Feb. 18, 2002

Milwaukee, Wisc. -

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Notes: Charlotte (16-8, C-USA: 10-3, RPI: 30) travels to nationally-ranked Marquette (22-3, C-USA: 11-1, RPI: 25), which rests tied atop the American Division with an 11-1 record and has gone 14-0 at home this season ... the game will televised in Charlotte on WAXN, Action 64 (Dave Jageler and Tom Apke) ... the 49ers defeated then-#25 Marquette, 76-68, in Charlotte ... the last loss for the Golden Eagles, who own a current 11-game win streak, was that loss at Charlotte, Jan. 5 ... the 49ers are 0-3 this year vs. Top 10 teams (#4 Florida, #10 Cincinnati, #5 Cincinnati) ... the 49ers are 1-4 vs. ranked opponents ... the 49ers won last year in Milwaukee, 74-71 ... since C-USA play began, the 49ers are 2-3 in Milwaukee ... this is the 25th anniversary of the 49ers trip to the 1977 Final Four in Atlanta, where they fell to Marquette, 51-49, in the national semifinals.

The News: With Saturday's 20-point performance vs. DePaul (17 in decisive first half), Jobey Thomas has now scored 20 or more points in eight C-USA games, including 28 vs. Memphis and at South Florida and DePaul, and 26 vs. Marquette and at Houston ... he is averaging 20.2 points in league play ... he has had a total of 12 20+-point games, this season (11-1) ... following Saturday's 12-point, 13-rebound effort vs. DePaul, Cam Stephens has notched 11 double-doubles, this year, with seven coming in league play ... Stephens is averaging nearly a double-double (13.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg) in league play ... during the 49ers recent seven-game win streak, they averaged 83.7 points ... in the current two-game win streak, opponents are averaging just 60.0 points.

The Schedule, Toughest in C-USA: The 49ers (10-3 in C-USA) have beaten each of the top three teams in C-USA's National Division (Memphis, South Florida, Houston) and boast wins over every American Division team except Cincinnati ... The February issue of Basketball Times rated each school's non-conference schedule and the 49ers non-con was ranked 18th toughest in the nation and the best in Conference USA ... of note, the 49ers will also play the toughest league schedule, facing the more difficult American Division slate and the top four teams from the National Division ... the loss at Saint Louis is the 49ers only loss to a team outside RPI's top 100 ... five of the 49ers losses have come to teams with an RPI in the Top 15 (Cincinnati, Indiana, Florida, Miami).

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