Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Nov. 19, 2002

CHICAGO - The Charlotte 49ers are on a roll entering this weekend's Conference USA Tournament, having ended the regular-season with three straight wins. The 49ers open play on Friday, Nov. 22 versus Memphis at 3:00.

Charlotte goes into the tournament as the No. 6 seed, their highest seeding ever. The previous best was a seventh seed in 1998 and 1999.

Charlotte is 6-4 all-time versus Memphis. The Tigers prevailed in this year's meeting, 3-2, in Memphis Nov. 8. Before this year's loss, the 49ers had won four straight meetings. It is the first time the schools have faced each other in the Conference USA Tournament.

UP NEXT FOR CHARLOTTE
Should Charlotte advance, the 49ers will take on No. 3 seed Cincinnati on Saturday in the quarterfinals. The Niners are 2-11 all-time versus the Bearcats.

Cincinnati won this year's meeting, 3-0, at their place. The 49ers defeated the Bearcats for the first time, 3-0, in 1999. The other win was last season, when the Niners earned a 3-1 victory.

IN THE C-USA TOURNAMENT
Charlotte owns a 2-7 record in the Conference USA Tournament. This is the first year the team has entered the tournament as the sixth seed, but has played in the 6-11 match two times. First, they lost to Marquette, 3-1, in 1996. In 1997, the 49ers fell to Saint Louis, 3-1.

Last season, Charlotte lost to Saint Louis, 3-0, in the first round at Houston. The 49ers' wins came at the 1998 and 2000 tournaments. In 1998, they beat Marquette, 3-2. Two years later as the tournament host, Charlotte beat Southern Miss, 3-0.

In tournament history, the No. 6 seed is 9-7. The sixth seed has made to the semifinals twice -- Saint Louis in 1997 and Marquette in 2001.