Lamont Mack finished with 17 points. |
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49ers Get Win Over George Washington, 77-61
March 6, 2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)--Lamont Mack led a balanced effort with 17 points and Charlotte continued George Washington's miserable, turmoil-filled season with a 77-61 win on Thursday.
Leemire Goldwire added 13 points in his final home game as the 49ers (17-12, 8-7) improved their positioning for next week's Atlantic 10 tournament, while putting the Colonials (9-16, 5-10) in danger of missing the tournament all together.
Hours after star guard Maureece Rice was dismissed from the team for violating team rules, the Colonials got 16 points and 10 rebounds from Rob Diggs, but wilted down the stretch as they dropped to 1-12 on the road.
Rice, George Washington's top scorer last season and the most outstanding player of the Atlantic 10 tournament, had seen his numbers decline this season when he was switched to point guard following a season-ending knee injury to Travis King.
Rice was suspended twice for one game each earlier this season for violating unspecified team rules. He did not travel with the team to Charlotte on Wednesday and his dismissal was announced as the Colonials arrived at the arena about an hour before tipoff.
Still, even with walk-on Johnny Lee struggling as the primary point guard in Rice's absence, George Washington rallied from a 13-point deficit early in the second half, getting within 56-55 on Damian Hollis' jumper with 4:55 left.
Then Goldwire drilled two 3-pointers in a 10-2 run as Charlotte snapped a five-game losing streak to the Colonials, who have been to three straight NCAA tournaments.
Without Rice, George Washington shot just 34 percent and had trouble defending Charlotte's 3-point shooting early and its inside play late.
Ian Andersen (15 points) hit five straight 3s as the 49ers built their big lead. An'Juan Wilderness (16 points) had a key bucket in the lane in the closing spurt.
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Wynton Witherspoon, who moved in to the starting lineup with Rice out, scored 14 points and Noel Wilmore scored 13 for the Colonials, who could miss the A-10 tournament with a home loss Saturday against Massachusetts.
NOTES (Supplied by Charlotte 49ers Sports Information): Fittingly, senior Leemire Goldwire hit his last shot at Halton Arena, a three-pointer from the right corner, falling back into press row. In the final 5 minutes, Goldwire hit a pair of threes, the first came with Charlotte nursing a 1-point lead, 56-55, extending the margin to 4. The second with 2:59 to play pushed the lead to seven, 64-57, and the Colonials never got any closer.
Goldwire added three assists, seven rebounds and four steals. The A-10 leader in steals, Goldwire now has 62 on the season, seventh-most in school history. He has led the 49ers in steals in each of the last three years. His 182 career steals rank fifth all-time, surpassing Henry Williams, who had 181.
Lamont Mack led the 49ers with 17 points. He has scored 15 or more points in six straight games and is averaging 15.4 points in A-10 play.
Goldwire hit three three-pointers, upping his season total to 106, 4th-most in school history. His 321 career threes are third-most in school history.
The victory was the 49ers 12th in Halton Arena, this seasosn, matching the arena record for wins, set in 2005. Charlotte has won at least 10 games at Halton in 10 of the Arena's 12-year history.
Sophomore Ian Andersen scored in double figures for the second straight game, hitting five three-pointers in a row at one point on his way to a 15-point effort.
Freshman An'Juan Wilderness added 16 points for his 10th game in double figures. Wilderness hit 6-of-7 shots, added 8 rebounds and four assists.
Sophomore Phil Jones only scored two points but blocked four shots and grabbed six rebounds in 17 minutes of play.
For the 21st game this year, Charlotte had at least 8 players hit the scoring column. Nine 49ers scored vs. GW. The 49ers got 27 points from their bench, led by Andersen's 15. This is the 13th game that a player has come off the bench to score in double figures.
Charlotte led by four at the half thanks to an Ian Andersen buzzer-beating three. The 49ers shot .545 in the second half, pulling away in the final four minutes.
Charlotte, which has won three of its last four, concludes its regular-season at Rhode Island, Saturday at 7:00 p.m. The 49ers (8-7 in A-10) are tied for 6th in the A-10 with LaSalle. URI is tied for 8th at 7-8.
