Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina had five players finish in double figures as the Catamounts scored a season-best 108 points in a 108-47 triumph over Piedmont College on Saturday at the Ramsey Center.

WCU improves to 9-3 on the season and was the final nonconference game for the Catamounts in the 2019-20 season. The game was considered an exhibition for NCAA Division III-member Piedmont College and did not count towards their overall record.

Mason Faulkner and Matt Halvorsen both had 15 points to lead WCU. Faulkner dished out a game-high seven assists and also grabbed seven rebounds. Carlos Dotson recorded his fifth double-double of the year with 13 points and 12 rebounds, with eight points and four rebounds coming in the second half. Kameron Gibson tallied 14 points while Marcus Thomas came off the bench and tallied 13 points. Tyler Harris dished out a career-best four assists as WCU had 22 helpers on the afternoon.

Orry Clements-Owens led Piedmont College with 11 points. Jordan Foote, Dalton Meeler, and Justin Quick each grabbed four rebounds for the Lions.

The Catamounts opened the contest on an 8-0 run and led 14-2 following a Halvorsen 3-pointer at the 15:48 mark. Piedmont College battled back, pulling within eight, 16-8, on an Andrew Stimpson 3-pointer with 14:01 to play. After a Stimpson 3-pointer made the score 20-11 at the 12:27 mark, WCU answered with a 12-0 run capped by a Harris layup for a 33-11 advantage with just under eight minutes remaining. A Thomas jumper pushed the WCU lead to a first half-best 31 points, 49-18, with just over four minutes left in the frame. The Catamounts led 54-23 at halftime, shooting a blistering 70 percent from the field in the opening half that included 10 3-pointers.

Clements-Owens' jumper just over two minutes into the second half cut the Catamount advantage to 25, 60-35. The Catamounts answered with a 30-3 run over the next 10 minutes, pushing the lead to 52 points on a Halvorsen triple with 7:29 remaining. WCU took a game-high 66-point lead, 108-42, with a Douglas Elkins 3-pointer with 50 seconds left. Piedmont College scored the final seven points of the game thanks to a Cole Huskey jumper and a Jake Smith 3-pointer.

WCU finished 43-for-70 (61.4 percent) from the field and made a season-high 16 3-pointers on 30 attempts (53.3 percent). A total of 12 Catamounts contributed offensively to the win. Piedmont College went 18-for-57 (31.6 percent) from the field. The Catamounts outrebounded Piedmont College 50-24, grabbing 50 rebounds for the first time since a 56-rebound performance against Hiwassee on Nov. 17, 2018.

Finished with nonconference play, the Catamounts return to Southern Conference action on Saturday, Jan. 4 at The Citadel. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. in a game that will air on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with audio through the Catamount Sports Network.

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