Sunday, February 9, 2014

Observations from Charlotte 49ers' loss at Southern Miss

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Observations from Charlotte's 81-64 loss Sunday at Southern Mississippi:

-- The 49ers have to hope that whatever comes over them on the road (where they're 1-5 in Conference USA) doesn't seep into their play when they come back to Halton Arena for a three-game home stand that begins Saturday against Marshall (it continues with games Middle Tennessee on Feb. 20 and UAB on Feb. 22).

Charlotte is 4-0 at home in league games and 9-2 overall.

"Just because we have our white (home) uniforms on, doesn't means things are going to work out your way," said coach Alan Major. "You have to earn that homecourt advanrage by playing hard and imposing your will. That's how you create a home-court advantage."

Due to their inability to get it done on the road (Charlotte has lost five straight away games), the 49ers have left themselves little room for error if they want a top-half finish in the regular season -- which is becoming about the best they can hope for.

-- Here's what point guard Pierria Henry said about Major's ejection late against Southern Miss:

"He was just trying to fight for us, like we fight for him. Frustration is hard to fight when you’re losing. But it was the passion, pride and love he has for us that came out. It could have been the wrong timing or good timing. We couldn’t bounce back from it.”

-- Henry also took the brunt of responsibility for Charlotte's 20 turnovers (he had five of them).

"I didn't take care of the ball very well and that helped them get easy transition points. I've got to figure out how to slow the game down, how to move the ball around and get everybody involved without turning the ball over. It starts with me. If my teammates see me throwing the ball away, it gets contagious."

-- The 49ers' lack of depth became a concern against the Golden Eagles when both front-court starters -- Mike Thorne and Willie Clayton -- fouled out. The 49ers have essentially a seven-man rotation -- plus freshman forward Marcus Bryan averaging about 12 minutes.

-- Southern Miss was just about everything it was advertised. as: an athletic team that disrupts on defense and then gets out on the break effectively. The crowd at Reed Green Arena was loud and supportive -- but nowhere close (4,393) to filling up the 8,095-seat building. 


15 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is just a shame. That is all. -Mark

Anonymous said...

same old outcome. 49ers losing. time for a change.

Anonymous said...

HATERS!!!!! Is dis not what you wantid?? Alan show some pashon to fire up da team!! He use to coachin real players at ohio state! Not the losie boys and fans here!
Keep hatin HATERS!!!

Anonymous said...

Major needs to be ejected permanently from UNCC and the A-D Rose should be thinking about the promise to make the tournament. Not while she is still here. Time to send her packing too. What a joke! Switch to an easier conference and field a D III quality team.

Anonymous said...

We need to right the ship and it comes down to the coach. "Coach" Major has no idea what he's doing with a group of (somewhat) talented players. An average coach, could beat 200+RPI teams with the players we have.

Anonymous said...

Observer is so easy on Alan....it's growing comical.

Anonymous said...

Joke coach. Joke program. Does anyone really care any more?

Anonymous said...

You really can't get much easier than this conference...to comment earlier. I guess we have Davidson's but they whipped us too. Maybe we could have wrapped up the #2 seed.

Anonymous said...

Well if you saw the game you also saw that so miss is on a differnt level than UNCC, from staff to waterboy. UNCC actuall did the best they could so stop crying & hating.

Anonymous said...

They talk about the lack of a bench. That's all on major with the suspensions and transfers. He couldn't even fill all our scholarships this season

Anonymous said...

Time for a new coach

Anonymous said...

What convinced AD Rose to give Coach Major a new contract? The program may recruit some good players, but Major has never been able to create team chemistry, never, and players leave or underperform! Heading towards another .500 season in a weaker league. Attendance is dropping.....the signs aren't good.

Anonymous said...

You guys are gonna feel pretty dumb after Majors takes us to the Sweet 16!

Anonymous said...

I see by today's Rose-colored article that the 49ers are "recalibrating". That's good. I got a way they can make that happen faster. Ask Major to take the next 3 games off and watch how the game is played. Maybe that's rude, but what has he shown in almost 4 years other than he can go 50-50?

Anonymous said...

Observations from 49er Loss at.......

here is one and the only one needed: they suck.