The Basics

Score: Western Carolina 69, Charleston Southern 64

Records: Western Carolina 2-8; Coastal Carolina 0-6

Location: Ramsey Center, Cullowhee, N.C.

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Career nights by sophomore Jewel Smalls and redshirt junior Lauren LaPlant propelled Western Carolina women's basketball to a 69-64 victory over Charleston Southern Wednesday in the Ramsey Center.   

LaPlant, a guard from Asheboro, N.C., ended the night with a career-best 24 points marking the first time she has scored 20 or more points in her Catamount career. Smalls ended the contest with a career-high 20 rebounds to go along with her 17 points marking her eighth double-double of the season. 

Turning Point:

Western Carolina never trailed in the contest with the score tied twice before the Catamounts took the lead for good on a LaPlant three-pointer at 6:58 left in the first quarter. Twice the Catamounts built a 15-point lead early in the fourth period and weathered a Charleston Southern comeback attempt, cutting the WCU lead to single digits with under four minutes left in the game. However, some Catamount defensive pressure missed chances by the Buccaneers and CSU going 1-of-4 from the free-throw line and missing six scoring chances in the final 2:48 of the game.  

Individual Leaders

• LaPlant led all scorers with 24 points going 10-of-16 from the line and knocking down four three-pointers. 
• Smalls ripped down a career-best 20 rebounds to go along with 17 points. She also had four assists. 
• Redshirt junior Tembre Moates was the third Catamount to score in double figures on the night with 12 points and added two blocks and seven rebounds. 
• Senior Judith Martin Ruiz dished out six assists and added six points and five rebounds. 
• Kelsie Ruff-Mills lead Charleston Southern with 18 points. 

Inside the Box Score

• Western Carolina shot a season-best 49.1 percent from the field. Charleston Southern also had a hot hand with a clip of 41.5 percent.
• The Catamounts connected on nine three-pointers in the game allowing the Buccaneers to shoot six. 
• WCU doubled up Charleston Southern in the rebounding log pulling down a season-best tying 42 to the Buccaneer's 26. 
• The Catamounts weathered 26 turnovers in the game as CSU turned it into 20 points. The Catamounts did turn the 14 Charleston Southern miscues into 18 points. 
• Western Carolina won three of the four quarters with Charleston Southern outscore the Catamounts 21014 in the fourth.
• WCU was 8-of-12 from the free-throw line while Charleston Southern was 4-of-11. 
• The 69 points scored by WCU is a season-high for the Catamounts. 

News & Notes

• Smalls recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 17 points and 20 rebounds against Charleston Southern.
• The 20 rebounds ripped down by Smalls ties her for eighth place in the WCU record books for most rebounds in a game. It is the first time a Catamount player has had 20 or rebounds in a game since former Catamount Sherae Bonner tied the school record with 26 in 2014.
• Smalls pushes her seasonal total for rebounds to 125 as she continues to lead the NCAA.
• The 17 points by Smalls marks the ninth time this season she has scored in double figures and the seventh straight.
• The career-best 24 points by LaPlant is the third time this season she has scored in double figures. She has scored in double in three of her last four games. She also tied her career-high with four three-pointers.
• Western Carolina's win over Charleston Southern halts an eight-game losing streak by the Catamounts.
• With the win Head Coach, Kiley Hill pushes his career wins total to 296. He needs four wins to hit the 30- win mark.
• Western Carolina is now 2-2 when scoring 60 or more points this season.
• The Catamounts shot 40.9 (9-22) from behind the three-point mark which is a season-high.

Up Next

Western Carolina will have a quick turnaround as the Catamounts host Cleveland State at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 in the Ramsey Center. 

For the latest information on Catamount women's basketball, follow @catamounts on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.