Georgia Tech: 49ers Next Opponent

The Charlotte 49ers (2-0) play Georgia Tech at 1 p.m. Friday in the first round of the Paradise Jam tournament at the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center in St. Thomas. Jim Utter takes a quick look at the Yellow Jackets (1-1), who are coming off a 99-85 victory at Tennessee State.

WHAT'S GONE RIGHT
Has Georgia Tech righted the wrongs that plagued it in its season opening home loss to UNC Greensboro? A dominating victory at Tennessee State this week should have helped. The Yellow Jackets went inside to dominate Tennessee State as junior center Alade Aminu scored a career-high 25 and Tech outscored the Tigers 48-18 in the paint.

WHAT'S GONE WRONG
A lot was wrong in the Yellow Jackets' season opener as a poor second-half display on offense and defense helped UNC Greensboro pull the upset. Outside of Morrow (23 points), Georgia Tech had virtually no consistent offense and allowed the Spartans to shoot nearly 50 percent from the field. UNC Greensboro also handily out-muscled the Jackets on the boards in the second-half, hardly what you would expect from a very athletic Tech team.

WILD CARD
Which Georgia Tech team will show up? The one with virtually no inside game against UNC Greensboro or the one which dominated the paint at Tennessee State? Either way, Charlotte's frontcourt of Phil Jones, Lamont Mack and An'Juan Wilderness is likely to determine the outcome of this game.

Greetings from the Virgin Islands

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands -- Good Morning, Charlotte and Winthrop fans!

No disrespect intended as I usually cover Charlotte 49er athletics, but since Winthrop joins Charlotte in the eight-team Paradise Jam tournament over the next four days, I will be spending a lot of time with both teams.

One thing for residents of St. Thomas, they sure are a friendly lot. Arriving on Wednesday we were greeted with punch (alcohol included), steel drum music and a long wait at baggage claim. But wherever you go, you're greeted with big smiles and welcomes.

The plane ride in is incredible as you pass over the many Caribbean islands, including some so small you wonder if they have names. Virtually the entire airport is "open air" - baggage claim and where you check in for departing flights. I would hate to fly on a rainy day.

Rental cars are an adventure, as is the driving. You are given two reminders about traffic on St. Thomas, where you travel on the left side of the road. One is verbal - "Keep your shoulder to the shoulder." That was offered by the rental car desk attendant. They other is a large sticker on the windshield on the driver's side: "KEEP TO THE LEFT." I'm sure the rental car agencies here have had more than one car come back from someone who did not remember or take the advice.

Interested in the main trade? My room key to my hotel came with a $200 discount if you buy a pair of diamond stud earrings 1 carat or more. I also got a 20-percent coupon for another jewelry outlet left in my room.

This morning I made the trek over to the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center. I found the entry to the main campus (the arena is not there). Then found the arena (aka elaborate high school gym) at the turn for the campus' marine sanctuary. It's obvious here basketball is not the main recreational activity.

Charlotte practices first this morning, followed by Winthrop. All but one of the 49ers' players made the trip. Pepperdine transfer Michael Gerrity is still not allowed to travel with the team until he becomes eligible following the conclusion of the fall semester.

Wilderness a defensive stopper

Charlotte 49er fans, meet An'Juan Wildnerness - the freshman defensive stopper.

Two games into his first season with the 49ers, Wilderness has already shown himself to be one of Charlotte's toughest defenders on a team that is quickly developing a reputation for stingy defense.

That, of course, is a good thing. And the freshman forward's defensive skills were much needed in Monday night's win over Appalachian State when the Mountaineers' Kellen Brand connected on all four of his 3-pointers and racked up 16 points in the first half.

Enter Wilderness, who Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz stuck on Brand most of the second half.

"An'Juan was terrific on Brand in the second half. He didn't score much when An'Juan was guarding him. He still made plays and shots but An'Juan did a very good job in the first 10 or 12 minutes of the second half of slowing him down," Lutz said.

Brand never took another 3-pointer until late in the second half when Charlotte appeared to have the game well in hand.

"Coach said to get on him, so I got on him and did my job," Wilderness said. "I got on him, pressured him and didn't let him breathe. That's about it."

Burgin is A-10 Player of the Week

Charlotte 49ers women’s basketball junior center Danielle Burgin of Asheville was named the Atlantic 10's women's player of the week. She claimed the honor as a result of her performance at this past weekend’s WBCA Classic at Penn State.

Burgin averaged a double-double (12 points and 11 rebounds) in Charlotte’s three games in the Classic, where the 49ers went 0-3. She recorded her first double-double of the season and the fourth of her career with 12 points and 12 rebounds against No. 20 Pittsburgh on Friday.

On Saturday, she added her fifth career double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds against Penn State. She scored four points and grabbed eight rebounds against Arizona in the final game of the Classic on Sunday.

Game notes: High Point at Charlotte, Nov. 9

Games Notes provided by Charlotte 49ers Sports Information:

HOME OPENER
Charlotte 49ers vs. High Point
Fri., Nov. 9; 7:30 p.m.
Halton Arena (9,105); Charlotte, N.C.

The Coaches:
Bobby Lutz, Charlotte
Career: 349-203 (19th year)
at Charlotte: 168-112 (10th year)

Bart Lundy, High Point
Career: 185-93 (11th year)
at High Point: 70-52 (6th year)

Series Record: High Point leads, 2-0. Two teams have not met since 1970.

NOTES: The 49ers are 8-1 in season-openers under Lutz ... The two teams met in a season-opener once before: 1969-70; High Point won, 113-59 ... High Point is the preseason favorite to win the Big South Conference ... Charlotte has been picked to place 10th in the Atlantic 10 Conference in the league’s preseason poll ... the 49ers next game is at home, Nov. 12 vs. Appalachian State ... Appalachian State went 25-8 last year, earning a trip to the NIT.

The 49ers: The Charlotte 49ers return two starters from last year’s 14-16 squad, but hope that the influx of the Atlantic 10’s top-ranked recruiting class will send the Niners to greater heights in head coach Bobby Lutz’s 10th year at the helm. The 49ers return senior guard Leemire Goldwire, who was second on the team with a 14.5 scoring average, last year as well as sophomore shooter Ian Andersen, who averaged 4.6 points while making 14 starts, last season.

A DECADE of 49er PRIDE: Charlotte, it should be noted, has been to post-season play in seven of Bobby Lutz’s nine seasons, including a school-record five NCAA Tournament appearances. In the last four years, Charlotte has posted one first-place and two second-place regular-season finishes in league play (2004 C-USA Champs; 2005 C-USA Runner-up; 2006 A-10 Runner-up). With 168 career wins, Lutz is 14 shy of the school record of 182 coaching victories, held by Jeff Mullins.

GOOD AS GOLD: Senior Leemire Goldwire ranks 21st all-time with 1043 career points and fifth all-time with 215 career three-pointers. He led the Atlantic 10 in three-pointers made per game (3.03) and free throw pct. (.905), last season. His scoring average improved to 16.0 in A-10 games and he shot .450 from three-point range against league opponents. His scoring averages and shooting pcts. have gone up during league play in each of the last two seasons.

Preseason A-10 Honors: The Charlotte 49ers are picked 10th in the A-10 Preseason Poll, as selected by coaches and media. Xavier is picked to win the league. Senior Leemire Goldwire is a preseason all-Atlantic 10 third team selection. Sophomore center Phil Jones is tabbed on the preseason all-Rookie Team.

The Long Rangers: Each of the last nine years -- which neatly corresponds with Bobby Lutz’s tenure as head coach -- the 49ers have boasted the league leader in either three-pointers made or three-pointers made per game. Last year, Leemire Goldwire led the A-10 with 3.03 threes per game.

2007 Leemire Goldwire (91; 3.03)

2006 De’Angelo Alexander (94, 3.03)

2005 *Brendan Plavich (114, 3.9)

2004 Brendan Plavich (97, 3.3)

2003 Demon Brown (137)

2002 Jobey Thomas (110)

2001 Jobey Thomas (94)

2000 Jobey Thomas (81)

1999 Diego Guevara (80)

* Led the nation in three-pointers made per game

(Charlotte was in Conference USA from 1999-2005)

Home at Halton: The 49ers have won at least 10 home games in nine of the 11 seasons that they have called Halton Arena home. Charlotte was 10-4 last year. The 49ers have advanced to post-season play in nine of the 11 years (7 NCAA; 2 NIT) at Halton. Overall the Niners are 113-32 (.779) in 11 years at Halton.

Niners host women's soccer tournament

The Atlantic 10 women's soccer tournament gets underway on Thursday at the 49ers' Transamerica Field. Charlotte, the top seed, doesn't play until Friday's semifinals.

Charlotte coach Jon Lipsitz offered an inside look on the teams participating in the tournament this season.

Fordham: "A counter attacking team -- they will sit in with lots of players and then counter -- so they can absorb lots of chances waiting for their special ones. Difficult style to play against."

Duquesne: "They have a great midfield that has been scoring lots of goals lately. First year coach and he has them inspired and ready. Very athletic."

Saint Louis: "Have a great attack and are the two-time defending tournament champ so very difficult to favor anyone but them. Great possession style, very skilled."

Dayton: "Has top goal scorer in league - Mandi Back - they are very tough and good on set pieces and Back can win a game individually at any time."

Richmond: "The Cinderella -- after a few lean years they are back in the tourney -- very organized. Expect low scoring games that come down to a couple moments. Top player is Jess Wolfe in the midfield."

Niners injury update

Injury update on Charlotte 49ers' men's basketball team entering Friday night's season opener against High Point:

-- Redshirt freshman forward Charles Dewhurst, who missed last week's exhibition against Ottawa with acute Achilles tendinitis in his right foot, has been practicing this week at 100 percent.
-- Senior guard Sean Phaler has been battling a stomach virus.
-- Senior guard Jerrell Lewis has a loose tooth, which should not affect his availability.
In other words, everyone is pretty much good to go.