The Bracketology Report: Charlotte

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Editor's note: Each week Bracketology Insider will take an in-depth look at teams headed for the NCAA Tournament ... or not.

Week in review
Charlotte (No. 43 RPI, No. 102 SOS to start the week) opened Conference USA play with two solid wins. In the conference opener Jan. 6, senior Demon Brown notched a career-high 34 points, including 27 in the second half, to key a 75-70 victory over DePaul (No. 97 RPI, No. 61 SOS) in Chicago. The 49ers shot poorly but hit the glass hard to earn the road W.

In its C-USA home opener Saturday, Charlotte allowed East Carolina (No. 165 RPI, No. 265 SOS) to close to within five early in the second half before completing an 81-65 triumph. Sophomore Curtis Withers' 22 points and 10 rebounds were good for his eighth double-double of the year.

Coming up
The 49ers will experience the first true challenges of their C-USA season over the next week, games that will begin to determine whether Charlotte is going to be a serious factor in the conference race. First up is a rumble at Memphis (No. 45 RPI, No. 88 SOS) on Saturday. With wins at Syracuse, Old Dominion and Southern Illinois, Charlotte has been impressive on the road thus far; the Tigers should prove to be a worthy test.

Next Tuesday, Charlotte will launch a three-game homestand with a match-up against Marquette (No. 65 RPI, No. 211 RPI). The Golden Eagles feasted on junk food in the early season before entering the meatier portion of their schedule and will be looking to make a point to national observers when they visit the 49ers.

"Planting seeds"
The 49ers are No. 32 this week on The Bracketology Report national seeding chart. That puts Charlotte in an 8/9 game, with the 49ers being the fourth Conference USA team in the projected NCAA field.

While enjoying its best start in nine years, Charlotte's mission now, of course, is to play its way out of the 8/9 game, whose winner is all but guaranteed to face the region's top seed. With all the C-USA heavyweights on the horizon -- home and away against Cincinnati (No. 21 RPI, No. 161 SOS), and home vs. Louisville (No. 2 RPI, No. 10 SOS) and UAB (No. 29 RPI, No. 7 SOS) -- the 49ers will get their chances.

Season breakdown (10-3, 2-0)
All RPI data through Monday, Jan. 12

Date     Opponent              Result       Opp.RPI   Opp.SOS
11/21    George Washington     76-80 (L)      82        72
11/24    No Carolina A&T       102-39         322       227
11/26    @Syracuse             96-92          27        166
11/30    @UNC-Asheville        92-65          266       82
12/3     @Alabama              72-79 (L)      14        1
12/6     @Old Dominion         105-102 (2OT)  54        53
12/11    Davidson              76-65          132       15
12/13    Appalachian State     85-64          182       157
12/23    @Rhode Island         90-96 (L,OT)   31        48
12/30    Delaware State        72-52          139       17
1/2      @Southern Illinois    64-59          40        108
1/6      @DePaul               75-70          97        61
1/10     East Carolina         81-65          165       265
1/17     @Memphis                             45        88
1/20     Marquette                            65        211
1/24     UAB                                  29        7
1/28     Saint Louis                          103       149
1/31     @Cincinnati                          21        161
2/7      @East Carolina                       165       265
2/12     Louisville                           2         10
2/14     @Saint Louis                         103       149
2/18     South Florida                        129       136
2/21     @Southern Miss                       62        20
2/25     @TCU                                 159       74
2/28     Cincinnati                           21        161
3/3      @Houston                             114       75
3/6      Tulane                               149       119
3/10-13  Conference USA Tournament

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