Dec. 2, 2009

Box Score |   

Cullowhee, N.C. - Brandon Giles led Western Carolina with a game-high 22 points and Jake Robinson hit five free throws in the closing minutes as Western Carolina opened Southern Conference play with a home victory, 72-67, over the Wofford Terriers Wednesday night in the Ramsey Center.

The Catamounts (6-1, 1-0 SoCon), which won their fourth-straight and remained perfect at home this season (5-0), came into the game struggling from the free throw line, but managed to shoot a season-high 76.7-percent from the charity stripe and connected on 9-of-12 attempts inside the final 90 seconds to secure the victory.

Up by two points with 35 seconds left, Giles hit a pair of free throws to push Western Carolina's lead to 67-63. Robinson then sank another couple of foul shots 12 seconds later, extending the advantage to six points.

A Jamar Diggs layup pulled Wofford back within 70-67 with 11 seconds showing on the arena clock, but the Catamounts got one free throw apiece from Robinson and Brigham Waginger for the final margin.

Giles, who posted his second-straight - and 16th career - 20-point performance, was joined in double-figure scoring by junior transfer Mike Williams with 13 for his fourth double-digit scoring outing of the season. Red-shirt sophomore Harouna Mutombo struggled in finding his range, finishing 2-of-10 from the floor, but did tally nine points including five from the charity stripe.

Robinson finished with eight points including the crucial free throws down the stretch, while classmate Waginger scored seven while dishing out a game-high five assists and recording a pair of steals.

Wofford (4-4, 0-1 SoCon) took control of the early see-saw affair as Noah Dahlman, who entered the game leading the SoCon in scoring, scoring the Terriers' first 10 points in helping his squad to a seven-point, 14-7, lead seven minutes into the game.

Dahlman finished with his seasonal average of 18 points, including eight from the free throw line with 13 of his points coming in the first half.

The Catamounts were able to trim the deficit to a pair on Robinson's lone triple of the night, 14-12, only to see Wofford post seven-unanswered points to balloon its lead to nine, 21-12, eight minutes before intermission. WCU used a 10-0 run over the next three minutes to reclaim the lead by one, 22-21. During the spurt, the Catamounts forced Wofford to turn it over twice and go 0-for-3 from the field.

Adrian Gailliard converted two free throw opportunities to break the game's seventh tie, handing Western Carolina a one-point, 29-28, lead at halftime. Gailliard's charity tosses proved to give the Catamounts the lead for good.

Out of the halftime locker room, WCU blitzed Wofford with seven-straight points inside the first three minutes to stretch its lead to eight, 36-28. The Catamounts' advantage would grow to double digits after back-to-back 3-pointers by Giles and Williams midway through the half.

But Wofford would not go away, chipping away at the WCU lead and managed to claw back to within two inside the final 90 seconds, 63-61. The Catamounts were able to make enough free throws to pick-up the win, their sixth-straight over Wofford at home in the series.

Cameron Rundles matched Dahlman's 18 points to lead the Terriers with Corey Godzinski adding nine. Dahlman paced Wofford with eight rebounds including five on the offensive end.

Western Carolina hits the road for back-to-back games beginning with a SoCon tilt at Furman on Saturday at 4:00 pm, and a non-conference meeting with Bradley in Peoria, Ill., on Monday evening.

Post-Game Notes:
- The win for Western Carolina was its fourth-straight on the season; eighth-straight at home, which includes four-straight SoCon games; and 12 of their last 13 conference games in the Ramsey Center ... All told, WCU has won 18 out of its last 20 home dates ... the Catamounts have also won four of their five SoCon openers under fifth-year head coach Larry Hunter;

- Western Carolina is off to a 6-1 start, its best since also opening up with six wins through its first seven games back in the 1979-80 season ... It is WCU's best start in 30 years;

- Jake Robinson made one 3-pointer against Wofford to give him 206 for his career ... He remains third ONE shy of second-place Casey Rogers (207 from 1999-2002) and 39 behind all-time leader, Anquell McCollum (245 from 1993-96);

- Robinson also now has 960 career points, just 40 shy of surpassing the 1,000-point plateau;

- Senior Brandon Giles, who eclipsed the 1,000-point milestone a season ago, currently has 1,102 career points which moved him into a tie for 29th all-time with Howard Wilson (1971-73) ... He is 20 points behind Larry Grant (1970-73) for 28th all-time;

- Senior Brigham Waginger recorded two steals on Wednesday night versus Wofford to give him an 210 for his career ... Waginger is now just 11 steals behind WCU Hall of Famer and all-time steals leader, Henry Logan (221 from 1965-68).