Dec. 17, 2008

Box Score |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina men's basketball had its four-game winning streak snapped, falling at home to Gardner-Webb, 96-90, Wednesday night in non-conference action in the Ramsey Center.

Junior forward Jake Robinson scored a season-high 23 points and was one of four Catamounts in double figures. However, Western Carolina just could not keep pace with Gardner-Webb's Grayson Flittner who finished with a game-high 31 points including five 3-pointers and a perfect 10-for-10 showing from the free throw line.

It was an even game in the first half with the score knotted at 49 at the break. Flittner gave the Bulldogs an early advantage to start the second half draining a three-pointer less then a minute in. The game would be tied three times before Gardner-Webb took the lead for good with another 3-pointer to make the score 60-57.

At one point in the second half, WCU missed seven-straight 3-point attempts before Robinson connected from long range with 2:17 to play, cutting the deficit back to single digits to seven, 88-81.

Western Carolina did try to make it interesting in the last minute of the game cutting Gardner-Webb's lead to five, 90-85, after Richie Gordon hit a bucket and was fouled. He completed the three-point play by hitting the free throw with 37 seconds remaining. Gardner-Webb was 8-of-10 from the free throw line after that to keep the Catamounts at bay. Robinson drained a trey to trim the lead to four, but Flittner hit a pair of free throws with one second left to ice the game.

Gardner-Webb hit a total of 12 three-pointers in the game including Flittner's five, and shot a sizzling 55.8 percent from the field. Western Carolina attempted 34 three-pointers in the contest and only connected on eight for 23.5 percent.

Junior Brandon Giles was second on the team in scoring with 17 points and also had four rebounds. Harouna Mutombo bounced back into double figures, adding 11 points and Brigham Waginger rounded out the double figure scoring with 10.

Western Carolina heads back on the road to face No. 23/24 Marquette Friday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Tip time is set for 7:30 pm local time, 8:30 pm ET. The game will be televised through ESPN's signature broadband sports TV network, ESPN360 and ESPN360.com.

Fans can also follow all of the action through the Catamount Sports Network, locally in Cullowhee on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 or on 680 AM WRGC in Sylva or 1590 AM WBHN in Bryson City. The game will also be aired on the Internet at www.WWCUFM.com and www.WRGC.com.