Final Stats |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Western Carolina men's basketball team used a 25 rebound advantage to down visiting Hiwassee College 88-63 Tuesday night inside the Ramsey Center. The Catamounts saw 12 of their 13 dress players score at least two points in the victory with four reaching double-figures.

Senior Torrion Brummitt led the Catamounts in scoring for the second-straight game and four time in his career with 18 points. He added 10 rebounds to record his first double-double of the year while adding three assists, three steals and a block to his stat line. Senior Mike Brown chipped in 17 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal while senior Rhett Harrelson added 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal. The final Catamount in double-figures was freshman Elijah Pughsley who scored 11 points while leading the team with five assists. He added two steals as well.

The win improves WCU's record to 2-2 on the season while the Tigers fell to 4-6 on the year.

Overall the Catamounts struggled to find the shooting touch as they finished shooting 41.9 percent from the field in the game including 34.6 percent from three. WCU also connected on just 17 of their 30 attempts at the free throw line but a 61-36 advantage in rebounding proved to be the difference. WCU scored 28 second chance points compared to Hiwassee's eight.

Senior Justin Browning swatted four Hiwassee shots and led a defensive effort that held the Tigers to 37.1 percent shooting from the field including 15.8 percent from 3-point range. The Tigers also struggled at the free throw line hitting just 58.3 percent of their attempts.

WCU carried a nine point lead into the halftime break and slowly pulled away in the second half eventually taking a 31-point lead with 2:15 to play. The Tigers trimmed that lead down to 25 in the final minutes but never were able to get closer.

Hiwassee was led by Tevin Henry who scored 13 points on 5-8 shooting while Aario Johnson added 12 points and also was 5-8 from the field. Henry and Johnson each added eight rebounds and a steal to their totals.

The Catamounts will now hit the road as they travel to Charleston, S.C., to take on the College of Charleston on Friday at 3 pm.