Game Preview: Charlotte travels to Richmond with undefeated conference record on the line

Charlotte is off to their best Atlantic 10 conference start since the 2005-06 season. Photo by Chris Crews

The Charlotte 49ers (15-2, 3-0) will try to remain undefeated in the Atlantic 10 when they battle Richmond (11-7, 1-2) on the road, Saturday at 6 p.m.

Charlotte enters Saturday’s game with a 15-2 overall record. The 49ers haven’t had a start to the season like this since the 1976-77 season when the 49ers started 17-2. Charlotte captured the Sun Belt Conference Championship that year and played in the NCAA Final Four, under Lee Rose.

Charlotte Game Notes:

-Saturday’s game against Richmond will mark the 18th meeting between the two schools.

-Richmond leads the all-time series, 10-7.

-The two teams split their two meetings last season. Charlotte defeated Richmond, 75-70, in Halton Arena (Jan. 4, 2012).

-Former 49er Javarris Barnett led the team with 22 points. Chris Braswell scored 13 points and Pierria Henry added 10 points.

-Richmond defeated Charlotte in their last meeting, 53-52, in Richmond (Feb. 18, 2012). Braswell led the team with 16 points and 13 rebounds in that game.

-If Charlotte gets the win on Saturday, head coach Alan Major will have a career record of 39-39, .500 at Charlotte.

-Charlotte’s bench has outscored their opponent’s bench in 16 straight games. Charlotte is averaging 32.2 points per game off the bench this season.

-The 49ers have outscored 14 of their 17 opponents this season on points in the paint. Charlotte is averaging 37.01 points per game in the paint.

-The 49ers will return home on Wednesday where they’ll face Xavier. This will be a Whiteout promotion for Charlotte.

Charlotte’s probable starters:

-(G) Pierria Henry – 8.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 57 Assists, 49 Steals, 10 Blocks

-(G) Terrence Williams – 7.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 28 Assists, 12 Steals, 5 Blocks

-(G) Denzel Ingram – 6.2 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 25 Assists, 18 Steals, 0 Blocks

-(F) Chris Braswell – 11.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 17 Assists, 16 Steals, 16 Blocks

-(F) Willie Clayton – 8.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 5 Assists, 6 Steals, 14 Blocks

**Notable player off the bench: (G) DeMario Mayfield -11.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 31 Assists, 17 Steals, 3 Blocks .

Richmond Game Notes:

-This is the first time since Charlotte joined the Atlantic 10 in 2005-06 that the two schools have not been scheduled to meet twice.

-Richmond has won seven of the last nine meetings against Charlotte and has an 8-5 record in A-10 games against the 49ers.

-Even though the game isn’t being played at Halton Arena, the Spiders had won four-straight trips to Halton before Charlotte ended that streak last year.

-Richmond is playing their third-straight game against a team with a winning percentage over .750.

-The Spiders are 9-1 at home, looking to win 10 games in the Robins Center for the 20th time in 41 seasons, including six times in the last eight seasons under Chris Mooney.

-Richmond is 49-9 in its last 58 home games.

-Richmond senior Darien Brothers leads the Atlantic 10 and is third in the nation in three-point percentage, 48.5%.

-The Spiders are third in A-10 wins over the previous five years (52), behind Xavier and Temple.

-Richmond leads the A-10 and is 32nd in the nation in three-point percentage (.376).  They are also second in the A-10 and 36th in the nation in three-pointers per game (8.1).

Richmond probable starters:

-(G) Darien Brothers – 14.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG – 3rd in nation in 3pt % (48.5)

-(G) Cedrick Lindsay – 9.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG – Tied-3rd in A-10 in assist/to ratio (2.0)

-(G) Kendall Anthony – 12.8 PPG, 1.5 RPG – 2012 A-10 Rookie of the  Year

-(F) Greg Robbins – 6.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG – 10 pts, 5 rebs v. La Salle

-(F) Alonzo Nelson-Ododa – 3.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG – 5th in A-10 in blocks (1.7 bpg)

Category: Basketball, Niner Times, Sports