Niner Times - Basketball Preview - October 2011

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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REVIEW 2010-2011 ANATOMY 49er MEN’S TOP 5 WOMEN’S TOP 5

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ACADEMIC athletes Q&A coach alan major SCHEDULE men’s 2011-12 SCHEDULE women’s 2011-12

Creative Director: Karen Pierce Asst. Creative Director: Niki Prestel Sports Editor: Ed Niser Asst. Sports Editor: Joel Hanel Marketing Director: Sarah Jones Executive Editor: Corey Connor

Sales Team: Nathan Heatherly Dalton Mitchell Tyler Johnson Steve Chung Brian Mister

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Q&A coach cara consuegra SENIOR men

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HISTORY charlotte RIVALRY hornet’s nest

SENIOR women

STAFF Promotions Coordinator: Chase McBride Marketing Intern: Joe Pelosi Student Niner Media Advisor: Wayne Maikranz Marketing Advisor: Kelly Merges Production Coordinator: Pete Hurdle Office Manager: Mark Haire

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REVIEW 2010-2011

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE ATHLETICS GRAPHIC BY JOEL HANEL

Last season the 49ers men’s basketball team faced some depth issues right from the start of the 2010-2011 campaign, when they had only seven active players in their opening game against Gardner Webb.Charlotte welcomes back four starts in their leading scorer Derrio Green, Mr.double-double Chris Braswell.

Head Coach Alan Major was forced to deal with adversity right from the get go, as the team managed to win just 10 games in 2011.

The 49ers look to improve upon last year, as they did have some glimmers of hope in defeating then No.7 Tennessee at Time Warner Cable Arena and they also handed Xavier their only loss in the A-10 Conference. This year Charlotte is young, with only two seniors on the active roster, but they do have something they didn’t have a year ago: depth.

The Charlotte 49ers women’s basketball team comes into the 2011-2012 season with a lot of hope, after their successful run to the WNIT Final Four last March.

Last season, the 27-10 Niners averaged 69.8 points a game, and were led by the scoring power of Shannon McCallum and Epiphany Woodson.

In the Atlantic-10, the Niners went 9-5, winning several big games including Dayton (73-52) and Richmond (68-63). Against Dayton, Epiphany Woodson, dropped 22 points, sparking the Niners five game win streak.

Charlotte graduated their leading scorers from a year ago in Shannon McCallum and Kendria Holmes.

Coming back this season are seniors Epiphany Woodson, Jennifer Hailey, Amanda Dowe and Paige McCallum.

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49er Proudly sings ‘The Fight Song’

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ANATOMY Throws up their C-Picks

Bleeds Green & White Keeps Charlotte Green

Stands in Section 104

Waves their colors high

PHOTO BY KAREN PIERCE

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men’s Top 5 Head Coach Bob McKillop’s Wildcats possess a very strong team who made an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational last season,where they fell to the Creighton Bluejays 102-92. The Wildcats are coming off an 18-15 season, with a 10-8 record in the SoCon. The 49ers and Wildcats look to cause a buzz around the city, as the Battle for the Hornets Nest Trophy resumes.

Charlotte fans better postpone their holiday plans as a Hurricane will be brewing inside Halton Arena, the 49ers host Miami for a little pre-holiday hoops action in the seventh overall meeting between the two schools. The 49ers hold a 4-2 edge in the series, with their last meeting occurring a decade ago in 2002.

Charlotte meets the Razorbacks for the first time, as the Southeast meets the Southwest in a late Dec. showdown.

Charlotte and Arkansas look even when it comes to experience on their rosters as the 49ers, like the Razorbacks have just two seniors. Arkansas graduated their leading scorer Rotnei Clarke, who averaged 15.2 points-per-game.

Fresh off a disappointing 77-75 loss to the Arizona Wildcats last fall, the Tigers are primed and ready to make yet another postseason run in 2011-2012. Charlotte and Memphis are familiar opponents as the 49ers were a member of the C-USA from 1995-2005, where they met the Tigers thirteen times.

The Musketeers captured a share of the regular season title last year, finishing with a record of 24-8 overall and 8-1 in the Atlantic-10 conference with their only loss coming to Charlotte inside Halton Arena. In the series with Xavier, the Musketeers have the overwhelming edge the 49ers 2-9 overall.

DAVIDSON

MIAMI

ARKANSAS

MEMPHIS

XAVIER

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women’s top 5 FLORIDA

FLORIDA STATE

OHIO STATE

AUBURN

XAVIER

At the Courtyard LaGuardia Turkey Classic, the 49ers are set to play previous Charlotte head coach Amanda Butler’s Florida Gators. The 49ers will be tested against a team that returns five starters, who were ranked fourth in scoring in the SEC last year. The Gators defeated the Niners 76-70 at the beginning of the season, but fell to Charlotte 81-77 in the WNIT.

The Seminoles return a team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament last year. Florida State posted a record of 24-8 last season and ended the year ranked No.15 in the nation, and are currently ranked No.20 going into the season. Charlotte is 1-1 all time against the Seminoles, their last meeting was back in the 2004-2006 season.

Playing at Ohio State, Charlotte will face a Buckeye team that finished 24-10 last year, including a NCAA run into the Sweet 16. The 49ers need to watch out for the lone Buckeye senior Samantha Prahalis, who scored 14.5 points a game, and is the Ohio State all-time assist leader with 707. This will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Taking on the Tigers, the 49ers will battle a team with two returning seniors, and who finished in the middle of the pack in the SEC last season. In the first meeting between the two schools, Charlotte will have to watch for junior Blanch Alverson, who as a sophomore was second on the team in scoring averaging 10.2 points per game.

Ranked No.11 in the nation, the Xavier Musketeers will be in the 49ers line of fire this season. Coming of the heels of a 29-3 season with seven letterwiners returning, the only returning starter is senior guard Tyeasha Moss, who averaged 10.4 points a game, and led the A-10 in threepointers. Charlotte possesses a 3-7 record against the Musketeers, falling 82-61 last

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academic athletes

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE ATHLETICS

Corey Connor Executive Editor Athletes don’t just exist on the court, but like other students must participate in academic life on top of their athletic commitments.

In a recent interview with WFAE Chancellor Dubois said, “There are the NCAA standards and then there are the institutional standards. If students don’t meet on a regular basis both with respect to the credit hours they complete each semester and how much progress they’re making towards their major. If they don’t meet those bench-

marks, they don’t play.”

Charlotte 49er athletes have the assistance of Athletic Academic Center in meeting those requirements. The center provides advising services, study hall, tutoring services, and more.

Student athletes also participate in the 49er Life Skills program. Founded in 1999 the program is meant to provide “a balanced program, promoting a total person concept. There are five areas that make up the program, academic excellence, athletic excellence, personal development, career development, and service.

PHOTO BY KAREN PIERCE

GRAPHIC BY JOEL HANEL

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coach alan major Ed Niser: How have things changed since bringing in your own recruiting class?

Coach Major: “They got to be here in the summer, which was advantageous for us. I think the big thing, when you bring a guy into your program is that you want guys who will tackle things in a championship fashion. Whether it be academics, off the court, or handling themselves in the community and as a player.”

EN: How do the new guys fit into your system?

AM: “I think buying into how hard you have to play is the one thing you can demand and expect along with capturing the effort you need to succeed. The Number one thing is buying in and understanding defensively and understanding effort and hustle.

Now that you have that as your baseline, you can work on the X’s and O’s later.”

EN: What are you some of your hardest nonconference games this season?

AM: “We will have that stretch there kind of like a BCS row right before NewYears with Miami here. We will go to Memphis and Arkansas right after Christmas, It doesn’t matter where you play whether it be at Davidson or Charlotte, or on Mars or Jupiter you have two teams that are going to go at each other.”

EN: Would you say team chemistry has improved this season as opposed to last year?

AM: “I think so, I think the guys see the importance

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Q&A

PHOTO BY KAREN PIERCE

in making sure it is good. We have our good days and our tough days, but I think they understand now that it is important to have good chemistry, because in this conference so many games are so close on the road. Good chemistry can get you a win or two when you’re not supposed to get one.”

EN: What is the difference between this year’s team and last years?

AM: “I think this year we want to build around our defense and get up and down the floor a bit more quicker, we till like to get the ball inside and work from the inside out.”

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men’s schedule 11/3 BELMONT ABBEY (Exh.) 7:00

11/11 NC CENTRAL (DH w/ WBB) 7:30 11/15 at Central Michigan 7:00 11/19 at Lamar TBA 11/22 EAST TENNESSE STATE 7:30 11/26 at Wright State 7:00 12/3 at East Carolina 5:00 12/6 at Radford 7:00 12/10 DAVIDSON 7:00 12/19 COPPIN STATE 7:30 12/22 MIAMI 7:30 12/28 at Arkansas TBA 12/31 at Memphis 9:00 1/4 RICHMOND* 7:30 1/7 at Saint Joseph’s* 2:00 1/11 at Massachusetts* 7:00 1/14 SAINT LOUIS* 2:00 1/18 KENNESAW STATE 7:30 1/21 at George Washington TBA 1/25 TEMPLE* 7:30 1/28 XAVIER* 7:00 2/1 at La Salle* 7:00 2/4 at Fordham* 1:00 2/11 RHODE ISLAND* (HC) 2:00 2/15 at Dayton* TBA 2/18 at Richmond* 6:00 2/22 GEORGE WASHINGTON* 7:30 2/25 ST. BONAVENTURE* 7:00 2/29 DUQUESNE* 7:30 3/3 at Xavier* 2:00 3/6 A-10 Championship First Round 3/9-3/11 A-10 Championship Atlantic City, N.J.

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women’s schedule 11/5 JOHNSON C. SMITH (Exh.) 7:00

11/11 PRESBYTERIAN (DH w/ MBB) 5:00 11/13 ARKANSAS STATE 2:00 11/16 at Virginia Tech 7:00 11/19 ELON 7:00 11/22 at Virginia Commonwealth 7:00 Courtyard LaGuardia Turkey Classic 11/25 vs Long Island 2:00 11/26 vs Florida 2:00 12/4 at Florida State 2:00 12/7 UNC WILMINGTON 7:00 12/19 at Ohio State 2:00 12/21 NORTH CAROLINA AT&T 7:00 FIU Sun and Fun Classic 12/29 vs. Auburn 8:00 12/30 vs. Florida International/Albany 4:00/6:00 1/3 FURMAN 7:00 1/7 at Xavier* 4:00 1/11 SAINT LOUIS* 7:00 1/14 at George Washington* 2:00 1/18 LA SALLE (EDUCATION DAY)* 12:00 1/21 ST. BONAVENTURE* 7:00 1/25 at Fordham* 7:00 1/29 at Temple* 2:00 2/1 MASSACHUSETTS* 7:00 2/4 RHODE ISLAND* 7:00 2/8 at Dayton* 11:00 2/11 at Duquesne* 4:30 2/18 SAINT JOSEPH’S (WBCA PINK ZONE GAME)* 7:00 2/22 Saint Louis* 8:00 2/26 RICHMOND (SENIOR DAY)* 2:00 3/2-3/5 Atlantic 10 Tournament TBA

All times Eastern, Tentative; *Atlantic 10 game Home games in bold, all caps played at Halton Arena GRAPHIC BY NIKI PRESTEL

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Q&A coach cara consuegra Ed Niser: How do you follow up Charlotte’s run to the WNIT Final four and how has team chemistry evolved?

Coach Consuegra: “You are limited in the contact you can have with the players, we encouraged them to stop by during the summer and spend time with the staff and hang out in our offices and that meant a lot to me knowing they wanted to get to know us, as we wanted to get to know them. Chemistry takes time, you have the first transistion of getting to know each other, it is another transition getting to know each other on the court as a coaching staff and as players.”

EN: What brand of basketball do you want to play and how does it compare to that of former head coach Karen Aston?

CC:“I think similarities we have are that we like to play man to man defense, create ball screens, what is important to me and my staff is that it takes time and we_ need to put time into it, they step a little bit towards us and we step a bit towards them.”

EN: Non Conference games give you the chance to see what your made of, how tough is your non conference slate this year?

CC: “We have pretty tough non conference schecdule, some of that was by design some was at the timing of being hired and nobody working on the schedule for a month and a half, we play on the road quite a bit we are playing at Virginia Tech,VCU,

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE ATHLETICS

Florida State and neutral games against Aubrun and Florida, we will be tested but I feel this team can handle it, they’re not intimidated easily, theyre not the type to look at the schedule and be overwhelemed, we are working to prepare ourselves for the A-10 season.”

EN: How do you follow up the birth in the NIT Final Four?

CC: ”I would say what I have seen based on film, we just need to be consistent and fnd the toughness to come out every night no matter where we are whether it be home or away, we need to come out with the attitude that we are there to win each night, the nontangible things are what we need to improve on, no matter who or where we are playing, we are here to win.”

EN: What do your assistant bring to table when it comes to your coaching philosophy?

CC: “I think at the end of the day it comes down to the core values of why we are coaching. It is about the student athleties, and it’s not about getting work done. I if we are working, then we put the work down and help the athletes. If we are in a meeting; we leave. I am thankful these assistants came to work with me and have a wealth of experience, we have come together very well and I am very thankful for my staff.

EN: What do you expect from Basketball Madness?

CC: “I have heard wonderful things from people in the business outside the program, how Charlotte does madness right, that date is about student athletes to go out infront of their peers and compete in the different things they are going to compete in, I want them to just have a good time.”

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SENIORS

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men Dreams to work for the CIA Eats at Mama Leones

Dreams to be a Lawyer

Prefers Mac

Wears Polo Eats at Chik-fil-a

Prefers Mac

DeRRio Green

JAVARRIS BARNETT

Aspires to win the A-10 Championship

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women

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Dreams to work with children globally Dreams to be in the WNBA Eats at Salsaritas

Eats at Einstein Bros Bagels

Prefers PC

Eats at Bojangles

Dreams to be a Marine Biologist Wears American Eagle Wears Polo

Wears O’Neill Prefers Mac

Perfers Mac

Epiphany Woodson

Katie Meader

Paige McCallum

PHOTOS BY KAREN PIERCE

Aspires to win the A-10 Championship

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history charlotte MEN’S POSTSEASON

MEN’S COACHES

WOMEN’S POSTSEASON

1976 NIT Finals 1977 NCAA Final Four 1988 NCAA Southeast 1989 NIT 1992 NCAA East 1994 NIT 1995 NCAA East 1997 NCAA West 1998 NCAA East 1999 Midwest 2000 NIT 2001 NCAA Midwest 2002 NCAA South 2004 NCAA East Rutherford 2005 NCAA Syracuse 2006 NIT 2008 NIT

Harvey Murphy (1965-1970) 44-81 Bill Foster (1970-1975) 88-38 Lee Rose (1975-1978) 72-18 Mike Pratt (1978-1982) 56-52 Hal Wissel (1982-1985) 22-62 Jeff Mullins (1985-1996) 182-142 Melvin Watkins (1996-1998) 42-20 Bobby Lutz (1998-2010) 218-158 Alan Major (2010-Present) 10-20

1990 WNIT 2003 NCAA 2004 WNIT 2005 WNIT 2006 WNIT 2007 WNIT 2008 WNIT 2009 NCAA 2010 WNIT 2011 WNIT Final Four

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WOMEN’S COACHES Judy Rose (1975-1982) 93-65 Ann Payne (1982-1984) 35-21 Cindy Connelley (1984-1988) 56-51 Ed Baldwin (1988-2001) 175-191 Katie Meier (2001-2005) 67-45 Amanda Butler (2005-2007) 40-22 Karen Aston (2007-2011) 86-47 Cara Consuegra (2011)

GRAPHIC BYNIKI PRESTEL

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rivalryhornet’s nest

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The rivalry between the two schools is genuinely fierce...the games are always sloppy, fun and frantic.

Joel Hanel Asst. Sports Editor With the return of 49er Basketball this year, comes the 31st ‘Battle for the Hornet’s Nest.’ The decisive game for bragging rights in Mecklenburg County has taken place between the Charlotte 49ers and the Davidson Wildcats since the 1979-80 season, and has been one of the biggest 49er games each season.

Continuing the tradition, the Niners will once again take the court against their county rivals in their fight to return the Hornet’s Nest Trophy to its true owners. To a Charlotte fan, the Davidson game is often the highlight of a season, especially as the Niners currently lead the rivalry 20-10.

Sadly, the Davidson Wildcats took The Hornet’s Nest Trophy last season in Davidson’s Belk Gym, but with the game being played in Halton Arena, things might change.

As previously stated, the Niners lead the “Battle for the Hornet’s Nest” 20-10, but also have led all games played 26-10. As journalist Scott Fowler said in 2007, “the rivalry between the two schools is genuinely fierce. I go to this game every year if I’m in town. You should too if you like basketball, for it is invariably a December gift that keeps on giving. The games are always sloppy, fun and frantic.”

One big advantage that plays a part in the rivalry is that the Niners are undefeated (6-0) in Halton Arena against the Wildcats.

Home court advantage helped the Niners win the last meeting on Charlotte’s home floor in 2007, as the Niners with the shooting skills of Leemire Goldwire defeated Stephen Curry’s Wildcats.

What has been remarked as one of the greatest Niner victories, the two three-point shooters battled it out, Goldwire sinking nine three-pointers, and Curry making seven. In the end, a Charlie Coley dunk and reverse lay-up sealed the deal, and the Niners contin-

ued their unblemished home record in Halton.

The rivalry between the Charlotte 49ers and the Davidson Wildcats was much anticipated after the 1977 Final Four appearance by the 49ers. Talk around the city of Charlotte grew to an all time high, when “The Rivalry That Isn’t” aired on local television, talking about the possibility for a matchup.

Said 49er Coach Lee Rose in the show, “We think the people in Charlotte would like to see the game, and we have made certain proposals that haven’t been acted upon. One day, they would like to play us, but we are ready to play as soon as we can get together.”

On December 10th, the Charlotte 49ers and Davidson Wildcats will once again meet on the paint of Halton Arena. Though it has been four years since the two teams have met on the campus of UNC Charlotte, the tradition continues.

The Niners and Wildcats have played ever since the rivalry began but after the 2007 loss to Charlotte, both teams failed to take the court until last year, when the tradition continued at Davidson’s campus.

For those who have been at UNC Charlotte for four years, and are graduating this spring, this will the one and only chance to witness a Davidson game as a student played in Halton Arena.

Being able to quote accurate statistics about the Davidson rivalry is a highlight of being a Niner fan. This season prepare with quotes of knowledge such as, “Charlotte has won all three overtime games against Davidson,” and or flaunt your knowledge with “Did you know the Niners kept the Hornet’s Nest Trophy from 1986 until 1993, and that is three times longer than Davidson’s longest record?”

Attending the Davidson game will be a highlight of your time at UNC Charlotte, and for freshmen or transfer students; it is not something to miss.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROUGES N’ RASCALS GRAPHIC BY JOEL HANEL

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