Feb. 28, 2007

Final Stats |   

North Charleston, S.C. - A 10-0 second half run by the seventh-seeded Western Carolina Catamounts proved to be the difference as it defeated No. 10 Elon, 69-65, Wednesday evening in the opening round of the men's Southern Conference Basketball Tournament at North Charleston Coliseum. The victory snapped Western's five-game losing skid in the post-season tournament.

The Catamounts improved to 11-19 on the season with the win and will take on No. 2 Appalachian State on Thursday at 7 p.m. Elon's season ended at 7-23 overall. WCU dropped two this season to the arch-rival Mountaineers, falling in Boone 100-91 back on Jan. 15, and at home in the Ramsey Center, 76-65, on Feb. 19.

"It's good to be back on the winning track after dropping five to end the regular season," said WCU head coach Larry Hunter during his post-game press conference. "I am extremely proud of our guys. We elminiated scoring droughts and played well on the defensive end. The hardest game to get out of the way in the tournament is the first one. Then, if you get that second win, people better watch out because that's when teams get on a roll."

On his Thursday evening opponent, Hunter said, "Appalachian State is an awfully good basketball team with a lot of firepower. If we take care of the ball and have a good game plan, I think we will be alright.

Freshman All-SoCon performer, Nick Aldridge, led the Cats with 20 points, while junior Negus McKenna chipped in 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field including four 3-pointers. Over his last two games -- both against Elon -- the Montreal, Quebec native has shot 7-of-11 from beyond the arc, 63.6-percent.

Freshman Brandon Giles and junior Arnold Gore just missed double figures with nine points apiece, with freshman guard Brigham Waginger tying his career-high with seven assists in the win.

Elon's Brett James led all-scorers with 21 points for the 10th seeded Phoenix. Brian Waters and LeVonn Jordan added 17 and 11 points, respectively.

After Western Carolina led 36-34 at the half, the lead teetered back and forth between the two teams in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Trailing 46-44, the Catamounts used a 10-0 run to take their largest lead of the half, eight points, at 54-46 with just over nine minutes to go.

James snapped Elon's 4:45 scoring drought and Chalko followed with a layup on the fast break to cut the lead back to four, 54-50, with eight minutes to play. After another Phoenix bucket, the Catamounts extended their lead to eight points, 60-52, with 4:23 remaining on the clock to force an Elon timeout.

Following the timeout, the Phoenix used an 8-2 advantage in the next three minutes to pull within two points at 62-60 with 1:37 remaining in the game. Brandon Giles was fouled on the next possession and hit both free throws for a 64-60 WCU advantage with 1:19 on the clock.

The Catamounts continued to hit free throws down the stretch, extending their lead to 67-60 with 40 seconds to go, before a Waters three-pointer pulled Elon within two points with 23 seconds to go. Elon fouled Aldridge on the next WCU possession and he converted on both attempts, to give his team a 69-63 lead with 19 to play. A jumper by Elon's Chalko gave the Catamounts just a four-point, 69-65 win.

Elon clawed back from an early first-half deficit to take its first lead of the game at 21-19 off an old-fashioned three-point play by James with just under six minutes to play. Chalko capped off the Phoenix's 10-0 run with a three-pointer at the five and a half minute mark.

Western Carolina regained the lead at 31-30, on a three by Negus McKenna with 1:42 to go in the half. The Phoenix regained the lead once more in the period before the Catamounts took a 36-34 lead into halftime.