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Lauren LaPlant drained a pair of three-pointers.
Ashley Evans, WCU Communications and Marketing

Women's Basketball Denise Gideon, Director of Media Relations

Catamounts Begin Two-Game Road Swing at ETSU Thursday

Look to build off victory over Mercer

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – On the heels of its first Southern Conference win of the season, Western Carolina women's basketball hits the road for a two-game road swing beginning at ETSU at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Catamounts travel to Chattanooga Saturday to complete the road swing.    
 
AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE CATAMOUNTS:
  • Western Carolina and ETSU meet for the second time this season and for the 73rd time overall Thursday. The Buccaneers have won the last 10 meetings and hold an overall record of 50-22 against the Catamounts. Brooks Gym was the scene of last year's thriller between Western Carolina and ETSU, Feb. 2, 2019, that went into overtime after a controversial call reversed Jewel Smalls' apparent game-winning three-pointer as time expired. The Bucs went on to win the game 88-80. WCU's last win over ETSU came on Dec. 1, 2012, with a 58-56 victory. The Catamounts are 4-28 in Johnson City.
  • Saturday, the Catamounts will face off against Chattanooga meeting the Mocs for the 90th time. Chattanooga has won 21 straight against Western Carolina dating back to the 2011 season. Western Carolina's last victory over Chattanooga came in Cullowhee on Feb. 22, 2010, with a 51-40 overtime win. The Catamounts are 5-34 at Chattanooga with the last win coming on Feb. 21, 2009 with a 56-52 win. 
  • Western Carolina's 51-40 win against Mercer Feb. 1 wasn't only the Catamounts first-ever win over the Bears it was also the Catamounts first SoCon win of the season. It was also WCU's first conference victory since Feb. 8, 2018, when the Catamounts beat Wofford 68-62.
  • Jewel Smalls has logged nine double-doubles on the season, ripped down double-figure rebounds in 11 games and scored in double figures in 14 games on the year. 
  • Lauren LaPlant has connected on a season-high 59 three-pointers becoming just the eighth player in program history to hit 57 or more three-pointers in a season. She ranks 7th place in the record book and is three away from sixth place. 
  • LaPlant is tied for 29th in the NCAA for most three-pointers in a season (59).
  • Smalls (13.9) and LaPlant (11) are each averaging double figures for the Catamounts. 
  • Western Carolina has 155 three-pointers on the season moving the team into fourth place in the WCU record books. The Catamounts need 13 three-pointers to move up to the third place. The program record is 189 set in 2013-14. That mark also ranks second in the SoCon averaging seven three-pointers per game. 
 
AN INSIDE LOOK AT ETSU:
  • ETSU is coming off a triple-overtime heartbreaking loss to Chattanooga 91-82 Saturday. Four Buccaneer players combined for 71 points in the epic contest.
  • The Bucs are on a two-game losing streak and have lost three of their last five contests. The lone win in the five-game span was a 72-66 victory over Mercer. 
  • Micah Sheetz is the lone ETSU player averaging double-figure scoring with 15.4 points per game. 
  • As a team, ETSU has hit 81 three-pointers – a little over half of Western Carolina's team total of 155. 
 
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