Feb. 13, 2006

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Despite a career high 28 points from Western Carolina senior Corey Muirhead, Appalachian State, who led by 17 at the break, was able to hold on to that margin for an 83-66 victory over the Catamounts Monday night at the Ramsey Activity Center. The Mountaineers, with all five starters scoring double figures including 17 from D.J. Thompson, had its best shooting game on the season, making 58.1 percent of their shots from the field and 54.4 from 3-point range.

Western jumped out to an early 7-2 lead, but the Apps responded with a 14-0 run and never surrendered the lead the rest of the game. Nathan Cranford led the Mountaineers during the spurt, scoring 10 straight on three 3-pointers and a free throw. David Berghoefer made a free throw with 12:08 left before the break to make it an eight-point game only to have Cranford answer with a 3-pointer and the Mountaineers led by double-digits the remainder of the first half.

Appalachian State extended its 17-point halftime lead (42-25) to 20 after another Cranford 3-pointer four minutes into the second half. However, the Catamounts went on an 11-0 run, highlighted by a Muirhead dunk, sparking an ASU timeout. The Mountaineers settled down during the break in the action and pushed its advantage back to double digits on a 3-pointer by Douglas McLaughlin-Williams.

Muirhead tried to rally his Catamounts one last time, scoring six of Western's points during an 8-0 run and throwing down another dunk. Demetrius Scott immediately answered with a layup and, after a WCU miss, Thompson sank a jumper with 2:56 left to put ASU up 12, a lead Western would not be able to overcome the remainder of the contest.

Thompson only made 4-of-12 shots from the field, but was 8-of-9 at the free throw line to score his 17 points. Cranford, who missed a career-high for 3-pointers made by one, was 5-of-7 from the field, all coming beyond the arc, and 1-of-1 at the line to score his 16 points. He added three assists and two steals. Jeremy Clayton, who scored 15 points, was 6-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 at the charity stripe, while getting eight rebounds and turning away four WCU shots. McLaughlin-Williams and Scott added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

For the Catamounts, Muirhead made 12-of-20 shots from the field and grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Trey Hopkins was the only other Catamount in double figures, scoring 1 points.

Western Carolina will play the second of its current three-game home stand on Saturday, Feb. 18, hosting SoCon North Division leader Elon at 7 pm. Also on Saturday, Western will have its annual Basketball Alumni Day, featuring the 1995-96 SoCon championship team, as well as Senior Day, honoring seniors David Berghoefer, Corey Muirhead and Jared Outing. For more information on Alumni Day or to make your reservation, players, managers and alike can call Anquell McCollum at 828-227-2020.