Nov. 8, 2003

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Sophomore David Berghoefer registered a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds while Kevin Martin scored 22 points to lead Western Carolina to a 77-56 exhibition win over Erskine College Saturday night at the Ramsey Activity Center.

Berghoefer was 7-of-10 from the floor and picked up six of his 10 rebounds on the defensive end. The Cross Plains, Wis., native added four steals as the Cats tallied 22 thefts on the night. Martin (Zanesville, Ohio) was only 7-of-16 from the field, but drained 7-of-9 free throws for his 22 points. The junior also had two assists and three steals.

Western jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and kept that much distance between itself and the Flying Fleet most of the first half. However, a dunk by Martin, a putback by Lunzaya Nlandu and a jumper by Kyle Greathouse gave the Catamounts a 13-point lead (25-12) with 4:54 left in the first half. Erskine, behind the shooting of Bobby Isom and Matt Odom, rallied with a 10-3 run, cutting its deficit to four (26-22) with 2:38 left. Berghoefer got the Cats back on track with a jumper in the lane with 2:17 remaining before the break. The teams would trade baskets and Berghoefer put Western up seven (32-25) at halftime with a turn around jumper.

Kevin Martin scores two of his game-high 22 versus Erskine.

Erskine kept even with the Catamounts through the first five minutes of the second half with Western leading 42-37 with 15:00 to go. Greathouse nailed a 3-pointer to spark a 19-5 run, giving the Cats a 19-point advantage (61-42) with 8:53 left. Martin scored six points during the run and Terrence Woodyard, who sparked the Cats in the defensive end, added six points as well. Isom hit two free throws for the Fleet with 7:15 left, cutting their deficit to 17 (63-46), but Erskine would get no closer.

Western was able to make its run due to better defense in the second half. Even though Erskine shot 53.3 percent from the field, the Fleet only took 15 shots thanks to 17 second-half turnovers the Catamounts forced. On the offensive end, Western also shot 53.3 percent (15-of-30) and committed just seven turnovers in the second half.

For the Catamounts, Woodyard finished with nine points and three steals, while Corey Muirhead, who had a highlight-reel, ally-oop dunk, had eight points, eight rebounds and a team-high five steals. Nlandu was solid in his first action as a Catamount, getting seven points and six rebounds. In all, Western out-rebounded Erskine 40-23.

Isom led the Fleet with 16 points. Odom added nine while Milferd Brock scored eight.

Western Carolina will open the 2003-04 season at Georgia on Friday, November 21. Tipoff in Athens, Ga., is set for 8 pm.