Final Stats

LEXINGTON, Va. - Playing without its second leading scorer, the Western Carolina men's basketball team went on the road and defeated VMI Saturday afternoon, 69-60. Seniors Mike Brown, Torrion Brummitt and Justin Browning all recorded double-doubles in the game as the Catamounts captured their first road win of the season in front of a raucous Keydet crowd. Five Catamounts reached double-figures in the victory as WCU played without 3-point specialist and senior point guard Rhett Harrelson.

The win moves WCU's record to 9-15 overall and 4-7 in Southern Conference play. The Keydets fall to 6-16 overall and 1-10 in league play.

Sophomore Devin Peterson and freshman Elijah Pughsley helped fill the void left by Harrelson as Peterson came up one point short of his career-high with 11 points while also dishing out two assists, blocking a shot and making a steal. Pughsley scored two points and gave out two assists while playing 19 minutes in the game.

As a unit, the Catamounts played tough on the defensive end and control the boards. WCU came up with seven steals and forced 12 VMI turnovers in the game while outrebounding the Keydets 42-30.

Brown led WCU with 17 points, 10 rebounds and three assists as he recorded his fourth career double-double. Brummitt had 15 points and 11 rebounds as he was 6-8 from the field and 3-3 at the free throw line. The double-double was the eighth of his career. Browning scored 12 points and pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds. He also came up with two steals including one late that led to a fast break dunk over a VMI defender that resulted in an and-one opportunity which he converted. The double-double was the third of his career.

Peterson was the next scorer with his 11 points while sophomore Haboubacar Mutombo scored 10 points on 5-6 shooting.

All seven Catamounts who saw the floor scored at least two points and had at least one rebound.

WCU led for most of the game as VMI had just one lead at the 16:47 mark (5-4). WCU used an 8-0 run midway through the opening half to open up a nine point lead before VMI came back to cut it to three with 8:42 left in the period. Just minutes later a 9-0 run opened up a 14-point advantage for WCU as the period neared a close. A layup by VMI with three seconds remaining cut the advantage to 12 at the break, 35-23.

The second half featured a 9-0 run by the Keydets midway through that cut WCU's advantage to just seven with 8:24 left. VMI eventually cut the lead to six a few minutes later but WCU responded with a 7-2 run to push its lead back to double-digits as Brown closed out the string with an old-fashioned 3-point play. WCU and VMI would trade shots down the stretch as WCU kept the Keydets at bay, 69-60.

WCU will return home to face league leader Chattanooga on Thursday. The game is set for 7:30 pm as part of a women's/men's doubleheader inside the Ramsey Center.