Jan. 10, 2004

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Kevin Martin scored 42 points and David Berghoefer added 21 to lead short-handed Western Carolina to an 81-72 victory over Elon Saturday night at the Ramsey Activity Center. The Catamounts, who were without three players, improve to 8-5 overall and 2-1 in the Southern Conference, while the Phoenix fall to 4-10, 1-2 SoCon.

Western Carolina only suited up nine players as center/forward Rans Brempong missed his 12th game due to injury, center/forward Lunzaya Nlandu missed his third game due to injury and guard/forward Corey Muirhead served a one-game Southern Conference suspension for fighting during the College of Charleston game this past Wednesday.

Brempong, Nlandu and Muirhead are three of WCU's better rebounders so Elon was able to dominate the boards, holding a 42-27 advantage, and keep the game close on second-chance points. The Phoenix also used a balanced attack, having four players score in double figures.

Western Carolina allowed three 12-point leads slip away in the first half, the last coming at 30-18 with 7:40 left before the break. Elon was able to work its deficit to three (41-38) with 31 seconds left. However, Martin was fouled just before halftime and he made 1-of-2 free throws, providing the 42-38 lead at the break. The Phoenix shook off an early shooting slump to end up making 50 percent of its shots from the field. However, the Cats were consistent throughout the period, making 52 percent of their shots.

The game remained tight through the first 16 minutes of the second half. Western did not lead by more than seven and there were four ties. At the 10:07 mark of the second half, Elon took its first lead, 56-55, on a free throw by Jackson Atoyebi. At the 4:19 mark, Elon's Matt Nowlin hit a jumper for the fourth tie of the game, 64-64.

With the game tied at 64-64, Martin drained his only 3-pointer of the game. That basket sparked an 18-2 run to give WCU an 80-66 advantage with just 54 seconds left and put the game out of reach. Martin scored nine points during the run with an assist.

Martin, who scored 20 first-half points, broke the 40-point plateau for the third time in his career and the second time this season. He was 14-of-24 from the field. However, he was just 1-of-6 from 3-point range and he had one of his worst career games from the free throw line, sinking just 13-of-20. Just as important as his 42 points, Martin pulled down six rebounds with four assists, three steals and a blocked shot. The Zanesville, Ohio, native jumped up two spots to 11th on the WCU career scoring list, now with 1,485. He only needs 10 points to tie two-time SoCon Player of the Year Frankie King for 10th on the school's career scoring list.

For the seventh time in WCU's last eight games, Berghoefer was solid in the middle, making 8-of-11 shots from the field and 5-of-9 from the line for his 21 points. The Cross Plains, Wis., native added seven rebounds.

Elon was led by Atoyebi, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds. The senior was 10-of-16 from the field and had eight offensive rebounds, one shy of WCU's team total on the offensive end. Scottie Rice, who had seven boards with seven assists, and Nowlin each had 14 points, while Gary Marsh contributed 12 points and eight rebounds.

Western Carolina will return to action Tuesday (Jan. 13) at Davidson. Tip-off at Belk Arena is set for 7 pm.