UNC Charlotte Knocks Cards Out Of OCG Conference USA Tournament
July 19, 2000 | Men's Basketball
March 9, 2000
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Tremaine Gardiner converted a three-point play with 25.3 seconds left as UNC Charlotte beat Louisville 57-52 Thursday night, knocking the Cardinals out of the Conference USA tournament for a second straight year.
The seventh-seeded 49ers (17-14) didn't earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament with the victory like they did last year, but they did reach the semifinals for a fourth straight year where they will play No. 3 seed DePaul, an 80-76 winner over Memphis.
No. 2 Louisville had a chance to tie the game and couldn't get a shot off. Freshman guard Reece Gaines lost the ball in a jump ball situation with 6.3 seconds remaining. The Cardinals (19-11) retained possession, but UNC Charlotte's Kedric Smith stole the ball and fed KenKay Jones for the sealing dunk with a half-second left.
Jobey Thomas led the 49ers with 16 points, and Gardiner finished with 11.
The Cardinals came into the tournament very hot, winning eight of their last nine. The only problem was the 49ers seem to have their number and now have won seven of their last nine in the series.
Louisville led 31-28 at halftime and fell victim to their own cold shooting. The Cardinals hit just six shots from the floor in the second half, including more than 10 minutes with just one. Marques Maybin led Louisville with 15 points.
The 49ers took control with a 9-2 spurt and went up 50-41 with 6:30 left on a 3-pointer by James Zimmerman. Louisville tied the game at 52 with 2:13 left on a free throw by Dion Edward, and that would be the Cardinals' last point.
