GAME: No. 9 Charlotte (21-8) vs. No. 8 Texas Tech (22-10).
REGIONAL: East Rutherford, First round.
TIME: Thursday, 12:25 p.m. EST.
SITE: HSBC Arena; Buffalo, N.Y.
For several decades, teams coached by Bob Knight were a staple in the NCAA tournament. Not last year.
The legendary coach returns to familiar territory - in more ways than one - when Texas Tech meets Charlotte in a first-round game.
Since taking over a depleted program in 2001, Knight has guided the Red Raiders to a school-record three straight 20-win seasons. But last season, Texas Tech failed to qualify for the NCAAs and settled for a spot in the NIT.
This is the second time in three years Texas Tech will play in the NCAA tournament under Knight, and the 12th overall. If the Red Raiders manage to win it all, Knight would pass UCLA icon John Wooden for third place on the tournament's all-time victories list.
Knight brought his former school, Indiana, to 15 straight NCAA tournaments, winning three national championships (1976, 1981 and 1987) during a storied run before his well-chronicled dismissal.
This will be Knight's 26th NCAA tournament appearance overall, but ironically, it will be his first visit to Buffalo since 2000, when the Hoosiers lost a first-round meeting with Pepperdine in what turned out to be Knight's final game at Indiana.
Texas Tech is led by senior forward Andre Emmett, the Big 12's leading scorer. Emmett averaged 20.8 points en route to his third consecutive All-Big 12 first team honor.
Emmett and freshman guard Jarrius Jackson sparked the Red Raiders to a 16-2 start, before the team stumbled to a 9-7 conference record.
The Red Raiders tied for fourth with Colorado in the Big 12 before beating the Buffaloes in the quarterfinal round of the Big 12 tournament, a win that likely earned them the fourth and final invite extended to the conference.
A loss to Oklahoma State in the tournament semifinals snapped a three-game win streak for the Red Raiders.
Charlotte(21-8) reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 1991-92, earning a share of its first Conference USA title. The 49ers posted an impressive early win at defending national champion Syracuse, following it up with quality victories over Cincinnati, Louisville and Southern Illinois.
"We have a very challenging first-round game against an excellent team with a legendary coach and one of the best, if not the best, offensive players in the country in Andre Emmett," Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz said.
"Our players are excited about the challenge they have ahead of them."
Curtis Withers paces four 49ers averaging double figures with 16.4 points per game. Withers, a sophomore forward, was named first-team C-USA after leading the conference with 16 double-doubles. His 9.5 rebounds ranked second in the league.
The 49ers rely on the sharpshooting tandem of Brendan Plavich and Demon Brown. Plavich hit a school record 10 3-pointers in the win over Syracuse, and Brown, who switched from shooting guard to the point for his senior season, averages 4.0 assists.
The 49ers have led the league in 3-point shooting each of the last five seasons. Plavich led the conference with 3.39 per game this year. Last season, Brown ranked second in the nation in 3-pointers made.
"If you're a shooter, you go to Charlotte," Plavich said.
This is Charlotte's third straight trip to the NCAAs. The 49ers have only advanced past the second round once, when they went to the 1977 Final Four after earning their first tournament berth.
Texas Tech has won all three previous meetings in the series.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Charlotte - F Eddie Basden (10.4 ppg, 6.4 rpg), F Withers (16.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg), C Martin Iti (6.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg), G Brown (12.6 ppg, 4.0 apg), G Plavich (12.3 ppg, 1.8 apg). Texas Tech - F Emmett (20.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg), F Devonne Giles (9.0 ppg, 1.5 bpg), C Robert Tomascek (7.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg), G Jackson (11.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg) G Ronald Ross (10.3 ppg, 3.2 apg).
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Charlotte - At-large berth. Texas Tech - At-large berth.
ALL-TIME TOURNAMENT RECORD: Charlotte - 7-10, 9 years. Texas Tech - 5-12, 11 years.
