12/05/2006

egstg / Associated Press

De'Angelo Alexander scored 23 points and three other Charlotte players scored in double figures as the 49ers beat UNC Asheville 81-73 on Monday to snap a two-game losing streak.

E.J. Drayton added 20 points and nine rebounds, and Courtney Williams and Carlos Williams scored 11 each for the 49ers (3-4). Charlotte shot 51.9 percent from the field, the first time better than 50 percent since a season-opening victory over Hofstra three weeks ago.

Bryan Smithson scored 23 points and C.J. Walker finished with 12 for the Bulldogs (3-5), who were outrebounded by Charlotte 38-20 and lost their fifth straight to the 49ers.

Charlotte had struggled to put the ball in the basket since its win over the Pride on Nov. 11, shooting less than 35 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range in all four of its losses.

But the 49ers had no such problems against UNC Asheville, hitting their first five shots and shooting 53.3 percent in the first half to take a 44-33 lead at the break.

Alexander converted a 3-point play and drained a 3 during a 10-2 run in the opening minutes of the second half to put Charlotte up 54-35 with 17:33 left — its biggest lead of the game.

The 49ers kept their lead in double digits until the final minute, when Joey Harrill's 3-pointer pulled UNC Asheville within 78-69 with 50 seconds left. After Charlotte hit 3-of-4 from the line to push its lead back to 12 points, Smithson and Vincent James both hit lay-ups to cut the 49ers final margin to eight.