CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina had all five of its starters finish in double figures, but turnovers proved costly for the Catamounts in a 74-67 loss to Chattanooga on Wednesday night at the Ramsey Center. UTC forced WCU into 16 turnovers on the night which resulted in 21 points while the Catamounts turned the Mocs over nine times and cashed them in for eight points.
 
With the win, Chattanooga improves to 13-5 overall and 4-5 in the Southern Conference while WCU drops to 8-10 and 1-8 in league games.
 
Sophomore Xavier Cork scored a team-best 18 points, going 8-for-12 from the field. He added four rebounds and two blocked shots. Redshirt senior Mason Faulkner tallied 13 points followed by senior Matt Halvorsen with 12 including three made 3-pointers. Sophomore Tyler Harris and junior Cory Hightower both scored 11 points, with Harris grabbing a team-best eight boards. Of WCU's 67 points, all but two were scored by its starting five. Wednesday marked the third time this season that all five Catamount starters finished in double figures.
 
Malachi Smith paced Chattanooga offensively with 22 points. Darius Banks and David Jean-Baptiste both scored 18 points with KC Hankton also finishing in double figures with 11.
 
The Catamounts opened the game on an 8-2 run before the Mocs evened the score at 11 after a Hankton 3-pointer with 14:21 to play. With the Catamounts holding a precarious 16-15 edge, WCU went on another 8-2 run capped by a Hightower 3-pointer for a 24-17 lead with 7:47 remaining before the half.
 
Chattanooga slowly chipped away at the Catamount lead with a Jean Baptiste 3-pointer sending the teams into halftime even at 28.
 
Tied at 35 with just over 18 minutes to play in regulation, a Halvorsen 3-pointer sparked a 10-2 spurt as the Catamounts enjoyed a 45-37 lead at the 14:26 mark. Chattanooga tied the game less than two minutes later, however, taking advantage of three WCU turnovers in the process. After a Cork layup put WCU ahead 52-51 with 8:52 left, the Mocs went on a 13-2 run as a Hankton jumper gave the visitors a 64-54 advantage with under four minutes remaining. WCU got no closer than six points down the stretch.
 
WCU outrebounded Chattanooga 35-32. The Mocs finished the game 32-for-66 (48.5 percent) from the field and 5-for-17 (29.4 percent) behind the 3-point line while the Catamounts went 35-for-56 (44.6 percent) from the field and 9-for-21 (42.9 percent) behind the arc.
 
WCU looks for the season sweep of The Citadel on Saturday facing the Bulldogs for the second time in six days at McAlister Fieldhouse in Charleston, S.C. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. with the game streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) and audio available on the Catamount Sports Network beginning at 12:30 p.m.
 
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