CHARLOTTE, N.C. - University of Massachusetts men's basketball coach Derek Kellogg was still feeling energized from his team's upset of Rhode Island as he got set to head to Charlotte for tonight's game at 7 in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

Rhode Island dominated the Minutemen 93-85 in their first meeting on Feb. 6, but UMass (11-19, 5-11 A-10) improved considerably to win 69-67 on Saturday.

Kellogg hopes for a similar upgrade against the 49ers (19-11, 9-7 A-10) who beat the Minutemen 72-58 at the Mullins Center on Jan. 30.

"I'm hoping we can have similar progress from the last time we played Charlotte to this time," Kellogg said. "Not even wins and losses, how we played and what we're capable of doing.

"They're a good team that came in and handled us at the Mullins Center," he added. "They're obviously a good ball club, but I think we were our own worst enemy at times in that game. There's some things we have to do better to stay in the game against a team that still has hope for an at-large bid.

"I feel like we're better than we were then. I feel like guys' roles are better defined," Kellogg continued. "I hope we're taking a little better care of the basketball."

Charlotte still has at-large hopes for the NCAA Tournament, but they are slimmer now than three weeks ago. The 49ers have lost six of their last seven games and would likely need a deep run in the A-10 Tournament to be considered.

Charlotte ended the NCAA Tournament hopes for UMass in 2008 when the sixth-seeded 49ers upset the No. 3 Minutemen 69-65 in the A-10 Tournament in Atlantic City.

Kellogg has shortened his rotation in recent games. Hashim "Big City" Bailey and Matt Hill did not play at all against Rhode Island and will likely have their minutes dictated by foul trouble or matchup, while Anthony Gurley's recent struggles have cost him time.

Freshman Sampson Carter, who played 25 minutes combined in three straight games in mid-February, has averaged over 22 minutes in the last four games. He has rewarded Kellogg's confidence with increased production, especially on the glass, by grabbing 6.5 rebounds per game in that stretch.

"He's done a great job. He showed some early signs, but nothing real consistent. But he's been one of our most consistent guys over the last four or five games," Kellogg said. "He's done some really good things. He stopped worrying about scoring the ball and done the things the team needs him to do.

"It's been a good run for him," he added. "Hopefully that's going to springboard him to a very good Atlantic 10 Tournament and a great career here. His confidence has gone way up. He's in a good frame of mind to be in."

A-10 TOURNAMENT WOES - UMass is trying to snap an eight-game losing streak in the conference tournament.

Since the last Minuteman A-10 Tourney victory - 73-62 over George Washington in the first round on March 6, 2002 - every other team in the conference has won at least once.

UMass has lost conference tournament games in Philadelphia, Amherst, Dayton, Cincinnati and Atlantic City, and will try to avoid adding Charlotte to the list tonight.

Matt Vautour can be reached at mvautour@gazettenet.com. For more UMass coverage, including a UMass sports blog, go to http://www.gazettenet.com/blog/umass-sports.