CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Western Carolina men's basketball team opens the 2022-23 season on Monday night as the Catamounts head to Georgia for an 8 p.m. matchup against the Bulldogs inside Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga.
 
The game will be streamed on SEC Network+ (paid subscription required) along with audio coverage on the Catamount Sports Network. Free live stats are also available on CatamountSports.com.
 
Western Carolina welcomes 12 newcomers to its 2022-23 roster including transfers Tyzhaun Claude, Elijah Cupples, Colin Granger, Tre Jackson, Russell Jones Jr, and Bernard Pelote, along with six freshmen. They join returners Cam Bacote, Marlow Gilmore, Tyler Harris, and Vonterius Woolbright. The Catamounts were picked to finish eighth in the Southern Conference in both the coaches and media polls.
 
Georgia went 6-26 in 2021-22 and hired former Florida head coach Mike White as its new coach in the spring. The Bulldogs return five players from last season including leading scorer and preseason second-team All-SEC honoree Kario Oquendo who averaged 15.2 points per game. Georgia earned a 66-52 win over Georgia College in an exhibition game on Nov. 1.
 
Monday's matchup with Georgia is the ninth all-time meeting with the Bulldogs taking the previous eight games including an 85-79 victory on Dec. 20, 2021. The Catamounts and Bulldogs open the season against each other for the fourth time after previously lifting the curtain on the 1994-95, 2003-04, and 2019-20 seasons.
 
WCU remains on the road, venturing to Big Ten foe Maryland on Thursday for a 7 p.m. contest. 
 
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