Charlotte 49ers await potential bid to NIT or CBI postseason men’s basketball events

While dreams of returning to the NCAA Tournament were dashed in the Charlotte 49ers’ first season under head coach Aaron Fearne, those dreams were the longest of odds a season ago. This year they became a reality, and while this team ultimately came up short, the program has expectations again.

The fan base, who rallied with the most total attendance since 2018, has expectations again.

And while the goalposts will continue to move as Charlotte climbs back into college basketball relevancy, the 49ers put Charlotte back on the map during the past two seasons, but this year under Fearne, especially.

Forty-one wins across the past two seasons have undoubtedly brought excitement back to the program, but totaling 13 conference victories in the program’s first year in the American Athletic Conference tied a record that was set in 1998 — when Charlotte was an NCAA Tournament team nearly every season.

While a challenging non-conference schedule and a brief conference tournament appearance hampered the overall record (19-12, 13-6 AAC), it’s important to contextualize how Charlotte’s trajectory has changed since former head coach Ron Sanchez stepped down over a Zoom call in June.

Moving to the American Athletic Conference was — and is — a big deal for the program, but it seemed that the first season in the new league could be a lost one as troublesome news continued to compound during the off-season. The departures of leading scorers Brice Williams and Aly Khalifa, as well as the team’s defensive anchor Dishon Jackson rescinding his verbal commitment following Sanchez’s departure, sounded the alarms. It didn’t help that Charlotte was picked to finish second-to-last in the American in the preseason polls, without a single player appearing on the preseason award lists.

“The choices (in the offseason) were hiring Coach Fearne and keeping the team together, but we didn’t know for sure,” athletic director Mike Hill told the media in February. “Guys said, ‘We’re going to stay and play,’ but you don’t really know. (The other choice was) to hire from outside and likely face a rebuild where you maybe lose two-thirds of your roster, and the portal is closed except for your guys leaving.”

Keeping the core together

As the search for a new head coach loomed, Hill knew that Charlotte could lose nearly half of the team to the portal, and deciding to promote Fearne kept together a team that would go on to beat a ranked opponent for the first time in more than 10 years and finish top three in conference play for the first time in more than 20 years.

Taking the good with the bad can be a challenge, especially watching a team that looked so dominant at times crumble when it mattered most.

But it wasn’t the 49ers’ time just yet. And in the world of the transfer portal and NIL, it’s unclear who will — and won’t — be on the roster moving forward. One thing is for sure, and that is this team rallied around Fearne and played well above expectations — and much of the roster can return next season if the players so choose.

“The thing that I’m most proud of is just the energy that we’ve been able to bring back to the program. People are excited about the program, the way we play, and how hard the guys compete. For me personally, it was just the support and unity that the guys showed from way back in June,” Fearne said.

“They’ve allowed me to coach them hard and get after them. They’ve taken that coaching, and I challenge them. I always the believe that biggest memory that you take from a season like this is the success you’ve built together.”

More basketball?

While Charlotte’s success a season ago in the College Basketball Invitational helped keep the core of the team together, they built on that momentum under Fearne — and are awaiting the news of what is next.

“Just like this program experienced last year, we played in the CBI, and it was an awesome experience. Playing playoff basketball is very physical and very competitive, and you learn to perform under that pressure to keep moving on,” Fearne said. “If we go back to year one (six years ago, when Fearne joined as an assistant), it’s gone 180 (degrees). It’s been slow growth year after year, and this year was a build on of the previous five years of how we’ve been able to develop and grow. The enthusiasm, passion and support for these guys have been awesome. It’s been awesome to play at home. I think it’s very bright, and I’m excited about the future ahead. We’ll keep growing this thing.”

While it isn’t the next step that many fans envisioned, especially amid Charlotte’s eight-game win streak in conference play (the longest in program history), the 49ers are in position for an invite from the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

Fearne stated that Charlotte would accept an invitation to continue playing postseason basketball if the offer was extended, and leading scorer Lu’Cye Patterson was all about it — especially to give the team’s seniors one last chance to put on the green and gold.

“Any postseason tournament, I’m down to play. Especially for the senior guys like Robert (Braswell) and Jackson (Threadgill), I wouldn’t want this to be the last time they go out like this. Whatever presents (itself), the NIT or anything is good momentum going into next season.”

The participants in the NIT will be unveiled in a selection show on ESPN2 on Sunday, March 17. And whether or not Charlotte is selected to continue play, Fearne is proud of his team’s accomplishments in the team’s first year in a much more competitive league.

“We’re grateful to be a part of this league. Obviously, the exposure playing on ESPN and representing our program and university countrywide — it’s fantastic for all involved. We learned a lot and we grew a lot, and we know we need to be better,” Fearne said of the AAC. “We’ll get to the debrief part of this and keep working through that. Players can get better, and we can get better as coaches. (The league) was excellent. The league was so competitive with so many close games. It’s been an excellent opportunity, and we’re looking forward to being a part of it moving forward.”

Up-and-down season for 49ers’ women

Much like Fearne’s men’s team, Cara Consuegra’s women’s team played one of its worst games in the biggest moment — falling in their AAC Tournament opener No. 14-seeded Tulane. In Consuegra’s 13th year as head coach, the 49ers saw an up-and-down first season in the American, which was highlighted by knocking off the preseason favorites South Florida during a 4-0 start to AAC play, and star guard Dazia Lawrence’s all-conference season.

But Lawrence’s heroics weren’t enough to keep the 49ers afloat in their first year in the American.

“Disappointed in our team’s performance, it has been an up and down year, today we picked a bad day to play one of our worst games,” Consuegra said after an early exit in the AAC Tournament. “Our problems with shooting the ball this season were evident tonight. I enjoyed coaching this team but certainly this will leave a bad taste in our mouth going forward.”

Consuegra’s 49ers finished 16-15 overall, scoring nine victories in conference play, which was good enough for sixth place in the league. While Lawrence still has one year of eligibility remaining, the 49ers must continue to add to the talent pool to return to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in four seasons.