By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

CHARLOTTE — Appalachian State is not the only team in North Carolina looking to get off to a fast start. The Mountaineers’ first opponent, Charlotte, feels the same way.

The 49ers struggled with injuries and youth last year and their 14-16 record showed it. They missed out on both an NCAA and NIT berth, even though they have reached the postseason in seven of coach Bobby Lutz’s nine years at Charlotte.

This year, the 49ers welcome the 13th-ranked recruiting class in the country. They return senior guard Leemire Goldwire, who has 1,043 points and is fifth all-time in 3-points made (215) at Charlotte.

They also have sophomore guard Ian Anderson, who is fifth all-time at UNCC with 39 3-point baskets. He was the first freshman starting shooting guard since Jobey Thomas.

“We have about three seniors and two juniors and the rest are freshman and sophomores, so we’re going to be young,” Goldwire said. “Being young isn’t always good. But they’ve come in and they’ve worked hard and it’s going to be an exciting season.”

The glue of the Charlotte program is Lutz, who is in his 10th season with the program. He’s very aware of what the Mountaineers bring to the table. The 49ers beat Appalachian State at Halton Arena two times and then losing once at the Holmes Center in overtime during Lutz’s tenure at Charlotte.

Lutz gets another shot at the Mountaineers when the two teams play Nov. 12 at Halton Arena. It’s the first game on the schedule for Appalachian State and the second game for Charlotte, which hosts High Point two days earlier.

Appalachian State hosts Charlotte next season. Lutz said he’s got a lot of respect for Appalachian State coach Houston Fancher and is very aware of the fact that the Mountaineers finished 25-8 last year. He also knows about the Mountaineers’ wins over Virginia, Vanderbilt and Wichita State.

“First of all, it starts with Houston,” Lutz said at Charlotte’s media day. “You know his team is going to be extremely well prepared every year. It’s been a few years, but it starts with that. You know they’ll be well prepared and well coached.”

Lutz remembers quick Appalachian State teams, particularly at guards. The Mountaineers won’t have veteran point guard D.J. Thompson or shooting guards Demetrius Scott and Nate Cranford, who all graduated.

But Appalachian State returns guards Ryann Abraham, Eduardo Bermudez and welcomes freshmen Donald Sims and Donterious Hughes.

“You know that they’re going to be quick at the guards,” Lutz said. “They may be new guys, but he always has these small guards who are lightning fast. Obviously they lost some of their perimeter guys. We knew nathan Cranford very well, but I also did see them play and was very impressed.”

Lutz felt that the Mountaineers had chance of receiving an NCAA bid last year. Appalachian State was left out of The Big Dance and instead, received an at-large berth into the NIT, where they lost to Mississippi.

“I thought they had a chance last year,” Lutz said. “Based on who they beat, they certainly should have been in consideration. I don’t know how much they were, but they should have been because they did what people tell you to do. They played a tough non-conference schedule. They beat some of those folks. They were very good in their league, finishing second to Davidson, who was awesome.”

The Charlotte players themselves are much younger than Appalachian State, particularly on the front line.

While the Mountaineers return seniors Donte Minter, Jeremy Clayton, Davis Bowne and Doug McLaughlin-Williams, Charlotte will rely on 6-foot-10 Phil Jones and 6-6 freshman An’Juan Wilderness to score points down low.

Junior college transfers Charlie Coley and Lamont Mack, both 6-7, will also see plenty of playing time up front.

“I don’t know anything about their front line,” Wilderness said, also at the team’s media day. “It’s been a big adjustment because everybody is new and I’m still learning all of the plays and we’re getting used to playing with each other. It’s where we are right now, but it’s coming along well so far.”