Charlotte, NC – The 49ers will be in action Friday afternoon at the Spectrum Center as the team will participate in the “He Gets Us” Hall of Fame Series. Charlotte (1-0) will face a Liberty (1-0) squad that was predicted to finish in first place in Conference USA. The two schools will meet for the time in program history and will be the event’s opening slate followed by Virginia and Florida at 7pm. Virginia Tech and South Carolina’s 9:30 pm tip-off will conclude the night.
Charlotte looked impressive in its opening game this season – a 69-52 victory over visiting Maine. Niners displayed a pace of play that was much quicker than what the team has showed during the Ron Sanchez era. First year Head Coach Aaron Fearne appears to have installed a system that much more resembles today’s style of basketball; a more liberal approach that allows players to play to their strengths and not inside a tightly structured system.
Liberty comes to the Queen City following a 103-43 route of Mid-Atlantic Christian University Monday night at home. The Flames are coming off a very solid 2022-2023 campaign that saw the team play for the Atlantic Sun Conference Title and nearly knock off Wisconsin in the 2nd round of the NIT tournament.
For a team in search of relevancy on the college basketball scene, a Charlotte win on Friday would put the team on that path. Here’s a few key points to watch throughout Friday’s game as Charlotte looks to remain unbeaten on the season.
Liberty’s Offense
- Liberty’s offense can cause an array of problems for opponents. The Flames like to spread the floor and run a high pick and roll; creating mismatches after the screen and forcing defenses to scramble. The defensive communication and rotations from the Niners will be critical. It will be interesting to see how the Niners – who are still acclimating to one another – will communicate on defense to limit the Liberty offensive opportunities.
Nik Graves
- If there was an award given to the team’s most improved player after one game, Graves would win by unanimous decision. After averaging just over eight minutes a game last season, Graves played 24 minutes and finished with a game high 15 points in the season opener. The Durham, NC product shot 100% from the field including two crucial three pointers.
Charlotte’s Bench Rotation
- It was a welcome sight to see Coach Fearne go to his bench early and often on Monday night against Maine. Nine Charlotte players saw action, including guard Isaiah Folkes who went viral with his posterizing dunk over Maine guard Ja’Shonte Wright-McLeish. Fearne mentioned in his post game press conference that he wants to keep fresh legs on the floor which certainly benefited his starters throughout the course of the game.
For more information on the Hall of Fame series, click here.
