Charlotte 49ers get the little things right, whip Valparaiso

The Charlotte 49ers aced their first test after final exams.

Charlotte was consistent if not overwhelming in a 67-57 win against Valparaiso Monday at Halton Arena, doing the small things on both ends of the floor to earn their third victory in four games.

Even with a nine-day break between games, the 49ers are moving forward.

“Being off for 10 days and dealing with finals kind of had our rhythm disrupted, so it’s a challenge,” Charlotte coach Ron Sanchez said. “I’m very pleased we were able to come out and get a W, especially against a team that’s so difficult to guard.”

Charlotte guarded well enough, especially in the second half when the 49ers limited Valparaiso to 41.4% accuracy as they spread their advantage to 11 points. On the offensive end, guard Jordan Shepherd gave Charlotte a major boost with 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting.

“That’s kind of my role,” said Shepherd, who scored 17 points in the second half. “The [shot clock] is under 10 seconds, usually the ball is in my hands and I’ve got to make a play for me or my teammates. Tonight, it just happened to be me.”

Another point of emphasis for Charlotte has been converting turnovers into points, which they did efficiently. The 49ers forced 13 Crusaders miscues, which translated into 22 points, which is part of the team’s evolution. Twelve of those turnovers were steals

“For us, it’s a continued journey,” Sanchez said. “We’re doing the same things we’ve been doing, but we’re doing them a little better. That is the overall goal here – to continue to improve.”

Records: Charlotte 5-4; Valparaiso 6-5.

Three who mattered

Shepherd: His 17 second-half points helped keep Valparaiso at bay, especially when he drove to the hoop to earn free throws. He hit all eight attempts.

Jahmir Young: The Charlotte freshman guard scored 14 points and hauled down a team-high eight rebounds.

Javon Freeman-Liberty: Valpo guard led the Crusaders with 17 points, including 11 in the first half to keep his team in contention.

Worth mentioning

▪ The 49ers managed only six assists on their 22 made field goals compared to 17 assists on Valparaiso’s 24 baskets.

▪ The teams were nearly even in terms of rebounds, with Valpo hauling down 29 compared to Charlotte’s 28.

▪ Charlotte is 2-0 when holding opponents under 60 points. The 49ers are 3-4 when opponents exceed that mark. The 49ers are 4-1 at Halton Arena.

Charlotte, which entered the game averaging 4.1 blocks per game, managed four against the Crusaders, with Malik Martin earning three.

They said it

“We’ll celebrate the things we did well and continue to grow.” – Sanchez.

What’s next

Charlotte hosts Maryland Eastern Shore Thursday at Halton Arena;

Valparaiso travels to High Point Wednesday.