CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina men's basketball faces a stretch of three games in three days this weekend when the Catamounts head to Lake Charles, La., for the McNeese Multi-Team Event (MTE). The Catamounts face tournament host McNeese State on Friday at 5 p.m. ET before a pair of Noon ET matchups on Saturday and Sunday against Lamar and Lindenwood.
Friday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required) with live stats for all three games available on CatamountSports.com
The Catamounts are 1-2 this season following a 112-45 home-opening victory over Brescia on Sunday afternoon.
Bernard Pelote led seven players in double figures with 18 points.
DJ Campbell (17 points, 10 assists),
Tyzhaun Claude (13 points, 12 rebounds),
Marcus Kell (12 points, 10 rebounds), and
Vonterius Woolbright (11 points, 10 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles. As a team, the Catamounts made 18 3-pointers, tied for the second-most in a game in program history.
McNeese State is 1-1 this season with a 110-54 triumph over Champion Christian to open the year and a 75-58 setback at Tulane last Friday. Preseason first-team All-Southland Conference selection Christian Shumate leads the Cowboys with 13.0 points per game followed by Johnathan Massie with 12.5 points per game and Zach Scott with 11.0 points per game. McNeese was picked fifth in the preseason in the Southland Conference polls.
A common tie between WCU and McNeese is Cowboys' Director of Basketball Operations Robert Burlingham, who was a student manager for the Catamounts from 2014-16.
Lamar is 2-1 with home wins over St. Thomas (Texas) and Huston-Tillotson and a loss at TCU. The Cardinals have four players who are averaging double figures, led by Jakevion Buckley's 18.3 points per game. Chris Pryor averages 16.7 points per game and is joined in double figures by Terry Anderson (10.3 ppg) and Adam Hamilton (10.0 ppg). Also a member of the Southland Conference, Lamar was picked ninth in the 10-team league.
Lindenwood is 1-2 in its first season at the NCAA Division I level as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The Lions have losses at No. 24 Dayton and Missouri with their lone victory coming against Hannibal-LaGrange. Chris Childs leads the squad with 16.0 points per game followed by Kevin Caldwell Jr. with 11.3 points per game and Brandon Trimble at 10.7 points per game. The Lions were picked 10th in the 10-team OVC in preseason polling.
WCU faces McNeese State and Lindenwood for the first time and renews acquaintances with Lamar for the first time since a 104-96 setback to the Cardinals on Dec. 30, 1964 in Spindale, N.C.
Western Carolina's four-game swing away from Cullowhee sees the Catamounts travel to mountain rival UNC Asheville on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required) with audio coverage on the Catamount Sports Network beginning at 1:30 p.m.
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.
