Feb 17, 2003

Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Tony Mitchell matched his career-high with 21 points while Troy Wheless and Thomas Mobley added 19 points each leading the College of Charleston to its 10th consecutive win in a 79-63 Southern Conference victory over Western Carolina before 3,644 at John Kresse Arena on Monday.

Charleston improved to 21-5 overall and 11-2 in league play, marking its 10th straight season of at least 21 victories. The Catamounts fell to 8-16 and 5-8.

Mitchell tallied 13 points in the first half as Charleston grabbed a 38-28 lead at intermission.

Kevin Martin, who scored a game-high 33 points including 29 of WCU's 35 in the second half, scored 12 points in an 18-12 Western Carolina run that cut the Cougar lead to 50-46 with 12:15 left. Accounting for Western's remaining six points in the final 20 minutes was two free throwns by Alex Osipovitch, while Rans Brempong had a pair of free throws and a dunk on a Martin assist.

The Cougars answered with a 13-7 run, capped Marcus Johnson's layup that gave Charleston a 63-53 lead with 6:39 left.

Charleston shot 47.5 percent for the game, including 55.0 percent from behind the arc hitting on 11-of-20 attempts. Western Carolina shot 34.5 percent from the field and 80.0 percent from the free throw line (18-20).

Martin was 9-of-21 from the field and hit 13-of-15 free throws. The sophomore had a streak of consecutive made throws snapped at 30 in the game, hittinh his first 10 from the charity stripe. The 33 points by Martin was the most points scored by a Cougar opponent since Monte Mack of UMass tallied 34 points in a 77-75 Charleston win on December 2, 1998.

The Catamounts play their final three games at home, all league contests. Western Carolina's home stand begins Saturday (Feb. 22) as it plays host to East Tennessee State at 7 pm.