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The 49ers are making their 8th postseason appearance under 10th-year head coach Bobby Lutz.

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GAME NOTES: Charlotte at Nebraska in NIT, Wednesday

Niners Making 8th Postseason appearnce in Lutz's 10 Years

March 18, 2008

Lincoln, Neb. -

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MASTERCARD NIT
#6 Charlotte 49ers (20-13; 9-7) vs. #3 Nebraska (19-12; 7-9)
Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2008; 9:00 p.m.
Devaney Center (13,595); Lincoln, Neb.
Radio: WFNA, 1660 AM
TV: ESPN Classic

The Coaches:
Bobby Lutz, Charlotte
Career: 369-216 (19th year)
at Charlotte: 188-125 (10th year)
(49ers all-time winningest coach)

Doc Sadler, Nebraska
Career: 204-83 (9 years)
at Nebraska: 36-26 (2 years)

Series Record: First meeting

Notes: Head coach Bobby Lutz is 1-2 all-time in NIT play. Lutz owns 3-7 record all-time in NCAA/NIT post-season play. Lutz is 0-3 vs. the Big 12, with 2 of the 3 coming in the post-season: L, vs. Texas Tech, 76-73, 2004 NCAA 1st rd. L, vs. Colorado, 76-74 2002 Pepsi Invitational at Charlotte's Halton Arena. L, vs. Oklahoma, 85-72, 1999 NCAA 2nd rd.

THE GAME: The Charlotte 49ers (20-13; 9-7) travel to #3 seed Nebraska, Wednesday to take on the Cornhuskers in the first round of the 2008 Mastercard NIT at 9:00 p.m. (Radio: WFNA; TV: ESPN Classic). Charlotte, which has won five of its last six games, will be making its 8th post-season appearance under 10th-year head coach Bobby Lutz. Lutz has led the 49ers to five NCAA Tournaments and this is the third NIT bid under Lutz. Charlotte will be making the sixth NIT appearance in school history (4-5). The 49ers reached the 1976 NIT Finals, falling to Kentucky, 71-67 in the title game. The 49ers are 1-2 in NIT games under Lutz.

THE SKINNY: Charlotte, picked 10th in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll, looked to senior Leemire Goldwire and the nation's 13th-ranked recruiting class to finish in a tie for 4th in the league's regular-season. All-A-10 Championship choice Goldwire then led the 49ers to the A-10 semifinals. Goldwire averaged 21.7 points and hit 14 threes in the three tournament games, 2nd-most all-time in A-10 Tourney history. Charlotte has won 5 of its last 6. Charlotte is 7-6 in games decided by four points or less and 23 of the Niners' 33 games have been decided by seven points or less (13-10). Charlotte is 9-9 when trailing at the half.

NEW LOOK: Charlotte's 13th-ranked recruiting class has been instrumental in the Niners return to the post-season. Only scoring leader Leemire Goldwire (19.0 ppg) and sixth-man Ian Andersen averaged more than 6.0 minutes for the 49ers, last year. Juniors Lamont Mack, and Charlie Coley, sophomores Dijuan Harris, Michael Gerrity and Phil Jones and freshmen An'Juan Wilderness, Charles Dewhurst and Gaby Ngoundjo are playing in their 1st season for the 49ers.

A DECADE of 49er PRIDE: Charlotte has been to post-season play in eight of Bobby Lutz's 10 seasons, including a school-record five NCAA Tournament appearances. In the last five years, Charlotte has posted one first-place, two second-place and a 4th-place league finish (2004 C-USA Champs; 2005 C-USA Runner-up; 2006 A-10 Runner-up, 2008 A-10 4th-Place). He passed Jeff Mullins' as the 49ers all-time winningest coach, this year, with his 183rd victory as 49ers head coach. He now has 188 wins.

LEE'S 6 30'S: Leemire Goldwire matched a school-record with six games of 30 or more points, this season, four in A-10 play (*) and 3 against 2008 NCAA teams (St. Joseph's, Davidson, Xavier):
1.) 39, W at *St. Bonaventure (8-13 3FG; 7-7 FT) - career high
2.) 36, W vs. *Saint Joseph's (7-15 3FG) -- Halton Arena record
3.) 34, W at *Rhode Island (10-21 FG; 6-13 3FG)
4.) 34, W vs. Davidson (9-of-20 3FG)
5.) 33, W vs. Appalachian State (12-14 FT)
6.) 31, L vs. *Xavier (7-15 3FG)

Leemire Goldwire in Career Lists:
Category Rank Total Next Total
Points 9th 1671 Jobey Thomas 1737
3FGM T2nd 341 Jobey Thomas 346
Steals 5th 186 Delano Johnson 189
20+ gms T9th 30 Cedric Maxwell 31
Note: Needs one 20-point game to match Cedric Maxwell

Leemire Goldwire in SINGLE-SEASON Lists Category Rank Total Next Total Year
Points 6th 628 Henry Williams 630 1989-90
3FGM 2nd 126 Demon Brown 137 2002-03
Steals T5th 66 Eddie Basden 68 2003-04