batman and Robin have taken Cincinnati by storm by piling up an AFC-worst 2-8 record and a league-high seven-game losing streak. On a lighter note, the two receivers have combined for 12 touchdowns and landed a TV show on the king of all sports networks; Versus.
Brett Favre: Need I say anything more?
Tiger Woods: Everyone remembers where they were when Tiger had his car accident last Black Friday. A year later, Tiger's been through the worst year of his professional career. In one foul swoop, he lost his kids, his wife and his golf game. Countless mistresses emerged and Woods admitted to having a one-night stand with his neighbor's 21-year-old daughter, whom he had known since she was 14. Tiger's divorce with his wife Elin became official on Aug. 23.
LeBron James: Last but not least, The King--of all turkeys. The Decision, as it was called on ESPN was one of the biggest jokes in recent memory and led to one of the most overused quotes of all time. “In this fall, this is very tough, in this fall I’m going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat." James' "Decision" locked up the No. 1 spot on my turkey list. The negative energy LeBron created has followed him to Miami, where the 8-7 Heat have lost three straight and look pretty average. His betrayal of Cleveland is second only to Art Modell's relocation of the Browns to Baltimore and has made him one of the most hated men in sports.
Some honorable mentions:
1. Lane Kiffin for skipping out on Tennessee in the middle of the night.
2. Tony Parker cheating on Eva Longoria--really?
3. Reggie Bush became the first player to ever return the Heisman Trophy.
4. Roger Goodell--These fines are getting out of hand. And oh by the way, a lockout is looming.
5. Bruce Pearl--Apparently the cheating in Knoxville doesn't stop at football.
Who do you think should be on the list? Did I leave anyone out? Comments welcome.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
A few things to watch against Oregon State
The Charlotte 49ers have had a rough start to the season, Now, the task won't get any easier as the 49ers head out to Corvallis to face the Oregon State Beavers tonight at 10 p.m. Here are a few things to watch in tonight's match-up.
Zone Defense: Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson runs a tenacious 1-3-1 zone defense--something Charlotte should be familiar with. After Charlotte built a 14-point lead in the first half on Sunday against Coastal Carolina, the Chanticleers switched to a 1-3-1 zone late in the first half. Coastal went on a mini-run to close the half and eventually beat Charlotte in double overtime.
Green's Slow Start: Charlotte 2 guard Derrio Green has struggled early on this season. Green assist-to-turnover ratio isn't terrible at 1.44 but he's struggling in the scoring column. Green is shooting just 32 percent from the field and 23 percent from behind the arc. He's also just 68 percent from the foul line through five games. I expect Green to step it up against an Oregon State back court that has struggled early this season.
Long Trip: This game may provide more of a mental challenge than anything. Oregon State doesn't look great on paper; losing to Seattle and Texas Southern, but any cross-country trip presents a tall challenge. These players know what they're signing up for, but playing a game in a different time zone and the day before Thanksgiving will make tonight's game that much more difficult.
Zone Defense: Oregon State head coach Craig Robinson runs a tenacious 1-3-1 zone defense--something Charlotte should be familiar with. After Charlotte built a 14-point lead in the first half on Sunday against Coastal Carolina, the Chanticleers switched to a 1-3-1 zone late in the first half. Coastal went on a mini-run to close the half and eventually beat Charlotte in double overtime.
Green's Slow Start: Charlotte 2 guard Derrio Green has struggled early on this season. Green assist-to-turnover ratio isn't terrible at 1.44 but he's struggling in the scoring column. Green is shooting just 32 percent from the field and 23 percent from behind the arc. He's also just 68 percent from the foul line through five games. I expect Green to step it up against an Oregon State back court that has struggled early this season.
Long Trip: This game may provide more of a mental challenge than anything. Oregon State doesn't look great on paper; losing to Seattle and Texas Southern, but any cross-country trip presents a tall challenge. These players know what they're signing up for, but playing a game in a different time zone and the day before Thanksgiving will make tonight's game that much more difficult.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Charlotte dumps Iona 72-40
The Charlotte 49ers women's basketball squad kicked off its regular season with an impressive 72-40 win over the Gaels of Iona in the first round of the Women's NIT. Charlotte will play a road game at Florida--who beat UCF 77-67--in the second round on Monday.
Charlotte got off to a hot start and never looked back. Following an opening 3-pointer by Iona's Anda Ivkovic, Charlotte went on a 13-0 run, powered by four points from Paige McCallum. The 49ers used a suffocating man defense to thwart any chance Iona had offensively and crashed the offensive boards early and often. Charlotte was out rebounded 18-16 in the first half but used 10 steals to take a 33-22 lead into the halftime break.
Building on its 11-point halftime lead, Charlotte used a 16-4 run to start the second half to push the margin to 23 at 49-26.
Prior to the season, Karen Aston noted that the biggest difference between this last season's squad and this one was the depth she had in the front court. That difference was made evident on Saturday as Charlotte outscored Iona 20-8 in the paint in the first half and 32-18 for the game.
Charlotte was led offensively by the sister duo of McCallum and her older sister, Shannon. Paige contributed 13 points while Shannon added 21 of her own.
Charlotte returns to action on Monday when they play Florida in the second round. Time for the game has yet to be announced.
Charlotte got off to a hot start and never looked back. Following an opening 3-pointer by Iona's Anda Ivkovic, Charlotte went on a 13-0 run, powered by four points from Paige McCallum. The 49ers used a suffocating man defense to thwart any chance Iona had offensively and crashed the offensive boards early and often. Charlotte was out rebounded 18-16 in the first half but used 10 steals to take a 33-22 lead into the halftime break.
Building on its 11-point halftime lead, Charlotte used a 16-4 run to start the second half to push the margin to 23 at 49-26.
Prior to the season, Karen Aston noted that the biggest difference between this last season's squad and this one was the depth she had in the front court. That difference was made evident on Saturday as Charlotte outscored Iona 20-8 in the paint in the first half and 32-18 for the game.
Charlotte was led offensively by the sister duo of McCallum and her older sister, Shannon. Paige contributed 13 points while Shannon added 21 of her own.
Charlotte returns to action on Monday when they play Florida in the second round. Time for the game has yet to be announced.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Breaking down Gardner-Webb
Two men will be making their head coaching debuts on Friday at Halton Arena. Most notably, Charlotte coach Alan Major. But Gardner-Webb will also begin a new era under seasoned veteran Chris Holtmann, who is just a year removed from helping Ohio University to an upset NCAA Tournament win over Georgetown. After 12 years of calling the shots from the bench—5 years at Gardner-Webb—he’ll finally get a chance to be the man running things.
Holtmann might have a bit of a problem in his first game at the helm when he faces Charlotte. The Bulldogs return three starters from last year’s 8-21 team, but only one of those three averaged more than five points per game a season ago and just one averaged more than four rebounds.
The Bulldogs’ most notable returner will be 6-4 senior wing Jonathan Moore (10.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg), who worked his way up from a walk-on to earning 17 starts a year ago.
Nailing down the point guard spot for the Bulldogs will probably be freshman Luke Davis (11.6 ppg, 6.0 apg at Ravencroft School in Raleigh). He was rated just outside of ESPN.com’s top 100 point guards and was very productive in the same league that produced Washington Wizards rookie John Wall.
Helping Davis out in the backcourt will be junior transfer Laron Buggs. The 6-2 combo guard is strong on the defensive end and transferred from Murray State College where he averaged 4.3 points per game and earned all-region honors.
The Bulldogs’ frontcourt will see a size improvement with the addition of 6-foot-10-inch, 230 pound freshman center Mike Byron, who averaged 10.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg at Churchill High School in San Antonio. Byron was ranked as the No. 105 center prospect by ESPN.com and will provide a big body in the middle for the Bulldogs.
With suspension rumors circulating, Byron could prove to be a match up problem depending on which players sit out.
Rounding out the starting lineup for Gardner-Webb will be 6-foot-6-inch small forward Stefon Johnson. Johnson provides some athleticism for the Bulldogs and came on late last season, scoring in double figures in two of the final four games. He scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a road game against Winthrop.
The most experienced player returning for the Bulldogs will be 6-3 junior power forward Josh Henley (4.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg), who will be the Big South’s second leading returning rebounder from a year ago.
Charlotte lacked some defensive intensity near the end of last season, so expect Major to implement a suffocating man-to-man defense. Expect the turnover rate to be high for a young Bulldog squad and look for Charlotte to capitalize on transition opportunities.
This game has match-up problems written all over it for Gardner-Webb. Charlotte has the upper hand based purely on experience and size, but that size advantage could be diminished depending on suspensions. Even with the possibility of Charlotte losing some starting members of the frontcourt, I expect them to take care of business against a young, inexperienced Gardner-Webb team.
Holtmann might have a bit of a problem in his first game at the helm when he faces Charlotte. The Bulldogs return three starters from last year’s 8-21 team, but only one of those three averaged more than five points per game a season ago and just one averaged more than four rebounds.
The Bulldogs’ most notable returner will be 6-4 senior wing Jonathan Moore (10.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg), who worked his way up from a walk-on to earning 17 starts a year ago.
Nailing down the point guard spot for the Bulldogs will probably be freshman Luke Davis (11.6 ppg, 6.0 apg at Ravencroft School in Raleigh). He was rated just outside of ESPN.com’s top 100 point guards and was very productive in the same league that produced Washington Wizards rookie John Wall.
Helping Davis out in the backcourt will be junior transfer Laron Buggs. The 6-2 combo guard is strong on the defensive end and transferred from Murray State College where he averaged 4.3 points per game and earned all-region honors.
The Bulldogs’ frontcourt will see a size improvement with the addition of 6-foot-10-inch, 230 pound freshman center Mike Byron, who averaged 10.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg at Churchill High School in San Antonio. Byron was ranked as the No. 105 center prospect by ESPN.com and will provide a big body in the middle for the Bulldogs.
With suspension rumors circulating, Byron could prove to be a match up problem depending on which players sit out.
Rounding out the starting lineup for Gardner-Webb will be 6-foot-6-inch small forward Stefon Johnson. Johnson provides some athleticism for the Bulldogs and came on late last season, scoring in double figures in two of the final four games. He scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a road game against Winthrop.
The most experienced player returning for the Bulldogs will be 6-3 junior power forward Josh Henley (4.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg), who will be the Big South’s second leading returning rebounder from a year ago.
Charlotte lacked some defensive intensity near the end of last season, so expect Major to implement a suffocating man-to-man defense. Expect the turnover rate to be high for a young Bulldog squad and look for Charlotte to capitalize on transition opportunities.
This game has match-up problems written all over it for Gardner-Webb. Charlotte has the upper hand based purely on experience and size, but that size advantage could be diminished depending on suspensions. Even with the possibility of Charlotte losing some starting members of the frontcourt, I expect them to take care of business against a young, inexperienced Gardner-Webb team.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Brewster guard picks up offer
Brewster (NH) guard Eli Carter has picked up an offer from South Florida and is now considering them. A 2011 point guard, Carter is also considering Charlotte, Seton Hall, Oregon State and now the Bulls.
Carter went on an official visit to Oregon State and was visited at Brewster by Charlotte coach Alan Major on Wednesday. Seton Hall visited Carter Thursday while Oregon State was in the house today.
Carter originally committed to St. Bonaventure last year but has since re-opened his recruitment.
Carter went on an official visit to Oregon State and was visited at Brewster by Charlotte coach Alan Major on Wednesday. Seton Hall visited Carter Thursday while Oregon State was in the house today.
Carter originally committed to St. Bonaventure last year but has since re-opened his recruitment.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
"Secret" scrimmage happening Saturday
Charlotte will be playing Virginia Tech in a "secret" scrimmage on Saturday in Blacksburg, VA. A number of teams from around the NCAA participate in these scrimmages with some teams playing in more than one.
Seth Greenburg's Hokies paid a visit to Halton Arena last season. The Hokies are ranked 21st in the AP poll and 23rd in the coaches poll.
Here's a list of other secret scrimmages from around the A-10:
Oct. 30:
Fordham at Villanova
George Mason at Richmond
Kent State at St. Bonaventure
VCU at La Salle
Oct. 31
UMass at Harvard
Temple at Penn State
Nov. 5
St. Peter’s at Fordham
Nov. 6
Charlotte at Virginia Tech
Drexel at Temple
Seth Greenburg's Hokies paid a visit to Halton Arena last season. The Hokies are ranked 21st in the AP poll and 23rd in the coaches poll.
Here's a list of other secret scrimmages from around the A-10:
Oct. 30:
Fordham at Villanova
George Mason at Richmond
Kent State at St. Bonaventure
VCU at La Salle
Oct. 31
UMass at Harvard
Temple at Penn State
Nov. 5
St. Peter’s at Fordham
Nov. 6
Charlotte at Virginia Tech
Drexel at Temple
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Voncina ineligible
Charlotte 49ers freshman point guard Luka Voncina has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA for tonight's exhibition game against Queens.
Voncina, who has been cleared by the NCAA to practice, will remain ineligible pending a possible review of documentation.
Voncina was expected to play second fiddle to starting point guard Jamar Briscoe. Expect to see some additional minutes for Derrio Green and Briscoe in tonight's match-up.
Voncina, who has been cleared by the NCAA to practice, will remain ineligible pending a possible review of documentation.
Voncina was expected to play second fiddle to starting point guard Jamar Briscoe. Expect to see some additional minutes for Derrio Green and Briscoe in tonight's match-up.
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