Final Stats

ROCHESTER, Mich. - For the first time since 2012, the Western Carolina men's basketball team found themselves in double-overtime. Only two current Catamounts were on the team that fell in double overtime to Davidson in the 2012 Southern Conference Tournament Championship game but Monday nights result would not go the same way as Western Carolina pulled away in extra time to take an 88-79 victory over host Oakland University in its opening game of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic Regional Round.

The two overtime victory was the first for the Catamounts since 1984 when WCU defeated Furman 88-85.

Senior James Sinclair continued his 20 or more scoring streak with 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals. Junior Rhett Harrelson set a new career-high for points scored for the second time this season with 20 as well. He added two assists and two steals to his stat line.

Junior Mike Brown, who opened the game going 6-of-6 from the field, finished with 17 points which tied a career-high set last season against Niagara. He also had nine rebounds and two steals despite missing both overtimes after fouling out with 25 seconds left in the game. Junior Torrion Brummitt, who was named the Western Carolina Properties Player of the Game on the Catamount Sports Network, finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. Both numbers tied career-highs for Brummitt.

The Catamounts improved their record to 2-2 on the year while the Golden Grizzlies fell to 0-3. WCU will not have much rest as they return to action tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 p.m. to take on Georgia State University in the second game of the CBE Hall of Fame Classic Regional Round.

WCU came out on fire in the opening half of the game as the Catamounts shot 69.6 percent from the field while knocking down 7-of-10 from 3-point range. Western Carolina held a 42-30 lead at the break and looked to be running away with the game.

The second half was a much different story. WCU shot just 27.6 percent from the field and connected on just 2-of-12 from 3-point range. The Catamounts were able to hang onto the lead until the 4:22 mark of the second half when a 3-pointer from Kahlil Felder tied the game at 59. Nearly two minutes later Oakland's Dante Williams connected on one of two free throws to give the Grizzlies their first lead of the game since the 8:59 mark of the first half.

A pair of Brummitt free throws and a Harrelson three pushed WCU's lead to four with 34 seconds left in regulation. The Grizzlies drew a foul with 25 seconds left on a 3-pointer. Max Hooper hit the first free throw to cut the lead to three. He missed the next two but Felder was able to grab the offensive board and find Corey Petros for the layup with 18 ticks remaining. Petros was fouled on the shot and connected on the and-one to tie the game at 64. The Catamounts were unable to get a shot off in the remaining 18 seconds of the game which sent to match-up to overtime.

The Golden Grizzlies never led in the second overtime period but they would not let the Catamounts get too far away. WCU held two four-point leads in the period but a 3-pointer by Felder tied the game with 15 seconds left. The Catamounts were able to get a final shot in the first overtime but the Sinclair jumper missed the mark as time expired.

The second overtime was all Catamounts. Sinclair opened the scoring with a pair of free throws and then Brummitt connected on a jumper to give WCU a four-point lead with 3:50 to play. The Grizzlies cut WCU's lead to one twice but an 8-0 run over the final 1:51 of the game gave Western Carolina the hard fought victory. Brummitt scored six of Western Carolina's second overtime points.

Oakland was led by Felder who scored a game-high 26 points while grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out six assists and picking up four steals. Petros added 14 points and seven boards while Tommie McCune and Williams added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

WCU won the battle of the boards 43-37 while also turning the ball over three less times, 17-14.

The Catamounts will face Georgia State University tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 p.m. The Panthers dominated Chicago State in their first game of the event, 69-46.