Final Stats |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Western Carolina men’s basketball team rebounded from a tough season opening performance and dominated its home opener Sunday afternoon against Hiwassee, 87-47. The Catamounts opened the game on a 12-0 run and never looked back as they cruised to the 40-point victory. Four Catamounts reached double-figures and every single student-athlete available on the bench saw at least two minutes of action.

Junior Devin Peterson surpassed his previous career-high in points of 17 set last season against The Citadel with a 19 point performance against the Tigers of Hiwassee. He also ripped down five rebounds, dished out four assists and collected a pair of steals.

Sophomore Marc Gosselin reached the double-figures mark for the first time in his career on a nearly flawless afternoon. Gosselin hit 6-of-7 shots from the field including a 3-pointer and nailed his lone free throw attempt to collect 14 points to go along with six rebounds.

Senior Deriece Parks kept up his string offensive play to start the season and scored a career-high 13 points while hitting three 3-pointers in the rout. Redshirt junior Haboubacar Mutombo added his second career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Mutombo also led the team in assists as he dished out a career-high five helpers.

Freshmen Onno Steger and Adam Sledd came off the bench to tie for second on the team in rebounds with six a piece while Sledd scored the first points of his career finishing with five.

Overall the Catamounts shot 42.0 percent from the field including a fiery 51.6 percent in the opening period. WCU nailed eight 3-pointers and was 21-of-32 at the charity stripe.

WCU won the rebounding battle in dominating fashion, 60-33 and tied in the turnover category as both teams struggled to hang onto the ball, 17-17.

The Catamounts will now turn their attention to their opening game in the 2016 Global Sports Invitational as they host North Carolina Central Wednesday night at 7:30 pm. Former Catamount men’s basketball player and assistant coach Eric Wilson will be on the opposing sidelines after spending six years as a member of the Catamount coaching staff from 2009-2015. The game will also be a part of a women’s/men’s doubleheader as the Western Carolina women take on Tennessee Martin.