Niner Nightmare
Posted Mar 20, 2005, 10:02 PM ET

The Charlotte 49ers and their fans had an invite to the best party of the year.

One week to prepare for an ACC team in the NCAA Tournament. It doesn't get any better or bigger for Niner Nation. Finally, the upper-crust, snob-infested ACC would have to deal with the up and coming Charlotte 49ers.

Ever since I started hosting "PrimeTime with the Packman" back in 1997, 49er fans, coaches and administrators have pleaded with any ACC team that would listen that the Niners were the real deal.

"Please play us, we dare you..."

"No way Duke or Carolina wants a piece of Charlotte at Halton..."

"Just return our phone call..."

The ACC has kindly turned the other cheek when it comes to Charlotte 49er basketball. Don't call us, we'll call you...Unfortunately, the phone hasn't been ringing from Tobacco Road.

During the Melvin Watkins and Bobby Lutz eras at Charlotte, the Niners have played and provided their fans solid basketball seasons. Charlotte has been a consistent NCAA Tournament fixture, but never a Big Dance factor.

As of a few weeks ago, the Niners climbed up to #18 in both major college hoop polls, and they were on the verge of a breakthrough season. A showdown game on the road against an outstanding Louisville team for the CUSA title was the last hurdle for Charlotte claiming some well-desereved national attenion.

Finally, the Niners were going to tell Tobacco Road to stick it...the new power in the state could be found on Highway 49. We're talking about the Charlotte 49ers, a team that was unbeaten in February and heading into March with tons of confidence and bravado.

Uh-oh...blowout city in Louisville. A double-digit loss to the red-hot Cards. There is no shame in losing to Pitino's guys on Senior Night.

That was followed up by another blowout, double-digit loss to the low-life crew from South Florida.

That embarrassment was followed up by another blowout, double-digit loss to Memphis in their last CUSA Tournament appearance.

Suddenly, the Niners were posting another perfect month of basketball...but this one was an 0-for-March. How could this be happening after a great month of hoops in February?

Well, the Niners got the break they have been looking for...an invite to the NCAA Tourney against the ACC's 7th-seeded team, the N.C. State Wolfpack. The matchup was exactly what Niner Nation had been dreaming about for years!

It would be more convenient for the game to be played somewhere in North Carolina, but if it meant traveling to Massachusetts, so be it...To make it even more inviting for the Niners, the Wolfpack would play the game without two of its starters.

Respect, attention and a piece of ACC arrogance was exactly what the Niners had dreamed about and finally it was there for the taking.

The Charlotte 49ers jumped out to a 18-4 lead...they lead by 14 on four different occasions in the first half. Life was good.

N.C. State won by a dozen.

A season that was on the verge of being the best since the 1977 Final Four team led by Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell had suddenly turned sour.

Closing out the season with four consecutive double-digit losses...moving into a new conference in the A-10...and the uncertain future of popular coach Bobby Lutz have left the Niners and their fans reeling.

It got so bad, that on Friday's "PrimeTime with the Packman" radio show, Niner fans began to question Bobby Lutz and demanded that he be replaced.

How ridiculous is that?

One thing is certain about Niners basketball heading into the unknown of the 2005-06 season...Duke, North Carolina, and yes, N.C. State are preparing for the Sweet 16, so don't expect the phone to ring anytime soon.