Head coach Bobby Lutz leads the 49ers into C-USA Tournament action, Thursday. |
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GAME NOTES: Charlotte Seeded #2 in C-USA Tournament
March 9, 2005
Memphis, Tenn. -
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The News:
The #25/#24 Conference USA runner-up Charlotte 49ers (21-6; 12-4) travel to Memphis for the Kelly Tires C-USA Tournament, Mar. 9-11. On Thursday, the second-seeded 49ers will play the winner of Wednesday's #7-seed Memphis vs. #10-seed Saint Louis. Charlotte has lost its last two games, its first two-game losing streak of the season. Charlotte owns the second-most C-USA Tournament wins (15) in the league's 10-year history, as well as the second-most tournament championships (2), semifinal (6) and final (4) appearances. Charlotte's six NCAA bids are tied with Louisville for second-most in league history. The 49ers have enjoyed win streaks of nine and seven games and have scored at least 80 points in four of the last five games; seven of the last nine. The Niners went unbeaten at home (8-0) in C-USA play.
All-Conference USA Honors:
Eddie Basden, who was named Conference USA Player of the Year and Curtis Withers were both named first-team all-Conference USA while Basden also garnered C-USA Defensive Player of the Year honors. For Withers, the honor was his second straight first-team award, joining DeMarco Johnson (1997, 1998) as the only 49ers to grab two all-C-USA first team honors. Withers leads the 49ers in scoring at 17.5 ppg and he tops C-USA with a 19.1 scoring average in league games. He tops the Niners with nine double-doubles and nine 20-point games, including seven in league play. Withers averages 8.3 rebounds and shoots .466 from the floor. He and Basden become the second 49er pair to earn first team honors in C-USA in the same year (DeMarco Johnson, Sean Colson, 1998).
Basden, voted the league's Player of the Year after a stat-stuffing season, picked up his first all-C-USA first team honor and his second C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Award. Basden is the only player in the league who ranks in the top 10 in scoring (10th, 15.3), rebounds (5th, 8.5), assists (10th, 3.6), steals (1st, 3.3) and field goal pct. (8th, .500). He joins former Cincinnati great Kenyon Martin and Marquette's Dwyane Wade as the only players in league history to earn Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the same season. He's scored in double figures 23 times, with six double-doubles. In league play, he averages 16.2 points, 8.4 rebounds while shooting .497 from the field. He became the second player in league history to win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year Awards, joining three-time winner Kenyon Martin, of Cincinnati. Basden set C-USA and Charlotte records for career steals (260) and the Charlotte record for single-season steals (89). He has had at least three steals in 21 games. His 53 steals in league play are the second-most in C-USA history. ESPN College Basketball analyst Jay Bilas called Basden his National Defensive Player of the Year.
National Recognition:
Jim Phelan National Coach of Year Finalist (10)
Bobby Lutz
ESPN.com National Player of the Week:
Curtis Withers, Feb. 14
(avg. 30.0 pts; 9.0 rebs in 2 wins)
National Def. Player of the Year*: Eddie Basden
* - ESPN's Jay Bilas
Dick Vitale's All-AT&T (Long Distance) team:
Brendan Plavich (95 threes), 2nd str. seas.
C-USA Player of Year (CollegeInsider.com):
Curtis Withers
Notes:
Brendan Plavich is 2nd in the nation in 3FG/gm (4.0/gm) and Eddie Basden is 3rd in the NCAA in steals per game (3.3) ... Charlotte has posted its 2nd straight 20-win regular season and their second straight season with 12 wins in C-USA play ... over the last two years, Charlotte and Cincinnati are tied for the best combined C-USA record: 24-8.
The Power of Three:
The 49ers triumvirate of Curtis Withers (17.5; 19.1), Eddie Basden (15.3; 16.2) and Brendan Plavich (14.1; 14.6) each average double figures, and increase those scoring numbers in league play. Withers has scored 20 or more points nine times, Plavich eight times and Basden five. Withers has scored over 20 points in four of the last five games and leads C-USA with a 19.1 scoring average in league games. Over the last 10 games (8-2): 22.6 points and 8.6 rebounds while shooting .510 (75-of-147). He was named ESPN.com's National Player of the Week, Feb. 14 after averaging 30.0 points and 9.0 rebounds in a pair of wins, including a C-USA season-high 39 points at Saint Louis. Basden won three C-USA Player of the Week honors, in February and is called the nation's top defender by ESPN's Jay Bilas. Plavich has scored 20+ in the last two games, has nailed at least five threes in 12 games and ranks second in the nation with 4.0 threes per game.
To view entire release, click on PDF file at the top of the page
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