Charlotte 49ers’ basketball team to host Wake Forest, play 2 other NCAA tournament teams

Three games against 2017 NCAA tournament teams and seven against teams from the Carolinas highlight the Charlotte 49ers’ men’s basketball team’s 2017-18 schedule, which was announced Tuesday.

In coach Mark Price’s third year at the helm, the 49ers’ first road game will come on Nov. 13 against Oklahoma State, a No. 10 seed in last year’s NCAA tournament. Charlotte also hosts Wake Forest (and former 49ers guard Keyshawn Woods), a No. 11 seed, on Dec. 5, and Middle Tennessee State, a No. 12 seed, on Feb. 3 at Halton Arena.

Charlotte’s season opener is Nov. 10 at home against Division III Methodist. Six of the team’s first eight games will be played at Halton Arena, where the 49ers will also face College of Charleston (Nov. 18), Presbyterian (Nov. 20), High Point (Nov. 24) and Davidson (Nov. 28).

Charlotte’s lone road game against an in-state opponent is Dec. 18, when the team visits East Carolina.

The 49ers’ 18-game Conference USA schedule begins with a road game against Old Dominion on Dec. 30. The Monarchs are one of five conference opponents Charlotte plays twice (home and away), with the others being Marshall, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic and Florida International.

After the 49ers went 0-3 during a challenging three-game road trip last season against Alabama-Birmingham, Middle Tennessee State and Old Dominion, Charlotte will face all three teams in a row again this season, playing each game at home. The Monarchs visit Halton Arena on Jan. 27, the Blazers on Feb. 1 and the Blue Raiders on Feb. 3.

The C-USA tournament is March 7-10 at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

This story was originally published July 18, 2017 at 4:44 PM with the headline "Charlotte 49ers’ basketball team to host Wake Forest, play 2 other NCAA tournament teams."