Feb 13, 2002

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Jobey Thomas scored 22 of his game-high 28 points in the second half to lead Charlotte to a 75-63 win against Memphis on Wednesday night.

Butter Johnson added 16 for the 49ers (15-8, 9-3 Conference USA) and Demon Brown had 15 as Charlotte stopped a two-game losing skid.

Dajuan Wagner led a second-half comeback by the Tigers (20-6, 10-2) with 16 points after the break. Wagner finished with 22, while Anthony Rice had 14.

The 49ers took a 35-18 lead early in the second half, but Wagner scored 14 points in the first 12 minutes of the period. His two free throws with 9:35 to play cut the lead to 47-45.

Thomas hit back-to-back 3-pointers while Eddie Basden added a layup to put Charlotte ahead 55-47 with 7:53 left. Memphis never got closer than five points the rest of the way.

Charlotte used a stifling zone defense to hold Memphis scoreless for the first 6:18 of the game. The 49ers scored the game's first 10 points and jumped to a 19-3 lead on a jumper by Cam Stephens with 8:29 remaining before halftime.

The 49ers pushed the lead to 29-11 on Johnson's driving layup with 3:32 left in the half. The Tigers answered with seven straight points to trim the lead to 11 before Brown hit with a 3-pointer to give the 49ers a 32-18 halftime edge.

Brown and Johnson paced Charlotte scoring with eight points each in the first period. Wagner had six for the Tigers, who started the half 1-of-15 from the floor and shot 24 percent in the half.

Memphis won its first 10 conference games, but has lost two in a row.