Feb 18, 2002
Box Score
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -Western Carolina got a season-high 29 points from senior Cory Largent, but needed some key free throws inside the final 30 seconds to beat Wofford 77-71 on Monday night at Benjamin Johnson Arena.
Wofford's Justin Stephens hit a pair of 3-pointers late and Terrier center Kenny Hastie converteed a conventional 3-point play trim a seven-point deficit to two (73-71) in the final minute.
After Kevin Martin was fouled, he made the first free-throw to extend the Western Carolina lead to 74-71 before missing the second attempt. Wofford had a chance to tie the game but Sam Daniels' 3-point shot from the corner bounced off the rim with 17 seconds left.
The Catamounts (12-14, 6-9 SoCon) made 3-of-4 free-throws down the stretch to provide the final margin. Overall, Western made 23-of-30 at the line, while Wofford was just 3-of-8 from the charity stripe in the contest.
"This was a gutsy effort tonight," Western Carolina Head Coach Steve Shurina said. "It was a good win for this team because Kevin (Martin) did not have his good stuff tonight.
"If we want to be successful our seniors have to play well, especially Cory (Largent). Not only did he score tonight, but all his baskets came at key times."
Largent kept the Cats in the game, scoring 18 of Western's 31 points in the first half, helping Western offset it 12 turnovers in the period. The senior from Morganton drained a long 3-pointer as time expired in the first half, to tie the game at 31. He also hit a key trey with four minutes left. After Stephens hit a 3-pointer to cut the WCU lead to one, 63-62, Largent answered less than seven seconds later (with 4:03 on the clock)to put WCU on track for the win. Largent now has 1,340 career points, moving him to 15th on the WCU all-time list. he only needs 11 more points to pass Bubba Wilson for 14th.
Martin, the SoCon's second-leading scorer entering the game with a 22.2 scoring average, had 18 points. However, he was just 4-of-17 from the field, including 1-of-7 from 3-point range, while hitting 9-of-12 free-throws. Martin totaled nine rebounds, as did point guard Casey Rogers, who added eight assists. Their effort helped the Catamounts out-rebound Wofford, 50-41. Also, with eight assists versus the Terriers, Rogers only needs 10 more to pass App State's Tyson Patterson for 4th on the all-time SoCon list.
Catamount seniors Willie Freeman and Kelvin Wylie joined Largent and Martin in double figures. Freeman did most of his damage at the line, making 8-of-10, in scoring 10 points, while Wylie, the SoCon leader in field goal percentage, hit 5-of-8 from the field and sank both his free throws to score 12.
Stephens topped Wofford (11-16, 5-10 SoCon) with 23 points while Lee Nixon added 17.?Hastie, a senior in his final home game, had 11 points and eight rebounds. Starting forward Grant Sterley, who had missed the previous six games with a knee injury, returned to the lineup and contributed seven points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes. Point guard Mike Lenzly grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds to go with seven assists.
The second half featured seven ties and six lead changes.
Western Carolina closes the regular season Saturday (Feb. 23) at Chattanooga. Tip off at The Round House is set for 7:00 p.m., following a Chattanooga women's game.
