CULLOWHEE, N.C. – After a stretch of five out of six games on the road, the Western Carolina men's basketball team plays the first of three straight home games on Saturday at 1 p.m. as the Catamounts welcome Furman to the Ramsey Regional Activity Center.
 
Saturday's game is the "Ingles SoCon Game of the Week" and will be broadcast throughout the league's six-state footprint across a network of Nexstar stations. Nexstar affiliates airing games include: WYCW (Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville), WMUB (Macon), and WWCW (Lynchburg/Roanoke) (check local listings for availability). The game can also be seen on ESPN+ (subscription required). WSPA Sports Director Pete Yanity will provide play-by-play and 20-year coaching veteran Dean Keener will serve as the color analyst.
 
WCU is 7-8 overall and 0-6 in the SoCon on the heels of an 87-61 loss at VMI on Wednesday. Redshirt senior Mason Faulkner was the lone Catamount in double figures with 15 points.
 
Furman is 10-5 and 4-2 in league games after having its nationally televised home game against UNCG postponed on Monday due to COVID-19 protocols. The Paladins had three days of negative tests earlier in the week and had their makeup game at WCU moved up from Feb. 15 to Saturday as Furman's regularly scheduled opponent, Chattanooga, is having COVID issues of their own.
 
The Catamounts and Paladins have met 77 previous times with Furman holding a 48-29 advantage. Furman has won the last nine matchups including the last four in Cullowhee.
 
WCU has a short turnaround, hosting The Citadel in a makeup game on Monday at Noon. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ (subscription required).
 
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