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COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Western Carolina men’s basketball team suffered its second worst shooting performance of the season Monday night at Big Ten foe Ohio State. WCU shot just 27.5 percent from the field, 24.0 percent from three and 44.4 percent at the free throw line. The Buckeyes took advantage and pulled away for a 66-38 victory, their fourth-straight to open the 2016-17 campaign.

Junior Haboubacar Mutombo was the only Catamount in double-figures as he scored 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting. He also pulled down four rebounds and made a steal. Sophomore Marc Gosselin came up just shy of a double-double with nine points and a game-high 14 rebounds. He was 3-of-6 from the field but just 1-of-4 from 3-point range.

Sophomore Elijah Pughsley and freshman Onno Steger returned to their home state and combined for 11 points. Pughsley had six points off a pair of 3-pointers while Steger chipped in five points and four rebounds.

Not only did WCU suffer from a poor shooting night but the Catamounts had trouble hanging onto the ball as the Buckeyes forced 20 turnovers which converted into 20 points for OSU.

The Buckeyes were led by Jae’Sean Tate who had 14 points and 11 rebounds. JaQuan Lyle added 17 points while Kam Williams had 13 points.

OSU took the opening half 32-18 and won the second half 34-20.

The Catamounts led for a total of 2:53 as they opened the game up with a 4-0 run. The lead held until the 16:40 mark when the Buckeyes tied the game at four. OSU would respond to WCU’s 4-0 run with an 11-0 run of its own. The Catamounts would keep the lead in the single digits until a layup by Tate gave OSU an 18-8 lead with 8:59 left in the first. WCU would keep the lead within 10 points for the next several possessions but an 8-3 run by the Buckeyes to close out the half gave OSU a double-digit lead that they would never relinquish.

WCU will now head back to Cullowhee to spend the Thanksgiving holiday as a team before hitting the road for a match-up with Jackson State on Saturday, Nov. 26.