Feb. 5, 2008

Box Score |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - This time, it was Western Carolina's turn to ice a game from the free throw line.

After racing to a double-digit lead in the first half that hit a game-high 17 in the second, the Catamounts endured numerous rallies by the Southern Conference North Division's co-leader, Chattanooga, before sinking seven of its eight free throw attempts inside the final 20 seconds to derail the Mocs, 70-64, Monday night in the Ramsey Center.

Western (7-15, 3-9 SoCon) led from start-to-finish for the first-time all season, but had to fend off the rallying Mocs as Chattanooga closed to within one point on five separate occasions in the second half but never pulled even or ahead.

"This was a great team win for us," said WCU third-year head coach Larry Hunter during post-game interviews. "We never gave up the lead and got a couple of big stops. Eric (Wilson) is doing a terrific job of running the point for us and is keeping us all on the same page. We are executing much better and we've been playing some pretty solid defense."

He added, "I think we have really been playing some good basketball in our past couple of games. I thought we needed to reward ourselves - and our fans - with a win, and we did against a very good basketball team."

Sophomore Brandon Giles stretched his current double-digit scoring streak to 13 games with 20 points to lead a trio of Catamounts in double figures in the win. He connected on four 3-pointers, while also pulling down five boards and dished out three assists. During his current streak, the Auburndale, Fla., native has now reached the 20-point plateau six times.

Senior Eric Wilson tallied a pair of season-highs with 13 points and seven boards, while tying his career-best with five assists. Sophomore Jake Robinson scratched out 10 points and a career-high nine boards, including five on the offensive end.

Making his second-straight start, freshman Richie Gordon just missed his first career double-digit scoring night with a career-high nine points, adding a career-best four blocked shots in another solid all-around performance. Senior Arnold Gore chipped in eight points for WCU, including the opening bucket of the game which proved to give WCU the lead for good as the Catamounts never trailed.

Leading by 10, 22-12, at the 7:14 mark of the first half, Chattanooga trimmed Western's advantage to five, 24-19, less than two minutes later. However, the Catamounts held the Mocs scoreless over the final 5:38 of the opening stanza as a part of a 9-0 spurt to take a 14-point, 33-19, lead into intermission.

It was Chattanooga's lowest first half point total this season and the second lowest for a WCU opponent (WCU held Elon to 18 first half points in its SoCon opener back on Nov. 27).

Out of the halftime locker room, Western was able to stretch its advantage to a game-high 17 points on a triple by Gore 30 seconds into the frame. However, Chattanooga (14-9, 9-4 SoCon), which nearly erased a 24-point halftime deficit Saturday night against South Division-leading Davidson, methodically began to chip away at Western's lead.

With WCU up 11, 45-34, following one of sophomore Brigham Waginger's two 3-pointers, the Mocs embarked on an 11-to-1 run to pull to within a point for its first of five times. Following a 30-second timeout, Western went inside to Gordon, who was fouled and converted one of two free throws. A Giles jumper stretched it back out to a two possession game at four points.

At the seven minute mark, the Mocs again threatened on a 3-pointer by Kevin Bridgwaters, closing to within a point, 51-50. But Giles answered with consecutive treys on back-to-back possessions to stretch the advantage back to seven. Waginger answered UTC's next challenge with his second triple, pushing a third one-point edge, 59-58, back to four.

The final two times Chattanooga closed to within a point was the most cause for concern for Hunter's Catamounts. Down three, Bridgewaters slipped past the WCU defense and put one off the glass in the lane to pull the Mocs to within a point, 62-61. On the ensuing possession, Wilson was fouled and only converted one of two free throw attempts to keep the door open.

With the game still in the balance and the lead at just two, Bridgewaters drew a blocking foul on Waginger to go to the charity stripe with a chance to knot the game with 35 seconds remaining. However, the senior guard could only hit one of two tosses, forcing the Mocs to foul. Robinson hit three of his four attempts, with Giles and Wilson each going 2-for-2 inside the final 20 seconds to help seal the victory.

Junior Stephen McDowell led four Mocs in double figures with 15 points including four 3-pointers, while Bridgewaters added 13 with three assists and a pair of steals before fouling out. Forwards Nicchaeus Doaks and Marcus Watts finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Western's win avenged a 30-point, 85-55, defeat the Mocs handed the Catamounts at the McKenzie Arena back on Jan. 12. UTC commanded the glass in the first meeting, out rebounding WCU by 28, 59-to-21. On Monday, Western held the SoCon's top rebounding team six below its seasonal average of 40 per contest to win the battle of the boards, 35-to-34.

Western Carolina will now hit the road for three-straight road games beginning Thursday in Statesboro, Ga., against Georgia Southern. WCU led the Eagles by as many as 15 in the Ramsey Center back on Jan. 28 before falling by 11, 69-58. Tip-off is set for 7:30 pm.

Post-Game Notes:
* Freshman forward Richie Gordon started his second-consecutive game Monday night against Chattanooga, responding with career-highs of nine points and four blocked shots while working against one of the best big men in the SoCon, UTC's Nicchaeus Doaks ... Gordon has averaged 5.5 points per game over his last four ball games.

* In its last five games, Western Carolina has not trailed at intermission - WCU has thrice held the lead heading to the locker room and twice been tied;

* Western Carolina connected on 10 3-pointers marking the ninth time this season the Catamounts have made double-digit treys;

* Western has split the past three seasonal head-to-head meetings with Chattanooga, winning at home in 2006 and again this season, and at UTC last season;

* The win kept WCU mathematically alive for a .500 regular season record finish ... A loss would have prevented the Catamounts from posting a winning record ... The win was also the first on a Monday night for Western this season, which entered the game 0-3 in Monday games.