University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
22-11
Charlotte
22-10
Charlotte Defeats Vols 70-63
March 16, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Coach Green's Postgame Comments 
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - Jobey Thomas scored Charlotte's last six points, including four free throws in the final 25 seconds, as the 49ers beat Tennessee 70-63 Friday in the first round of the Midwest Regional.
Tennessee coach Jerry Green signals to his players. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) |
Foul trouble and foul shooting were the deciding factors. The Vols (22-11) had three starters finish with four fouls each. At the line, they hit just 7 of 18 shots - including only one of seven in the second half.
The 49ers broke away from a tie midway through the second half with a 14-5 run.
The teams were tied at 43 as both struggled in the opening six minutes of the second half, scoring two points apiece. Tennessee missed all six of its shots from the field and had four turnovers in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the half.
But Charlotte regrouped to score 14 of the next 19 points - four apiece by Butter Johnson and Conference USA freshman of the year Rodney White - to build a 59-50 lead with just under seven minutes remaining.
Tennessee got to 61-58 on Ron Slay's half-hook from the right baseline with 4:28 left, but every time the Vols scored the 49ers answered. James Zimmerman followed Slay's basket with a 3-pointer.
Tony Harris looped a shot over the outstretched arm of White for a basket with 2:56 left that cut the Charlotte lead to 64-60 before Thomas banked in an off-balance shot from the right wing to push the lead back to six.
Vincent Yarbrough hit a perimeter jumper and a foul shot - the Vols had missed their previous seven free throws, including the first of three bonus situations - to cut the deficit to 66-63 with 1:18 left.
But Thomas hit a pair of free throws with 24.8 seconds left and again with 11.2 seconds remaining, while Tennessee missed its final three shots over the last minute.
Thomas and White each scored 12 points for the 49ers, tournament champions of Conference USA. White came in averaging 19.3 points a game, the highest scoring average of any freshman in the country.
The victory was Charlotte's sixth in a row and 10 in their last 11.
Tennessee - led by Marcus Haislip's 10 points - shot 41.7 percent from the field.
Charlotte was 16 of 23 at the line.
 Charlotte's Butter Johnson grabs the jersey of Tennessee's Vincent Yarbrough as he falls over Tennessee guard Jenis Grindstaff. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) |
The Volunteers scored more than half of their points on dunks, follows and shots inside, while Demon Brown came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers to bring the 49ers back from an early 16-8 deficit.
Charlotte tied it at the break at 43 on Cam Stephens' dunk with 3 seconds remaining.
White was limited to four shots and had six points at halftime.
Tennessee returned 10 of its top 12 players from last year's team that made it to the regional semifinals.
