Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina men's basketball is just over three weeks away from its season opener on November 5 at Georgia. The Catamounts held an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday and will break from practice on Sunday and Monday before resuming practice on Tuesday.

 

Men's and women's basketball season tickets are on sale now. For ticketing information call the Catamount Ticket Office at (828) 227-2401. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.CatamountSports.com.

 

In the first of the men's basketball “Get to Know” series, #CatamountCountry is being introduced to Matt Halvorsen, a junior guard from Kingsport, Tenn.

 

Name: Matt Halvorsen

 

Major: Finance

 

What is your nickname?

Halvorsen: Matty

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Halvorsen: Cookies and Cream.

 

What is your favorite animal at the zoo?

Halvorsen: Lion.

 

What is your favorite off-season activity?

Halvorsen: Playing Golf.

 

If you were a superhero, what powers would you want
Halvorsen: Ability to fly.

 

What is your favorite holiday?
Halvorsen: Christmas.

 

Which teammates make you laugh the most?

Halvorsen: Carlos Dotson.

 

What celebrity would you most like to meet?

Halvorsen: Kobe Bryant.

 

Three positive words your teammates would use to describe you as a person:

Halvorsen: Energetic, Fun, Unselfish.

 

What is something you always love doing, even when you are tired or rushed?

Halvorsen: Being with my family.

 

What motivates you to work hard?

Halvorsen: Being the best I can and winning SoCon championships.

 

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Halvorsen: A Major League Baseball player.

 

What was the best advice you were ever given?

Halvorsen: “Work as hard as you can so you have no regrets.”

 

If you weren't playing basketball, what sport would you have played in college?

Halvorsen: Golf or baseball.

 

One major goal for the 2019 season?

Halvorsen: Winning the Southern Conference championship.

 

What made you choose Western Carolina University?

Halvorsen: I played high school basketball in Asheville so I really like this area and it is close to home.

 

What has been your favorite class to take at WCU?

Halvorsen: My first finance class.

 

What's your favorite part about being a student-athlete at Western Carolina?

Halvorsen: Being able to play in front of fans who love this university.

 

What's the most challenging thing about being a student-athlete at Western Carolina?

Halvorsen: Having less free time than everybody.

 

What is your favorite thing about home games in Cullowhee?

Halvorsen: The energy the crowd gives when we go on a run.

 

What does #CatamountCountry mean to you?

Halvorsen: That there are people out there that support us with their free time.

 

What is your favorite quote or saying from head coach Mark Prosser?
Halvorsen: “It's coming.”

What has been your favorite athletics moment at Western Carolina?
Halvorsen: Beating Appalachian State at home on a buzzer beater.

 

What will you miss MOST about being a Catamount?

Halvorsen: The support we get from everybody.

 

What does your athletic scholarship mean to you?

Halvorsen: That people give us money to play a game and we cannot thank them enough.

 

What message would you like to send to the Catamount Nation?

Halvorsen: It's going to be a good year and we hope to see you all out there.