Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Shots not easy, but they'll take 'em

This Charlotte team does not like to do things the easy way.
Free throws? Can't hit them consistently.
Layups? Ditto.

Shots within 3-feet of the the basket? Not hardly.
But the difficult plays? The big-money plays which can turn the tide of the game? Charlotte is just about perfect on those.

The 49ers needed every one to down rival Davidson 75-68 at Halton Arena on Wednesday night. And they came from everywhere.

Their were clutch 3-pointers from Leemire Goldwire, five coming in a five-minute span late in the second half.

When Stephen Curry scored eight straight points late in the game for Davidson, including back-to-back 3-pointers, freshman An'Juan Wilderness answered with a traditional 3-point play for Charlotte.

After Davidson missed on the next possession, Charlie Coley, who started the game missing his first five shots, hit a highlight reel one-handed slam in transition to push the Charlotte lead to three.

When consecutive 3-pointers from Goldwire gave Charlotte a four-point lead with under three minutes remaining, Coley again came up big, this time nailing a reverse layup. To add to the excitement, he was fouled and made his free throw.

Charlotte may not produce basketball this season that will be used in a skills clinic. But it is producing wins. And the bottom line is a 5-2 Charlotte team that does it the hard way is far better than a 49ers team that finds easy ways to lose.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's amazing. It's the same boink fest each game. We miss point blank shots, but you have to LOVE how hard they play and how long they play that hard. This team is so much fun to watch, frustrating shot count or not!
GREAT Observer coverage the past 2 days on this terrific rivalry, too.

Anonymous said...

I attended the game last night, and it was absolutely incredible to watch.

Charlotte has players this year that are just flat out exciting to watch. You never know what they're going to do with the ball. They are all young, which means they definitely make mistakes at this time that they won't make later. But, some of the things they are able to do with the ball I would not expect from SENIORS at other schools. Level of athleticism and intensity is through the roof. Also, the crowd this year is deafening.

This year should be fun... but...

If Charlotte can get another "pure shooter" for next year (Leemire Goldwire is apparently leaving), this team will be exceptional.

Anonymous said...

I have not had this much fun since my freshman year here at charlotte. This team brings so much excitement. The crowd is amazing. We have had a stellar crowd from the beginning this year and I hope it stays that way. This year the team, the students, and the fans are definately "ALL-IN".

GO NINERS!

Anonymous said...

college hoops fan: Signee Shamarr Bowden is slated to replace Leemire as the "shooter". A bit taller and a bit more athletic, but he'll have big shoes to fill. Hope you come out to the game Saturday!

Anonymous said...

I have had at least 10 alumni/season ticket holders call me in the last week and express how much fun it is to watch this Niners team play. The play is elevated so much ove rthe last two seasons. Their collective hustle and intensity is infectios and when they become more comfortable with the offense the team will be real treat. Go Niners!

Anonymous said...

This season is a whole lot better than the last two seasons at UNCC. Niner Nation has definitely come together to show support for our guys! Remember, wear GREEN and GO NINERS!