Charlotte guard DiJuan Harris |
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49ers Force OT But Fall to Cal State Fullerton
Nov. 30, 2008
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Charlotte 49ers scored the last seven points to force overtime, but lost in the extra period to Cal State Fullerton, 92-84, in the final round of the 76 Classic. The loss is Charlotte's sixth straight, the 49ers worst losing streak since dropping 12 straight in 1985-86.
Trailing by three, 73-70, with 1:34 to play, sophomore An'Juan Wilderness hit one of two free throws, grabbed a defensive rebound and then put back an offensive board to knot the game at 73-73 in regulation.
In OT, however, after another Wilderness putback tied the score at 75, Fullerton scored seven straight points to open a working margin. After a DiJuan Harris driving layup, Wilderness stole the inbounds pass and converted the layup to make it a three-point game, 82-79 with 44 seconds left. A breakaway by Aaron Thompson and four straight Titan free throws made it a nine-point game, 88-79, and left the 49ers on the losing end of another tight contest.
Two of the 49ers six losses have been by one point and two others have come in overtime.
Harris and junior shooter Ian Andersen led the 49ers with 15 points, apiece while Wilderness added 13. Phil Jones had 12 and Lamont Mack 11 as five 49ers reached double-figures.
The Titans (3-4) shot .519 from the floor and .71 (12-of-21) from three-point range. Charlotte (1-6) shot just .373 and were outrebounded 48-35, but did force a season-high 26 turnovers.
The 49ers road does not get any easier as they travel to Southern Illinois, Dec. 6 and to Mississippi State, Dec. 10. The 49ers next home game is Dec. 21 vs. Youngstown State.
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NOTES: Harris scored a career-high 15 points.
Phil Jones, who leads the team with a .607 FG%, has shot 50% or better in six of seven games. His 12 points are also a career-high. He averaged 9.0 points in the three games of the 76 Classic.
Wilderness' 13-point effort was his first in double figures since scoring 17 at Appalachian State.
