Observations from Saturday's win at La Salle

• Who would have thought? One season after Charlotte finished 11-20 - the worst record in coach Bobby Lutz's then-11 seasons - the 49ers find themselves a conference championship contender. Charlotte faces 16th-ranked Temple at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Halton Arena in a game to decide first place in the Atlantic 10.
• La Salle's Rodney Green nearly carried the Explorers to victory Saturday all on his own. With La Salle missing its second-leading scorer to season-ending foot surgery, Green was the primary offensive threat. He scored a game-high 32 points, made 12-of-25 shots, including 5-of-7 3-pointers. He also had five rebounds and five assists. "He's a special player," Lutz said of Green.
• Charlotte had already hit six 3-pointers in the first half, including its last two, when Gokhan Sirin got a wide-open look for another. One very loud La Salle fan yelled, "No! Not another one!" Sirin's shot hit the rim and bounced away. The fans didn't have that problem in the second half as Charlotte made only one additional shot from long-range.
• Charlotte senior guard RaShad Coleman underwent successful surgery this week to repair an injury to his left knee suffered in the 49ers' win Jan. 17 over Saint Louis. Coleman, however, will not be able to return to the court this season.
• Charlotte junior Charles Dewhurst played two minutes in the first half and went out clutching his left knee. He did not return in the second half but did not suffer a serious injury.