Charlotte looked to extend its home winning streak to seven consecutive games as the team welcomed the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky to Halton Arena Thursday night. The Niners won the last meeting between the two foes, topping the ‘Toppers, 75-71, last January in Charlotte. Meanwhile the Hilltopers came into Thursday night’s game reeling, following a sluggish start to the new year that saw the team finish 2-6 and riding a 5 game losing streak.
The Niners would need to figure out a way to contend with the NCAA’s best shot-blocker in 7’5 center Jamarion Sharp. The nation’s tallest collegiate player would wreck havoc in the paint during the first half, forcing Charlotte to adjust its shots every time the team drove in the paint. “(Sharp) is leading the country in block shots for reason,” said Charlotte Head Coach Ron Sanchez. “When you go down there and have a 7’9 wingspan coming at you, it forces you to speed up your shot but you have to adjust.” WKU snatched an early 16-4 lead in the game before taking a 43-19 lead into halftime.
Charlotte would up its intensity level in the second half as the team came out scoring its first four points in the paint, which lead to an 8-0 run following a Musa Jallow three pointer just beyond the top of the key. Western Kentucky would bounce back and go on a run of its own, answering with a 7-0 run led by WKU guard Josh Anderson who knocked down a key three pointer and a slam on a fast break following a Niner turnover.
“This is the second game in a row that we have inflicted ourselves by not taking care of the basketball and giving a team the opportunity to get out in transition and score easy baskets,” said Sanchez. That’s unacceptable and we have to do much better than that.”
Midway through the second half, Charlotte was able to get back on its feet by cutting the deficit to 12, after being down by as many as 24. The run seemed to wake up a Halton Arena crowd that was largely quiet during the first half.
The excitement would be short lived. Western Kentucky would go on to knock down two consecutive three pointers, signifying the end of a Charlotte comeback and sending Niner fans scurrying towards the exit. Charlotte guard Jahmir Young finished with a team high 19 points as the Niners lost its first game at Halton Arena since a November 30th defeat to Davidson.
“We’re not going to make excuses here, we did not play well and we didn’t finish well,” said Sanchez after the game. “I have to do a much better job of making sure we execute better and putting the personnel on the floor that is going to get the job done.”
Charlotte now falls to 4-4 in Conference USA and will return to Halton Arena on Saturday afternoon for the school’s Alumni Day to take on the Thundering Heard of Marshall.
