Dec. 30, 2009

Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Jake Robinson matched a career-high with 25 points including six 3-pointers as Western Carolina used a strong start to both halves to fend off the UNC Asheville Bulldogs, 87-76, in front of 2,763 Wednesday afternoon in the Ramsey Center.

The win, WCU's 10th-straight at home dating back to last season, halted a two-game slide to the Bulldogs in the overall head-to-head series. The Catamounts improved to 11-2 overall on the season, matching its best start since 1963-64.

Robinson connected on his first two 3-point attempts - including his first of the game less than 20 seconds after checking into the contest - for 5-of-8 shooting in the first half and 17 of his game-high 25 points at intermission. The Canton, N.C., native finished 7-of-10 from the floor and led four Catamounts in double figures as classmate Brandon Giles chipped in 15 points and five rebounds, adding three assists and a pair of steals.

Junior Richie Gordon tallied 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting before fouling out late in the second half, with three steals, just one shy of his career benchmark. Senior Brigham Waginger rounded out the four in double figures with 10 points, nearly collecting a double-double after dishing out a career-high eight assists and swiping four steals to add to his school career record.

Harouna Mutombo just missed double-figure scoring with nine points and a team-high six rebounds, all credited on the defensive end.

Western Carolina opened the game with a 22-6 run, which included an 18-to-1 spurt over the opening seven minutes to stake itself to a 16-point lead. However, UNC Asheville answered by outscoring the Catamounts 16-to-3 over the next five and a half minutes to claw back to within three, 25-22, at the 7:37 mark of the opening stanza.

UNCA would equal the three-point deficit, 27-24, just six and a half minutes out of halftime, but WCU managed to outscore the upset-minded `Dogs, 16-to-11, over that time frame to hold an eight-point, 43-35, edge at the break.

Out of the halftime locker room, Gordon sparked a six-point spurt including a finger-tip roll lay-up, a one-handed slam dunk and a pair of free throws following a steal and fast-break opportunity to stretch Western's advantage out to 14, 49-35. UNC Asheville was able to trim the Catamount advantage to 10 on four separate occasions, but were not able to drop it below double-digits as the Catamounts held on for the 11-point victory.

The Bulldogs (3-8), which dropped to 1-8 against NCAA Division I foes this season, put five players in double figures led by Jaron Lane with 12 points. Starting center D.J. Cunningham added 11 points, while J.P. Primm, Sean Smith and Quinard Jackson each scored 10.

All told on the afternoon, the Catamounts turned 27 UNCA turnovers into 31 points.

Western Carolina is off for nearly a full week, returning to action on Tuesday, Jan., 5 when it hosts NAIA-member, Berea (Ky.) College in the Ramsey Center. Tip-off of the first-ever meeting between the Catamounts and Mountaineers is set for 7:00 pm.

Post-Game Notes:
* Western Carolina improved to 11-2 overall on the year and remained perfect at home at 7-0 on the year ... the 11-2 start is WCU's best since the 1963-64 season (the squad finished 20-6 overall) ... the home victory extends the Catamounts winning streak to 10-straight dating back to last season ... All told, Western Carolina has won 20 of its last 22 games played in Ramsey;

* Since 2003, Western Carolina is 27-5 against non-league teams in the Ramsey Center including six-straight home wins over non-conference foes;

* WCU finished a combined 16-1 inside the friendly confines of the Ramsey Center during 2009, stretching over both the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons;

* The Catamounts halted a two-game losing skid in the head-to-head series with UNC Asheville ... WCU has won four of the last seven overall series meetings and 11 of the last 17 meetings with the Bulldogs since 1990;

* Western Carolina moved to 2-0 on the season following a loss, winning over Arkansas-Monticello following the first loss of the year at No. 3 Texas and downing UNC Asheville after falling at No. 23 Clemson;

* Jake Robinson made six 3-pointers to give him 228 for his career ... He now stands just 17 3-pointers shy of WCU's all-time career leader, Anquell McCollum (245, 1993-96) ... Robinson also has 1,056 career points to move him into 32nd on WCU's career scoring charts, by-passing Bill Bowen (1,055, 1956-57) ... Robinson ranks behind Bennie Goettie who scored 1,078 points from 1988-89;

* With 227 career steals, WCU's all-time career steals leader, senior Brigham Waginger, moved into ninth on the Southern Conference's all-time thefts lifts, leaping over former UNCG standout, Courtney Eldridge (226, 1999-2001) ... Waginger is 107 shy of all-time SoCon leader, Keith Jennings of East Tennessee State (334, 1988-91) ... At his current pace of nearly 2.5 steals per game, Waginger could easily eclipse the 300 steal plateau which would move him into second on the SoCon's ledger;

* Brandon Giles has scored 1,157 career points to rank 26th on WCU's career scoring charts, by-passing Dondrell Whitmore (1,144 points from 1996-2000).