Final Stats | Box Score (PDF) | Postgame Notes
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Pancake Thomas scored 23 points for Western Kentucky in a 83-77 loss to Charlotte on Thursday night.
Jon Davis scored 23 points and Braxton Ogbueze and Austin Ajukwa combined to add another 31 for Charlotte.
The loss keeps the 49ers in ninth place with three games remaining in the regular season, and knocks the Hilltoppers into a tie with Texas-San Antonio for the seventh seed.
Charlotte had lost five of its last six games coming into the contest.
The 49ers shot 45.6 percent from the field (26 of 57), including 8 of 22 from long range. But the difference came at the free throw line, where Charlotte (12-14, 6-9) hit 23 of 29 attempts - 11 more attempts than Western Kentucky (13-15, 7-8).
Davis hit 6 of 11 from the floor. Ogbueze added 16 points and Ajukwa contributed 15.
Western Kentucky shot 51.7 percent from the field (31 of 60).
Justin Johnson added 18 points, nine rebounds and tied a career high with six assists for the Hilltoppers, while Junior Lomomba tallied 13 points, six rebounds and six assists. Ben Lawson chipped in seven points and a season-high eight rebounds.
