Former 49er returns as opponent

The Charlotte 49ers women's basketball team, which has won 22 of its past 24 home games, will have at least one more game at Halton Arena this season, thanks to an invitation to the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

In an ironic twist, Leslie Cook will also get one more game at Halton, even though she transferred from the 49ers to High Point three years ago.
The 49ers (18-12) host the Panthers (18-11) at 7 p.m. Thursday. High Point is making its first ever postseason appearance. This is Charlotte's fifth in a row and sixth overall.

Cook, a 5-foot-11 senior guard, was a 3-point shooting ace while at Charlotte. She set the 49ers record for number of 3-pointers made in a single season as a freshman, then broke her own record during her sophomore season.

She hasn't slowed down since returning to her native High Point, on the court or in the classroom. She is a 2007 ESPN: The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America first team member and is a two-time winner of the Big South Conference women’s basketball scholar-athlete of the year award.

This season, Cook has averaged 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game and is shooting nearly 33 percent from 3-point range. Cook was named second-team all-conference while High Point coach Tooey Loy won coach of the year honors. -- Jim Utter