CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Mitchell Baldwin celebrated his 22nd birthday Friday by scoring 25 points for Charlotte in a 93-64 season-opening win against Long Beach State.
E.J. Drayton had 12 points and five rebounds starting in place of Curtis Withers, who was suspended for one game for an undisclosed violation of team rules.
Charlotte took a 4-2 lead a minute and a half into the game and never trailed after that. They led by as many as 21 points in the first half. Long Beach trimmed it to 17 with 18:12 remaining in the game before Charlotte went on another run.
Baldwin, who missed most of the preseason because of a dislocated left shoulder and a broken bone in his right hand, was one of six Charlotte players in double figures. Brendan Plavich hit four three-pointers and scored 15 points.
Louis Darby led Long Beach State (0-1) with 15 points, but went 0-for-5 from 3-point range. Anthony Coleman added 12 points and seven rebounds.
