Thursday, March 7, 2013

Saturday sets up as odd day for 49ers

Wednesday was an eventful night in the Atlantic 10, nowhere more so than in Pittsburgh, where the Charlotte 49ers snapped a four-game losing streak in unlikely fashion with an 89-87 overtime victory against Duquesne.

Elsewhere, Xavier won at Saint Louis 77-66 in overtime, putting an end to the 16th-ranked Billikens' 11-game winning streak. No. 21 VCU pulled into a first-place tie with Saint Louis by beating cross-town rival Richmond 93-82.

Other results further down the standings had a more direct impact on Charlotte: George Washington's 84-70 loss against La Salle dropped the Colonials' into 13th place and allowed the 49ers to move one game ahead of GW and into a four-way tie for ninth with Dayton, Richmond and St. Bonaventure.

That sets up what will be an odd day Saturday for the 49ers, who lose any combination of tiebreakers with the three teams they're tied with, as well as with GW. Charlotte (19-10, 7-8) can qualify for the 12-team Atlantic 10 tournament next week in Brooklyn by beating Saint Joseph's (17-11, 8-7) on Saturday or if GW loses a home game against streaking Dayton (which has won four of five).

The GW-Dayton game is at 2 p.m.; the Charlotte-St. Joe's game is at 7. So the 49ers will know all they need to know by the time they tip off with the Hawks. They'll either already be in if GW loses, or face the task of having to beat a Hawks team that's won its last two league games (against Fordham and Rhode Island) by an average of 31.5 points.

-- Charlotte's rally from a 17-point second-half deficit against Duquesne wasn't the largest comeback in school history, but it was one of them. Charlotte's biggest comeback remains against Tennessee in 1995, when the 49ers trailed by 26 with 15:04 remaining. Charlotte eventually won 79-76 in what at the time was the fourth largest comeback of all time in college basketball, according to ESPN.

-- What point guard Pierria Henry is doing on the boards this season is amazing. The 6-4 Henry had 10 rebounds against Duquesne (all defensive), the fourth time this season he's rebounded in double figures. He also had 11 against Texas State and VCU and 10 against Rhode Island. He's averaging 5.1 per game. Henry filled up the box score Wednesday, also with 18 points, three steals and five assists before fouling out. The 49ers also got a big rebounding game from another unlikely source: guard Terrence Williams, who had 12 to go along with 15 points and five assists. The rebounding of Henry and Williams was needed because freshmen forwards Willie Clayton (3) and Darion Clark (0) spent much of the game in foul trouble and had off nights.

-- Williams also had five turnovers and Henry had four, a continuing problem for Charlotte. The 49ers had 20 against Duquesne, and they now average 15.4 per game, which translates into a paltry .8 assist/turnover ratio. Another danger area: the Dukes made 12-of-21 3-pointers, the fifth consecutive game a Charlotte opponent has hit more than 40 percent of its long-range shots.

-- Other reasons for the 49ers to feel optimistic about this weekend, and, potentially, beyond: Senior center Chris Braswell's 28 points against Duquesne were a season high and three points off his career high of 31 against UMass last season. Braswell also had five rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. And freshman guard Ivan Benkovic followed his career-high 15-point effort against St. Bonaventure with nine against Duquesne, a night that included a key steal and 3-pointer late in regulation. Benkovic is 8-of-15 from 3-point range in the last two games.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm looking forward to the baseball game Saturday vs Kent State!! Go Niners!!

Anonymous said...

NO SLEEP UNTIL WE GET TO BROOKLYN!!!!

Anonymous said...

49ers could have quit but did not, very gritty. Of course, they need to get their heads in the game and stop getting pummeled in the first halves. Get St. Joe's on Sat., put an NIT bid into play and get into a positive frame of mind for the A-10. You lose 4 in a row you do not say where did it all go wrong, you keep fighting...they have wins over Northeasetern, Asheville, Butler, Xavier, Davidson, Oral Roberts, LaSalle...it is not all bad. Braswell must play 35 minutes, Major has been wrong on this. The best play the most, this is not rec league.

Anonymous said...

hIf Bobby Lutz had scheduled Oral Roberts and Northeastern, he would have been grilled. If we called Asheville a good win along with those 2 programs he would be laughed out of Halton Arena. I guess when Major was hired to "change the culture", he magically changed the expectations. This is a moribund program and we have no reason to believe he can win.

Anonymous said...

If a game is scheduled at Halton on Saturday and no one shows up, does it make a sound?

Anonymous said...

If Lutz had won more games you would not need to reminisce about him....yes, Asheville a good win. Get educated. I will be happy to educate you.

Anonymous said...

Metroll/TrollintheStands/JustA49erTroll
You just dont understand how good Asheville really is.

Anonymous said...

19 Wins proves Major is just a good as Lutz!

GET OVER IT!!!!

David Coble said...

Find your identity!!!! And check your credit score Majors!

Hilarious reading, people now pretend they are metro. He's real deal and prints his name.

Anonymous said...

Charlotte has a basketball future in the weak C-USA. It is the only way this team can be competitive. It is good the 49ers will soon escape the pummeling they have received in the A-10 from the start of the school's association. The basketball program needs stronger leadership, no matter what the conference affiliation is.
The end of season collapse (blowout losses) has become the "Norm" for the Niners.

Anonymous said...

We should be able to beat Conference USA teams in regulation. All those schools are worse than Duquesne. Autobid next season?

Coach Majors said...

Dubois iz mi homboy! We rolln n mi benz S 5 HIZZZZZYY!
BEEEEEITCHES!!

Anonymous said...

Asheville is so good that beat by something called Longwood in the first round of the mighty Big South Tourney. Straight up big-time, huh?

Educate us oh leader, please educate us.

Jeff said...

Good one 8:49 ! I still say Major is the problem with this team. I hope like hell he proves me wrong for the sake of NinerNation! We have a big recruit at the game Saturday night so I hope everyone will show up to make a good impression if nothing else! In the mean time everyone get out to the Hayes this weekend and cheer the Niners on against Kent State ! Shane Basen & Justin Seager are killing the ball so far !

Anonymous said...

Major brings in his top recruit, maybe only recruit, for a must-win game on night when students are on break. There will be no atmosphere. Baffling. We lose the game as expected, he sees a coach who will cry and cry. Heck, he cries about snowflakes.

Major minors again.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^^
Charlotte limits St Joe's to less than half its season average of points. The recruit is a guy who likes defense. SOOO...No tears tonight, Nostradumass.