Feb. 28, 2004

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - While WCU All-American candidate Kevin Martin scored a game-high 22 points, making 7-of-11 shots from the field, it was 16 points from Western Carolina's David Berghoefer and Terrence Woodyard each which sparked the Catamounts to an 86-69 victory over Appalachian State Saturday night at the Ramsey Activity Center. The win, combined with a 64-62 WCU win earlier this month, marks the first time the Catamounts have swept Appalachian State since taking three from the Mountaineers in the 1995-96 season.

Also with the win, Western (13-14, 6-10 SoCon) will be the North Division fifth-seed and play South Division fourth-seed Furman in the first round of the Southern Conference Championship on Wednesday (Mar. 3) at Noon at the North Charleston Coliseum. Appalachian State (9-20, 4-12) will be the North Division sixth-seed and face South Division third-seed College of Charleston in the late game Wednesday.

Not only was it Beach Night at the RAC with a majority of the crowd including the WCU coaching staff dressed in their beach attire, but it was also Senior Night at WCU with Emre Atsur and Alex Osipovitch playing their final home games at Western. Osipovitch scored 10 points in his home finale, while Atsur, who battled foul trouble, had six points.

Western, playing before its largest home crowd of the year (4,121), raced out to an early 6-0 lead. However, a 3-pointer by App State junior Noah Brown at the 10:41 mark of the first half gave the Mountaineers a 19-16 lead, one they would hold the remainder of the first half. Overall, the Apps drained six 3-pointers in the first half, compared to 0-for-4 beyond the arc for WCU. The last of ASU's treys came from Brown, who was 4-of-9 beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes, with 43 seconds left, giving his team a nine-point lead (42-33). Berghoefer answered with a jumper 20 seconds later and Western went into the locker room down seven (42-35).

WCU freshman guard Kyle Greathouse opened the second half with a 3-pointer and Atsur made 1-of-2 at the line, cutting the WCU deficit to three (42-39). After a minute dry spell by both teams, Atsur hit a 3-pointer in transition to tie the game at 42-42 at the 17:09 mark. Ahmad Smith immediately answered with an old-fashion 3-point play, putting Appalachian State back on top, 45-42. Martin then came back down the floor and made an old-fashion 3-point play as well, knotting the game at 45-45 at the 16:27 mark.

Neither team scored over the next 2:30 when Berghoefer got an offensive rebound and a putback. The basket gave WCU a two-point lead (47-45 with 13:46 remaining). The teams traded baskets and, with 10:35 left, Brown hit a 3-pointer to give ASU a five-point lead (56-51). Thanks to a 15-3 run over the next four minutes, Western erased the five point deficit and led by seven (66-59) with 6:08 left. Woodyard and Corey Muirhead each had five points during the run, while Greathouse drained a 3-pointer and Berghoefer scored on an offensive rebound.

ASU's Corwin Davis hit consecutive 3-pointers for his team, trimming their deficit to three (68-65). After a Berghoefer layup, Jonathan Mitchell made two free throws, making the score 70-67 with 4:28 left. That is as close as Appalachian State would get, scoring just two points over the final four minutes. On the other hand, Western scored on 15 of its last 16 possessions to pull away for the 86-69 win.

Western ended the game shooting 57.7 percent from the field and out-rebounding Appalachian State 43-28. Berghoefer added 14 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the year, while Woodyard sank 6-of-8 shots from the field with five rebounds. Muirhead had 10 rebounds, all on the defensive end, had seven points, three assists and two steals. Greathouse, who sank 6-of-7 3-pointers in WCU's win at App State earlier this month, was 3-of-3 from long range tonight in scoring his nine points.

For the Mountaineers, Brown led the way with 20 points, making 5-of-14 3-pointers on the evening. Mitchell added 10 points and nine rebounds.