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Jeremy Sasser, WCU Public Relations

Women's Basketball Denise Gideon, Director of Media Relations

Catamounts Travel to UNCG Saturday

First SoCon road game of the season

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina women's basketball hits the road in Southern Conference play for the first time this season traveling to UNCG for a 4 p.m. tip-off with the Spartans. The game can be seen on the SoCon Digital Network.  
 
AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE CATAMOUNTS:
Western Carolina and UNCG meet for the 74th time on Saturday. The Catamounts hold an overall record of 40-33 against UNCG, however, the Spartans have won the last four meetings and five of the last six. Before UNCG's dominance over the last six games, Western Carolina had enjoyed a 10-game winning streak from Feb. 2012 to Feb. 2016. Throughout the last six games, Western Carolina's lone win was a 77-73 win in Cullowhee on Feb. 25, 2017. The Catamounts are 13-15 all-time at UNCG. 
 
Redshirt junior Lauren LaPlant has scored in double figures in the last four games and nine of the last 11 contests. She is averaging 13.3 points in that 11-game span and has hit 34 three-pointers.
 
Sophomore guard Jewel Smalls' 10.9 rebounds per game leads the SoCon and her 185 total rebounds also paces the conference. That 185 rebounds are a season-best for the sophomore and the most by a Catamount since the 2017-18 season when former Catamount Sherae Bonner ripped down 211 on the season. Smalls' 185 rebounds also rank fifth in the NCAA and her 10.9 per game ranks ninth. 
 
The Catamounts have hit six or more three-pointers in the last five games and at least one three-pointer in all 17. 
 
Western Carolina's 130 three-pointers on the season ranks tied for 14th in the Catamount record books for most three-pointers by a team on the season. The program record is 189 set by the 2013-14 club. The Catamounts rank tied for 32nd in the NCAA for three-point field goals made. 
 
WCU has two players averaging in double figures – Smalls (13.9) and LaPlant (11). Both also rank first and second in three-pointers made with LaPlant logging in 47 and Smalls 40. LaPlant's 37 is a season-high and Smalls is three shy of breaking her best seasonal total. 
 
AN INSIDE LOOK AT UNCG:
UNCG ranks second in the SoCon with a 2-0 start to the season and an overall record of 13-4. Furman tops the conference at 3-0. 
 
Forward Te'ja Twitty enters the contest vs. Western Carolina with 23 double-doubles on her career; just one shy of tying alum Melinda Gibson (1997-00) for the Spartan record. Her 813 career boards rank third in UNCG program history.
UNCG is currently on a seven-game winning streak and has won their past nine contests at home. Should the Spartans win Saturday, it will tie the longest home winning the streak the club has had in a single season since moving to the Division I level during the 1991-92 campaign.
 
The Spartans 46.9 field goal percentage and 36.4 three-point percentage ranking 19th and 30th in the country respectively.
 
 
For all the updates on Catamount women's basketball follow @catamounts (Twitter) for in-game updates and full recaps please follow or go to www.catamountsports.com.
 
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Players Mentioned

Lauren LaPlant

#4 Lauren LaPlant

G
5' 7"
Redshirt Junior
Jewel Smalls

#30 Jewel Smalls

G
5' 7"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Lauren LaPlant

#4 Lauren LaPlant

5' 7"
Redshirt Junior
G
Jewel Smalls

#30 Jewel Smalls

5' 7"
Sophomore
G