Feb. 17, 2011

Box Score |    Radio Highlights of the Game

Boone, N.C. - Four Catamounts scored in double figures including 20 points apiece from Brandon Boggs and Mike Williams as Western Carolina pulled out a five-point, 80-75, road victory over arch-rival Appalachian State Thursday night at the Holmes Center.

Boggs buried a clutch 3-pointer from the left wing to break the game's sixth tie with 1:24 remaining in regulation, giving the Catamounts a 75-72 lead. On the ensuing possession, Trey Sumler stripped ASU's Omar Carter and Williams was put on the foul line with a chance to put the game away.

Williams made 1-of-2 free throws for a four-point edge, but ASU's Donald Sims drove the bucket and was fouled, completing the old-fashioned three-point play to close the margin back to one, 76-75, with 28 seconds to play. With the Mountaineers pressuring the inbounds, Williams was again fouled where he sank two more charity tosses to give WCU a three-point lead, 78-75, with 25 ticks remaining.

The Mountaineers then played for the final shot on what proved to be their last possession, but Williams - who buried the 15-footer to defeat the Mountaineers in Cullowhee back in January - stripped Sims of the basketball on the near sideline in front of the ASU bench, and then stepped to the free throw line and sank two shots to stretch it out to a five-point edge, providing the final tally.

All told, Williams made 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to hand the Catamounts their fifth-straight victory.

With the win, the Catamounts earn the regular season sweep of the Mountaineers for the first-time since 2004. It also pulls WCU into a first-place tie with Chattanooga, which was idle on Thursday night, with identical 10-5 league records. Western Carolina also secured a first-round bye in next month's SoCon tournament for the third-consecutive season.

Boggs's 20 points were his career high, while Williams scored 20-or-more for the eighth-time in his career. WCU is now 4-4 when Williams reaches the 20-point plateau. A New Orleans, La., native, Williams also dished out eight of WCU's 16 assists and had a two of the Catamounts' 14 steals.

Senior post Richie Gordon scored 19 points for the Catamounts, while Sumler chipped in 11 with three assists and a pair of steals. Harouna Mutombo added eight points for the Catamounts, six of which came in the first half.

The opening 20 minutes on Thursday night witnessed four ties and a combined 14 lead changes with Appalachian building a four-point edge inside the first five minutes and WCU taking a three-point lead with less than five to play before intermission. The Catamounts took a two-point, 37-35, lead into the halftime locker room.

Despite a lob lay-up on the first play of the second half by Mutombo, the Mountaineers used a 12-to-3 spurt to reclaim the edge in the second half, pulling out by five, 47-42, at the 16 minute mark. ASU took a game-high, eight-point lead midway through the half before the Catamounts started a rally.

Western Carolina (14-13, 10-5 SoCon) used a 13-to-0 run midway through the second half to erase the Mountaineers' eight-point lead. Gordon scored six points during the Catamount run which gave WCU a 63-58 lead with seven minutes remaining. But then it was Appalachian's post Andre Williamson's turn to take control of the game. Williamson scored 10 of the next 12 Black & Gold points, capping the run with a slam dunk that resulted in a three-point, 70-67, lead for the Apps with 3:10 remaining.

Gordon responded, however, converting a feed from Williams with a no-look lay-up and the bonus free throw for the three-point play. Gordon's athletic play again knotted the game at 72, setting up the closing heroics by Boggs and Williams.

Sims led a trio of Mountaineers in double figures with a game-high 30 points. Williamson scored 14 of his 16 in the second half while guard Omar Carter recorded a dozen of his 14 points in the opening 20 minutes.

Western Carolina won the battle of the boards, 34-to-29, including a commanding 13-to-4 advantage in offensive rebounds. The Catamounts also edged ASU in points in the paint, 36-to-30, and translated 20 Mountaineer turnovers into 32 points.

The Catamounts return home to the Ramsey Center this Saturday, Feb. 19 as they host Eastern Kentucky (15-12) in the ESPN BracketBuster game. Tip-off is set for 2:00 pm. Saturday marks the first meeting between the two on the men's basketball hardwood since 1971, and the first-ever meeting in Cullowhee. All WCU fans are encouraged to wear purple to the game on Saturday, with the first 100 WCU students receiving a free purple T-shirt courtesy of Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company.

Post-Game Notes:
- Western Carolina will have a first-round bye in next month's Southern Conference men's basketball championship as neither third-place Appalachian State nor fourth-place UNC Greensboro can catch the Catamounts in the standings ... WCU moved into a tie with Chattanooga atop the North Division standings as the Mocs were idle on Thursday night;

- WCU has three SoCon games remaining - at UNCG (2/21) and at home vs. The Citadel (2/24) and vs. College of Charleston (2/26) ... Chattanooga also has three left: at home vs. Furman (2/21) Wofford (2/23) before closing at Samford (2/26) ... Both WCU and UTC went 1-2 against their respective remaining teams earlier this season;

- Western Carolina won on the road at Appalachian State for the first time since 2004, snapping a six-game skid in games played at the Holmes Center ... the win also gave the Catamounts the regular season sweep of the Mountaineers, also the first since 2004;

- The Catamounts won their fifth-straight game on the year - the longest winning streak of the season while also remaining unbeaten during the month of February ... it represents the most-consecutive wins for WCU in the month of February since taking six-straight in the 1985-86 season ... WCU has won SIX of its last SEVEN games;

- Redshirt junior Harouna Mutombo scored eight points in the road win at Appalachian State to give him 995 as a Catamount, five shy of 1,000 for his career;

- Senior Richie Gordon had one block at Appalachian State giving him 107 for his WCU career ... He continues to rank third in the school record books, just FIVE blocks shy of matching second-place Tommy Lavelle (1961-64) with 112 career blocks.