Observations from Sunday's win over Winthrop

-It will billed as road game, but the large number of Charlotte 49ers fans who made the trip down to Rock Hill made Sunday’s game appear much more like a battle on a neutral court. One group of Charlotte fans, apparently in practice for football coming in 2013, held a large tailgate party in the Winthrop Coliseum parking lot hours before game time.

-Was it a defensive struggle or battle of offensive ineptitude? With nine minutes left in the first half, Winthrop led 13-12. At that point, the Eagles were shooting 33.3 percent from the field, while the 49ers were holding steady at 26.7 percent.

-While the 49ers’ offense seemed to sputter much of the game give it credit for producing when needed. Four times in the second half Winthrop closed the margin to two points. Each time, Charlotte scored on its next possession.

-Winthrop did an excellent job disrupting the 49ers’ transition game. The key was Winthrop coach Randy Peele’s decision to put two defenders when possible on point guard DiJuan Harris at the start of Charlotte’s possessions, thus slowing his ability to run the court and find open teammates.

-A shooter please? Charlotte guards Shamarr Bowden, Ian Andersen and Derrio Green were a combined 1-for-13 from 3-point range.