Charlotte falls short against Wake Forest. Three takeaways from the 49ers’ 82-79 loss

Beating the buzzer is one thing, but halting a late-game rally and quieting the Spectrum Center crowd is another.

Having scored 34 points on the night, Wake Forest’s Alondes Williams held the ball with a chance to win the game as the final seconds ticked off. Charlotte had just connected on two consecutive 3-pointers to tie the score at 79, bringing the raucous crowd to life.

The entire arena expected Williams to look to score on the game’s final possession. But it was a pass that changed Friday night’s finish.

He crossed over from left to right, blowing past his defender and collapsing the 49ers’ defense, leaving senior Isaiah Mucius wide open in the corner with two seconds to play. Mucius’ three connected, propelling the Demon Deacons to an 82-79 victory over the 49ers.

“We defended the last possession exactly the way we talked about,” head coach Ron Sanchez said. “We did not think that (Williams) would pass it. Credit to him and credit to Isaiah (Mucius) for making the shot in the corner. But as a team, we did exactly what we were supposed to do.”

Williams turned the Spectrum Center into his own personal playground, scoring at will and nearly achieving his second triple-double in three games. Mucius’ finished with 20 points on the night, playing his best game of the season.

Charlotte dominated the final 20 minutes of play, cutting what was a 14-point Wake Forest lead to just three with less than a minute to play. The 49ers’ backcourt duo of Jahmir Young and Clyde Trapp connected on consecutive three-pointers in the final minute, but it wasn’t enough.

“There’s not one person in our locker room who isn’t heartbroken right now,” Sanchez said. “We practice so hard. They earned the right to play well today, so it definitely stings. I think what we learned from this is every possession matters. If you want to be really really good, you can’t waste a single possession.”

Charlotte won an overtime thriller against Wake Forest in 2019 but came up just short in Friday evening’s finale. The 49ers finished the night eight of 15 from the free-throw line.

The Demon Deacons’ victory capped off the fourth matchup of the inaugural Hall of Fame Shootout.

Here’s what we learned from the 49ers’ gut-wrenching loss:

WILLIAMS WOWS

Alondes Williams’ hot start to the season continued Friday night, scoring the game’s first points and moving his streak of double-figure scoring to 13 straight with 34 points in the win. He added eight rebounds and seven assists, making 15 of his 23 attempts from the field.

His one-handed tomahawk dunk in transition was the highlight of the night, bringing those not wearing green to their feet. It was his first of four highlight-reel slams on the evening.

Last Saturday, he recorded the first triple-double for Wake Forest since Tim Duncan did it against Maryland in 1996, then scored a career-high 36 points on Tuesday. While not currently listed on many NBA mock drafts, the 6-foot-5 senior may play his way into the first round if he continues this pace in ACC play.

Williams’ slashing ability was on display from the game’s first possession, opening the passing lanes for drive and kicks to set up the Demon Deacons’ 30% from beyond the arc, including the game’s final possession.

CLYDE TRAPP IS THE X-FACTOR

Jahmir Young has been extremely consistent for the 49ers, but backcourt partner Cydle Trapp has been anything but. His performance in the second half of Friday night may turn the tide.

He shows flashes of explosiveness, including splitting two defenders with a crafty dribble and finishing through contact at the rim and a 50% performance from beyond the arc, connecting on a team-high three of his six attempts.

But in order for the 49ers to win these games, they need more consistency from the Clemson transfer. He scored more points (5) in a 35-second stint than he did in his previous two games combined (4). Trapp scored all 17 of his points in the second half and fueled the 49ers’ run to stay competitive.

“When he plays with that tenacity and aggressiveness, we are better,” Young said about Trapp. “We feed off of him, and it’s good to have him being as aggressive as he was.”

Trapp’s straight-away three tied the game with less than 30 seconds to play, but the senior wouldn’t get another shot.

YOUNG’S MILESTONE

Young scored 27 points in the loss, pushing him over the 1,000 career-point mark at Charlotte. He became the 29th 49er to achieve the milestone.

Coming into Friday night’s contest, Charlotte had won every game this season when Young scored more than 20 points. The streak was snapped in the loss, but the 49ers’ star is solidifying himself in the Conference USA Player of the Year race.

“I feel like when we do what we do, we can compete with anybody in the country,” Young said. “Coach has ultimate confidence in us and we have ultimate confidence in ourselves.”

Every time the 49ers need a bucket, Young is delivering. His season-high came on Charlotte’s biggest stage yet, and the 49ers will go as far as the junior from Upper Marlboro, Maryland takes them.

“This game was a tale of two halves,” head coach Ron Sanchez said. “I’m extremely proud of the way that we fought in the second half to make it a game. We can become the team that was there in the second half for the rest of the season, and I’m excited for the direction of our program.”

This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 11:41 PM.