Busting Brackets
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Charlotte Basketball: Five Games that Decide 49ers’ Season

By John Woodcock

CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 12: A Charlotte 49ers cheerleader smiles and watches the video scoreboard following the 49ers game against the Rice Owls at McColl-Richardson Field at Jerry Richardson Stadium on November 12, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 12: A Charlotte 49ers cheerleader smiles and watches the video scoreboard following the 49ers game against the Rice Owls at McColl-Richardson Field at Jerry Richardson Stadium on November 12, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 31: Keenan Palmore #3 of the Old Dominion Monarchs drives against Chasson Randle #5 of the Stanford Cardinal during the NIT Championship semifinals at Madison Square Garden on March 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 31: Keenan Palmore #3 of the Old Dominion Monarchs drives against Chasson Randle #5 of the Stanford Cardinal during the NIT Championship semifinals at Madison Square Garden on March 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /

Old Dominion – December 30

Ultimately none of the three proceeding games make one bit of difference to how Charlotte gets to fourth place in its own conference. Neither do the other games against foes like East Carolina, High Point, and Methodist (we already covered them). The real trek starts December 30 with a trip to Old Dominion for the conference opener.

It is not merely the importance of setting a tone in the conference opener that will be on the line for Charlotte. To be the man, you have to beat the man. Charlotte wants to be fourth or better and the Monarchs tied for third in the conference last year.

An early conference victory on the road against a team that occupied the very spot you covet last year – it doesn’t get a lot better than that. The 49ers would get the side benefit of closing out the year with a win before the calendar flips to 2018.