Final Stats |   

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Western Carolina men's basketball team picked up a 65-58 victory Monday night over visiting VMI on Star Wars Night presented by Cherokee Phoenix Theatres. The Catamounts had four players reach double-figures in the victory with a fifth coming up just shy with nine points. WCU led for nearly the entire game as the Catamounts earned their fourth Southern Conference victory of the season.

Junior Mike Amius registered his first double-double in a Catamount uniform as he pulled down 12 rebounds to go along with his 13 points. The Lake Worth, Fla., native was 5-8 at the free throw line and 4-8 from the field. Junior Marc Gosselin led the team in scoring for just the fifth time in his career as he scored 16 points while pulling down eight rebounds. He added a team-high and career-high three blocks, three assists and two steals. He was 6-7 at the free throw line and 5-9 from the field.

Senior Ashley Williams came off the bench to score 13 points and grab six rebounds. He was 4-7 from the field and 4-6 at the free throw line. Senior Deriece Parks added 11 points, three assists and three steals. Freshman Desmond Johnson came up just shy of double-digits with nine points while added a team-high four steals.

The Catamounts and Keydets combined for 38 turnovers over the 40 minutes of play with WCU edging VMI with 18 turnovers compared to the Keydets' 20. WCU also edged VMI in rebounds 36-33.

Bubba Parham led the Keydet attack with 20 points and seven rebounds. Keith Smith added 18 points while Tyler Creammer had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The victory improves WCU's record to 8-10 overall and 4-2 in SoCon action. VMI falls to 5-11 on the year and 0-5 in league play.

VMI sprinted out to a 7-2 lead just four minutes into the game. WCU responded with a 7-0 run of its own to retake the lead at 9-7. VMI would take the lead one more time at the 5:04 mark of the first half as Parham drained a three to go up 22-19. Amius responded with a pair of free throws followed by a Johnson jumper which gave WCU the lead for good. A free throw by Williams with 28 seconds left in the half was the final score of the period as WCU led 31-26.

VMI cut the lead to just two six minutes into the second half which sparked a 9-0 run by the Catamounts which was capped by seven-straight points from Parks. The Catamounts maintained a two possession lead the rest of the game. VMI cut the deficit to just four with 1:36 left in the game by free throws by Gosselin and Williams iced the game, 65-58.

The Catamounts will have a four day break before returning to action at Southern Conference leader ETSU Saturday afternoon at 4 pm. The Buccaneers are a perfect 5-0 in league action this season.