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The Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team represents the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) in NCAA Division I basketball. The 49ers are charter members of Conference USA. Charlotte returned to C-USA in 2013 after leaving in 2005 to join the Atlantic 10 Conference. The 49ers have also played in the Sun Belt Conference and were a member of the Metro Conference, which merged with the Great Midwest Conference to form Conference USA. The basketball team has spent the better part of its history in the shadow of the state's four Atlantic Coast Conference teams. However, the 49ers have carved out a niche of their own, making 11 appearances in the NCAA tournament. In their first appearance, in 1977, they advanced all the way to the Final Four—at the time, the deepest run for a first-time tournament participant. They have also earned regular and post-season championships in three different conferences. The 49ers' current head coach is Ron Sanchez, who took over on March 20, 2018 after interim head coach Houston Fancher was let go. The 49ers play their home games in Dale F. Halton Arena, an on-campus facility that seats 9,105.
