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#42 Charlotte 49ers
Atlantic 10
2004-05: 21-8, 12-4, 3rd
CUSA
2004-05 postseason:
NCAA
By
Joel Welser
Curtis Withers is a
beast, but Charlotte
loses three of their starters from last year’s NCAA team. The
49ers have quietly become a fixture in the NCAA Tournament,
earning seven trips in the last nine seasons. They definitely
have the talent again but things will be tougher in the new A10
this year than most outside of A10 country think. Charlotte
doesn’t have much momentum heading into this season either, with
losses coming in their final four games last year.
Who’s Out:
Starters Eddie Basden, Brendan Plavich and Martin Iti are gone.
Basden averaged 15.2 points and a team high 8.4 rebounds. He was
also the defensive stopper on a squad that needed all the help
on defense it could get. Plavich leaves behind a big hole in the
long range shooting department. The 6-2 guard had over ten
attempts per game from behind the arc, averaging 13.7 points per
contest. Martin Iti never performed up to expectations, but
still started 27 contests for Charlotte. Iti will be playing at
New Mexico State in two years, but his 5.0 points, 4.0 rebounds
and 1.7 blocks is replaceable. The starting experience is not.
Little used Chris Sager has also exhausted his eligibility.
Who’s In:
The list of newcomers have talent
and experience, with no incoming freshmen headed to Charlotte.
D’Angelo Alexander, a 6-5 transfer from Oklahoma, should be
starting on the wing. Alexander averaged 9.6 points and 4.8
rebounds two years ago for the Sooners. Marcus Bennett, a 6-3
combo guard from Schoolcraft (MI) Junior College, will battle
with returning sophomore Leemire Goldwire for playing time at
the two spot. Bennett has just one year of eligibility remaining
after spending last year with Charlotte, but unable to play.
Jerrell Lewis redshirted last year and will see his first
minutes in the Charlotte backcourt in 2005-2006. The 6-2,
Brooklyn product is a great ballhandler and will see some time
off the bench. Jerrell Jamison, a transfer from Wabash Valley
Junior College, will add some more depth on the wing and his
defense will get him some quality minutes. The frontcourt needs
some depth and Antwon Coleman and Courtney Williams will provide
it. Coleman, also from Wasbash Valley JC, is a big post presence
at 6-7, 285 pounds. He has decent passing skills which will help
open up the defense for the 49ers. Williams will bring some much
needed rebounding prowess to the floor. Last year the 6-9 power
forward dominated the boards at Schoolcraft JC.
Who to Watch:
Curtis Withers has developed into a
nice leader for the 49ers. Last year he averaged 18.0 points and
8.1 rebounds per game. The 6-8 local Charlotte product spent his
summer on the USA under 21 squad where he averaged over ten
points and six rebounds in eight games. After Withers spent more
time in the post and less on the perimeter he really picked up
his game last season. With Martin Iti gone, Withers might find
himself at the five spot much of this year and that will utilize
his strengths much better.
Projected
Conference Rank:
The A10 won’t be as top heavy as
CUSA has been in recent years. There are six teams with
legitimate hopes of winning the conference and the 49ers will
have to be consistent game in and game to come out on top. The
49ers are used to sneaking up on the likes of Cincinnati,
Memphis and Louisville, but now the target will be on their back
and the rest of the A10 will be ready to take a shot at the new
kid in town. Any of the six could win this thing, but the
conference won’t be sending more than three teams to the NCAAs.
It is a transition year for Coach Bobby Lutz with the outside
shooting and rebounding taking huge losses. A 2nd
place finish puts the 49ers on the good side of the bubble and
back to the big dance.
Projected
Post-season Tournament:
NCAA
Projected Starting
Five:
Mitchell Baldwin,
Senior, Guard, 7.5 points per game
Marcus Bennett,
Senior, Guard, DNP last season
De’Angelo Alexander,
Junior, Guard, DNP last season
E.J. Drayton, Senior,
Forward, 8.7 points per game
Curtis Withers,
Senior, Forward, 18.0 points per game
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