Senior Eddie Basden is the only player in C-USA to rank in the top 15 in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. And he shoots .507 from the floor. |
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GAME NOTES: #23 Charlotte Hosts DePaul
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Feb. 15, 2005
Halton Arena -
The News:
The #23/#23 Charlotte 49ers (17-4; 8-2) host DePaul (Radio: WFNZ, 610 SportsRadio, Matt Swierad, Gary Williams), Wed. at 7:30 p.m. Charlotte, which has cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time this season, has won five of its last six and is tied With DePaul just a half-game out of first-place in Conference USA. The 49ers have scored at least 80 points in each of its last four wins, including a 91-90 thriller over #18/#17 Cincinnati and a 91-71 dousing of Houston, last Wednesday, in which Charlotte exploded for 42 points in the final 10 minutes. Leading the offensive attack is junior forward Curtis Withers, who had a career-high 39 points in the 83-78 OT victory at Saint Louis. Withers has scored 15 or more points in each of the last six games, averaging 21.9 points and 10.0 rebounds over that span. He has scored 20 or more in three of the last four.
C-USA Player of the Week Withers Posts Monster Game vs. Saint Louis:
Curtis Withers scored a career-high 39 points with 14 rebounds in Charlotte's 83-78 victory at Saint Louis. The 39 points are the most scored by a 49er in 23 years (Bobby Potts, 40 points vs. Jacksonville, 1982) and the fifth-most points all-time. The 39 points are also the fourth-most scored in the history of Conference USA, including the most scored in the league, this year. Withers hit 13-of-25 shots and 11-of-13 free throws, including an offensive tip-in with 16 seconds left that helped force overtime and seven points in overtime. "It was the best performance by an individual in an individual game that I`ve seen as head coach," said 49ers mentor Bobby Lutz. including the most scored in the league, this year.
Niners Enter AP Poll at #23:
For the first time since the final poll of 1999, the 49ers are ranked in the national AP poll. The 49ers crack the 2004-05 AP poll at #23, the program's highest ranking since Nov. 18, 1997 (#17). The 49ers have now been ranked in five different seasons (1977, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2005) for a total of 18 weeks. The 49ers highest ranking was #17 (three times: 1976-77, 1991-92, 1997-98). The 49ers spent a school-record 10 weeks in the polls during the 1991-92 season. The 49ers are also ranked #23 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches poll.
National Player of the Year Candidate Curtis Withers:
Junior forward Curtis Withers, a third-team all-America, last season, by Basketball Times and a starter on USA Basketball's Gold-Medal winning 2004 World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team, is a preseason candidate for each of the National Player of the Year Awards. Withers is on the Wooden Watch, the Naismith Trophy list and the Rupp Watch. In addition, the preseason third team all-America (Street & Smith's) was listed as one of the Sporting News' Top 30 players.
Withers, who was named C-USA Player of the Week, scored 39 points with 14 rebounds at Saint Louis -- the most points scored by a 49er since 1982. He has posted a league-best eight double-doubles and scored 15 or more points in each of the last six games. He's averaging a team-best 16.4 points (5th in C-USA) with 8.4 rebounds (6th C-USA). He's scored 20 or more points five times, including 24 vs. #22 Alabama and has hit 20+ in three of the last four games. He's scored in double figures in 16 of the last 17. He was MVP of the Cable Car Classic.
Notes:
Brendan Plavich has hit 14 threes (14-29; .483) in the last two home games. He leads the NCAA with 4.0 threes per game and has hit at least five threes in 10 games ... he leads C-USA with 85 threes this season (a 49er has led C-USA in three-pointers made in each of the last six seasons) ... the 49ers are 2-2 in games against nationally-ranked foes (W: at #25/#25 Marq.; vs. #18/#17 Cincy; L: 3ot vs. #22/#22 Alabama; at #20/#18 Cincy); 8-2 vs. Top 100 RPI teams ... Eddie Basden was named C-USA's Player of the Week, Feb. 6, after a stat-stuffing 20-point; 11-rebound; seven-assist; four-steal performance vs. #18/#17 Bearcats ... six different 49ers have had at least one 20+ scoring night and there have been nine 20+ performances in the last six games.
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