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Charlotte Outrebounds Cincinnati for 80-72 Championship Win

3.10.2001

Charlotte Outrebounds Cincinnati for 80-72 Championship Win

By CHRIS DUNCAN
Associated Press Writer

Full Tournament Scoreboard

Charlotte's Rodney White embraces teammate Diego Guevara following their 80-72 victory over Cincinnati in the Conference USA Tournament championship game Saturday March 10, 2001, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - KenKay Jones matched a career-high with 18 points and Charlotte outrebounded Cincinnati 45-29 in an 80-72 win over the Bearcats in the Conference USA championship on Saturday.

Rodney White, the nation's top-scoring freshman, added 17 points, eight rebounds and three assists for the third-seeded 49ers (21-10), who were playing in the title game for the fourth time in five years. This was their second win.

White, the league's leading scorer and freshman of the year, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Kenny Satterfield scored 18 points for top-seeded Cincinnati (23-9), which lost for the first time in three trips to the championship game. Leonard Stokes added 15 and Conference USA Player of the Year Steve Logan had 14 for the Bearcats, who lost for just the second time in their last 11 games.

The 49ers trailed 48-42 early in the second half, but took control with an 11-0 run after switching to a 2-3 zone defense. The Bearcats missed seven straight shots before Stokes' rebound putback cut Charlotte's lead to 53-50 with 11:15 left.

A 3-pointer by Demon Brown with 10:34 remaining pushed the lead to six and Jones' layup 30 seconds later gave Charlotte a 58-50 lead, its biggest since a game-opening 12-2 run.

Cincinnati got as close as six, but Jobey Thomas made a pair of free throws with 1:22 left to push the lead to eight and the Bearcats never threatened again.

Cincinnati and Charlotte have won four of the six Conference USA tournaments.