CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina returns to Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center on Wednesday night as the Catamounts host preseason Southern Conference favorite Chattanooga at 7 p.m. Wednesday's game has been billed a Blackout with fans encouraged to wear black WCU gear to the game.
As a part of the Blackout promotion, the first 375 WCU students through the gates will receive a FREE Blackout game T-shirt. Among the in-game festivities on Wednesday is a special halftime performance of Tyler's Amazing Balancing Act and Blooper, the official mascot of the 2021 World Champion Atlanta Braves, who will also be in attendance as part of the "Blooper Victory Tour."
Admission to the game between Catamounts and Bulldogs is $11 for adults and $6 for youth 12 and under. Kids 2 and under get in free. WCU students gain free admission to the game by showing their Cat Card at the Northwest Entrance and are encouraged to sit in the Cat Cage student section located in sections QR. Approved face coverings that properly cover the nose and mouth are required to be worn at all times within WCU campus buildings including the Ramsey Center when not actively eating or drinking. Fans are also asked to physically distance with arena seating limited to every other row inside the Ramsey Center. Additionally, fans are asked to leave two seats between their party and others.
See WCU's Updated Spectator Policies for Home Basketball Games for more information and review WCU's Clear Bag policy and game day parking maps located in the right column.
Wednesday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required) with live audio coverage on the Catamount Sports Network online at CatamountSports.com and locally on 105.7/540 AM WRGC, The River beginning at 6:30 p.m. Free live stats will also be available via a link on CatamountSports.com.
Western Carolina enters the game at 7-9 overall and 1-2 in the SoCon following an 87-69 road setback at ETSU on Monday night. Junior
Vonterius Woolbright scored a career-high 20 points, going 8-for-11 from the field and 4-for-6 at the free-throw line. The Albany, Ga. native also grabbed a team-best eight rebounds. Graduate student
Nicholas Robinson added 16 points with junior
Tyler Harris adding 12 points to put three Catamounts in double figures.
Chattanooga, the preseason and media favorite, heads to Cullowhee with a 13-3 overall record and a 3-0 league mark on the heels of an 85-67 home victory over The Citadel last Saturday afternoon. Malachi Smith leads the Mocs – and the conference – with an average of 20.8 points per game as the Chattanooga offense is second in the league with an average of 78.3 points per game.
The teams have met 97 previous times with Chattanooga holding a 67-29 advantage in the all-time series. The Mocs swept the season series a year ago, earning a 74-67 win in Cullowhee on Feb. 3 before protecting their home court with an 89-81 overtime win on Feb. 17. UTC's seasonal sweep of WCU a season ago halted a series-long, three-game win streak for the Catamounts over the Mocs. WCU has won five of the last eight series meetings between the two longtime rivals.
The Catamounts welcome Wofford on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the front end of a doubleheader with the WCU women's team (vs. Mercer, 5 pm). During the men's game, WCU will honor former men's basketball coach and WCU Athletics Hall of Fame member Jim Hartbarger, who guided the Catamounts to a pair of NAIA District 6 regular-season titles and a tournament championship between 1969 and 1975.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount men's basketball and WCU Athletics through our social media outlets on Facebook fb.com/catamountsports, Instagram @catamountmbb @wcu_catamounts, and Twitter @CatamountMBB @catamounts.
