Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Charlotte
Colorado Edges Charlotte, 76-74
December 27, 2002 | Men's Basketball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Senior James Wright made a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left as Colorado held on to beat Charlotte, 76-74 on Saturday afternoon at the Pepsi Classic. The 49ers bid for a come-from-behind victory fell short as Demon Brown missed a 3-pointer as time ran out, giving the Buffaloes (7-3) their second straight win at the Pepsi Classic and its fourth straight win overall.
The 49ers erased a 14-point deficit late and tied the game 74-74 on Curtis Nash's steal and lay up with 18 seconds remaining. But Mitchell Baldwin fouled Wright on the next possession, setting up the winning shots.
Senior forward Stephane Pelle led Colorado with a season-high 21 points and 14 rebounds in the second game of the round-robin tournament for the two teams. Pelle collected his fourth double-double of the season and his 29th career double that ranks tied for seventh in CU history. Michel Morandais added 12 points, while Blair Wilson and Wright each scored 11. Sophomore David Harrison, who fouled out with 8:03 remaining in the game, scored eight points and collected seven rebounds.
Brown scored 15 points and Curtis Withers and Butter Johnson added 14 each as the 49ers (5-4) saw their three-game winning streak end.
Colorado's defeat of the 49ers was the first of the season for Charlotte in six games at home and only the 14th loss in the last 80 played at Halton Arena.
Charlotte led 23-17 on Withers' bank shot with 11:45 left in the first half but went cold the rest of the period. Colorado closed the half with a 20-10 run, with Pelle's baseline jumper as time expired giving the Buffaloes a 46-37 lead. Pelle scored six of the Buffaloes' final eight first-half points and led all scorers with 13 at the break.
The Buffaloes had a 43-31 rebounding edge for the game and was an impressive 18-for-24 from the free throw line.
Colorado closes the Pepsi Classic on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 12:30 p.m. (MST) against Loyola Chicago (4-6). The Ramblers lost its fifth in a row on Saturday falling to Louisiana-Lafayette, 88-77.
