How the Charlotte 49ers upset Davidson to pull off Ron Sanchez’s biggest win yet

On the first play of Tuesday’s Charlotte-Davidson game at Halton Arena, 49ers guard Jahmir Young — a true freshman playing in his second college basketball game — blocked a shot by last season’s player of the year in the Atlantic 10, the Wildcats’ Jon Axel Gudmundsson.

After Charlotte’s Jordan Shepherd converted that turnover into the game’s first basket, teammate Malik Martin swiped the ball from Davidson’s Luke Frampton on the Wildcats’ next possession.

And while Charlotte was unable to score off Martin’s steal, the tone had been set in what would eventually be a 71-58 49ers victory over their Mecklenburg County rival.

“It’s such a simple game,” Davidson coach Bob McKillop said later. “When you’re put on your heels, you become tentative and hesitant. They were guarding us very closely; they double-teamed incredibly quickly and we did not handle that very well. That got us.”

It was Charlotte’s first victory against Davidson since 2012, a six-game losing streak that had been trying the patience of 49ers fans who wanted to see the Hornets’ Nest trophy returned to Halton.

“Does it mean a lot to us?” second-year 49ers coach Ron Sanchez said. “I think so. When I took this job, all the people said, ‘Bring us this trophy.’

“Well, the trophy’s here. Now leave me alone!”

Sanchez said that with a wide grin. He had just seen his young team shut down a potent, experienced Davidson squad, holding the Wildcats to 46.3 percent shooting (31.8 percent from 3-point range). The 49ers (1-1) forced the normally efficient Wildcats (0-2) into an underwater assist-to-turnover ratio (9-12). Charlotte outrebounded Davidson, 35-23, allowing the Wildcats just three offensive boards.

“It was intent,” Sanchez said of his team’s defensive effort. “We controlled transition and the glass. That doesn’t sound sexy, but simple hard work and intent to do the little things. Blocking out and getting back (on defense).”

The 49ers — who started three transfers, one true freshman and a sophomore — got contributions from everywhere. Grad transfer guard Drew Edwards (from Providence) scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Shepherd (a transfer from Oklahoma) scored 12 on 4-of-7 shooting and had three assists. Young had seven points, seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals. Forward Milos Supica came off the bench for a double-double (10 points, 12 rebounds).

And Charlotte, which led by as many as 24 points in the second half, turned back a late Davidson rally to win comfortably. The Wildcats could get no closer than nine points.

“I told them, stay calm, not to panic,” Sanchez said. “It’s almost a human emotion in those moments. You learn there’s a little adversity, but you have to go through moments like that. I hope we can go through them on the winning side of it.”

Charlotte leads the overall series with Davidson 29-17. But it had been a while.

“It’s huge,” said Edwards. “That’s what they talked about when I came here, the Hornets’ Nest trophy. These rivalry games are something special. The opportunity was there for us and we went ahead and took it.”

The 49ers have a chance to build on Tuesday’s victory with a home game Sunday against Wake Forest. Deacons guard Andrien White played three seasons for Charlotte before transferring.

“This was one game for us,” Sanchez said of the Davidson victory. “For the program, it’s nice. We’re .500 now. That’s what the game means.”

For Davidson, it has been a rough start; the Wildcats were one of the A-10’s preseason favorites and lost their season opener against No. 22 Auburn. The Wildcats were without two injured key players Tuesday — senior guard KiShawn Pritchett (knee) and junior guard Carter Collins (lower body).

The Wildcats haven’t started this poorly since the 2013-14 season, when they were 1-6 heading into the holiday break. They’d win 20 games that season and play in the National Invitation Tournament.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” said McKillop, who’s in his 31st year at Davidson and is 13-20 against Charlotte. “2013 wasn’t a very merry Christmas in my house. But we wound up doing pretty well that year.”

The Wildcats — who have higher aspirations than the NIT this season — play their home opener Saturday against UNC Wilmington.

“This is a team that fights, practices, listens and has a great chemistry amongst itself,” McKillop said. “They’re going to lick their wounds and lay on the ground and bleed a little bit. But they’ll come back and fight.”

49ers sign forward

The 49ers announced Wednesday they’ve signed Jared Garcia, a 6-8 forward from Katy, Tex. He played at St. Thomas More School in Connecticut and is ranked the 79th best small forward in nation, according to 247Sports.

Davidson hasn’t announced any signings yet, but the Wildcats have verbal commitments from 6-8 power forward Samuel Mennenga from New Zealand, 6-3 point guard Grant Huffman from Lakewood, Ohio, and 6-3 point guard Emory Lanier from Atlanta.

This story was originally published November 13, 2019 at 2:04 PM.