by Don Mooney
Charlotte sophmore Ben Bradford led 49-ers with game high 29 pts blocks Tulane guard s shot. photo by Don Mooney
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A near flawless second half propelled No. 5 Charlotte past No. 9 Tulane, 74-60, in the second round of the 2026 American Men’s Basketball Championship on Thursday evening at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama.
With the win, Charlotte (16–16) advances to face No. 4 UAB in Friday’s quarterfinals at 1 p.m. ET / noon CT on ESPN2.
Both defenses controlled the opening 20 minutes, allowing just 38 combined points. Tulane shot 26.7 percent from the field (6–24) and 16.7 percent from three (2–15), while Charlotte managed 14.7 percent shooting (5–34) and 19 percent from deep (4–21).
Charlotte’s clamps down Tulane’s attempts in the paint. photo by Don Mooney
The 49ers flipped the script immediately after halftime, hitting four of their first five shots—including all three attempts from beyond the arc—to spark an 18–0 run and seize their first lead since the opening basket. Charlotte went on to shoot a blistering 77.3 percent in the second half, setting a tournament record for highest field-goal percentage in a half. Dezayne Mingo powered Charlotte with a near triple-double: 19 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds. Ben Bradford poured in a game-high 29 points.
Charlotte advanced to Friday’s American quarterfinals, where it will meet No. 4 seed UAB at 1 p.m. It’s the second matchup between the two in as many weeks after the Blazers captured an 80-74 win on March 4.