GAME NOTES: Charlotte vs. Texas Tech, NCAA First Round
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March 16, 2004
Buffalo, N.Y. -
#9 Seed Charlotte vs. #8 Seed Texas Tech (Thursday, Mar. 18; 12:25 p.m.) TV: CBS (Bill Raftery; Verne Lundquist); Radio: WFNZ, SportsRadio 610am (Matt Swierad) The #9-seeded Charlotte 49ers (21-8; C-USA: 12-4) play #8-seeded Texas Tech (22-10; Big 12: 9-7) , in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Charlotte is making its 10th NCAA appearance, its sixth NCAA trip in the past eight years and its school-record fourth in head coach Bobby Lutz's six seasons. Charlotte earned its first 20-win regular-season since 1991-92 and claimed a share of its first Conference USA regular-season championship. With 21 wins, Charlotte has given Bobby Lutz his third 20-win season as 49ers head coach. The 49ers have won a school-record 10 "true" road games (neutral sites not included). Charlotte is 3-0 vs. Top 10 ranked teams; 4-2 in games vs. teams currently in the Top 25 and 4-2 in games vs. current RPI Top 27. The 49ers have been the #9 seed in each of their last two NCAA trips (2001; 2002). In 2001, the Niners downed #8 seed Tennessee, before falling to #1 Illinois. In 2002, the 49ers were eliminated by #8 seed Notre Dame.
NCAA Tournament Experience: Charlotte is making its 10th trip to the NCAA Tournament and its sixth trip in the last eight years. Head coach Bobby Lutz is making his school-record 4th appearance in six years as head coach. Charlotte has advanced to the second round in four of its last five trips. Charlotte has been the #9 seed in each of the last two visits, advancing to the second round in 2001 and falling in the first round in 2002. The 49ers have played in the 8-9 game three times, winning twice. The 49ers reached the NCAA Final Four in their first-ever NCAA appearance in 1977 under head coach Lee Rose with a team led by former Boston Celtic great Cedric Maxwell and long-time 49ers assistant and head coach Melvin Watkins
Charlotte v. Texas Tech: Charlotte is 0-3 all-time vs. Texas Tech, but the two teams have not played since 1986. Head coach Bobby Lutz has not faced Texas Tech. The last time the two teams met, Texas Tech won 71-70 in the Fiesta Bowl Classic, in 1986.
Noteworthy: Charlotte leads C-USA in scoring and rebounding and is second in steals and assists and third in field goal pct. Four players average in double figures. The last two times that happened: 1988 (NCAA); 2002 (NCAA). Four players have scored over 25 points in a game and three have been named C-USA Player of the Week, at least once. Charlotte has had at least four players score in double figures 11 times this year, including seven of the last 12 games. Five players have hit double figures during the same game four times in the last 11 games.
Quick Synopsis: The 49ers posted their 2nd-best record ever in C-USA (12-4) to claim a share of their first Conference USA title and they posted the program's first 20-win regular-season since 1991-92. The 49ers are #32 in the Mar. 13 RPI and own a school record three victories over Top 10 foes and four wins over RPI Top 30. Despite playing more than half of its games on the road, the 49ers are 21-8, overall; 3-0 vs. Top 10 teams; 2-0 vs. 2003 NCAA Final Four participants; 4-2 vs. teams currently in the Top 25 and have broken the school record for "true" road wins (10) (neutral sites not included). The 49ers sport Top 10 road wins at #7/#7 Syracuse (1st time in NCAA history that a defending champ lost its home opener) and at #8/#7 Cincinnati (Bearcats lone loss at home, this year) and a home win over #9/#9 Louisville. They also sport a win at current Top 25 Southern Illinois (snapped the Salukis 31-game home win streak). Other key wins include a road win at DePaul and vs. Marquette and Saint Louis at home. All seven losses are to Top 82 RPI teams with five to Top 35 teams (Cincinnati (10); @ Alabama (25); UAB (33) and @ Memphis (34). Charlotte has been led by C-USA First teamer Curtis Withers (16.3 ppg; 9.6 rpg), who leads C-USA with 16 double-doubles. Three other 49ers average in double-figures: Demon Brown (12.7 ppg; 4.0 apg), Brendan Plavich (12.0 ppg; 88 3FGM), Eddie Basden (10.6; 65 steals). All four have had a 25+ scoring night and Withers (twice), Brown and Plavich have been named C-USA Player of the Week.
All-C-USA First Team Withers: Curtis Withers leads C-USA in double-doubles (16), is 4th in scoring, 2nd in rebounding and 1st in offensive rebounding. Withers averaged 17.1 points and 9.1 rebounds in C-USA play and posted eight double-doubles in league play. Withers has scored in double figures and pulled at least 7 boards in all but two games. He's also shooting .488 from the floor, 4th-best in C-USA among players with 10 shots per game. He has been invited to tryout for USA Basketball's 21 & Under World Championship Qualifier.
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