Patterson’s free throws with 1.7 seconds left lift Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Lu’Cye Patterson made two free throws with 1.7 seconds left as Charlotte defeated No. 17 Florida Atlantic 70-68 on Saturday for its first home win against an AP Top 25 opponent in 14 years.

Patterson scored 16 points and Igor Milicic Jr. added 13 for the 49ers, who squandered a 17-point second half lead before surging ahead late.

Patterson was fouled on a stepback jumper and made both shots to put Charlotte ahead for good. After a full court pass, Nick Boyd’s 3-point attempt from the corner barely rimmed out as time expired.

Nik Graves added 10 for the 49ers in the first ever American Athletic Conference game at Halton Arena following their departure from Conference USA.

Johnell Davis had 20 points and Boyd had 19 for Florida Atlantic (11-4, 1-1 American Athletic Conference), which had a 2023 season Cinderella story and suffered its second loss in the last three games.

Charlotte (7-7, 1-1) bolted to a 9-0 lead and led by 15 at halftime.

FAU missed its first eight shots from the field and didn’t score until nearly six minutes into the game. Charlotte built on the momentum and extended its lead to 41-26 at halftime after shooting 55% from the field and outrebounding the Owls 18-12 in the first half.

The momentum of the game changed with 10:20 left when Patterson rolled his ankle and had to briefly leave the game with the 49ers leading by eight.

Boyd followed with a 3, getting the ball to bounce over the front of the rim and in to trim the lead to five.

A limping Patterson would return, but the Owls kept attacking and Boyd tied the game.

NELL REDMOND/AP Charlotte guard Lu’Cye Patterson shoots against Florida Atlantic guard Bryan Greenlee during the second half Saturday.