CULLOWHEE, N.C. – After playing nine nonconference games to open the 2020-21 season, the Western Carolina men's basketball team dives into the Southern Conference portion of its schedule on Wednesday as the Catamounts venture to defending league regular season and tournament champion ETSU.
Tip-off from ETSU's Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tenn., is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the game streamed on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required). Live audio is available on the Catamount Sports Network beginning at 6:30 p.m.
WCU is 7-2 following a 76-70 overtime win at former SoCon foe College of Charleston on Dec. 18. Junior forward
Cory Hightower, who was granted eligibility the day before the game as a result of the passage of a blanket transfer rule by the D1 Council, had a team-best 17 points. Hightower went 9-for-9 at the free throw line and pulled down seven rebounds.
Mason Faulkner (14),
Matt Halvorsen (13),
Xavier Cork (11), and
Tyler Harris (11) also finished in double figures.
The overtime contest against the Cougars was the fourth extra-session game for the Catamounts this season and the most for the team since playing four overtime games during the 2013-14 season – and the first time according to available records that WCU has won four overtime games in a single season in program history.
ETSU is 4-4 after losing 85-69 at Alabama on Dec. 22. The Bucs have wins against MTSU, Gardner-Webb, Columbia International, and Lee with losses against the Crimson Tide, Abilene Christian, Austin Peay and UAB. Ledarrius Brewer leads ETSU with an average of 15.5 points per game with Damari Monsanto the top rebounder at 6.1 rebounds per game. Head coach Jason Shay is in his first season in charge after serving as a longtime assistant to former ETSU head coach Steve Forbes.
Wednesday's game is the 86
th meeting between the schools with ETSU holding a 60-25 lead. The Bucs have won 11-straight games and 28 of the last 29 meetings between the teams. WCU's last win over ETSU came in overtime in the 2015 SoCon Tournament, though the Catamounts nearly upended league-leading ETSU in last year's road meeting. The Bucs hit a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer to score the win and clinch the 2019-20 regular season title.
The Catamounts are slated to open both 2021 and the home portion of the SoCon schedule on Saturday, Jan. 2, hosting The Citadel at 1 p.m. with coverage available on ESPN+ and the Catamount Sports Network.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount basketball and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountMBB).
