CULLOWHEE, N.C. – For the fourth time in as many seasons, the Western Carolina men's basketball team battles chromatic rival Tennessee Tech as the Catamounts head to Cookeville, Tenn., on Saturday for a Purple and Gold showdown at 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT tip-off inside Hooper Eblen Center.
 
Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live audio coverage on the Catamount Sports Network beginning at 3:30 p.m. Live stats will also be available on CatamountSports.com.
 
Western Carolina is 5-6 following a 99-55 home win over Brevard on Dec. 10. Vonterius Woolbright led the Catamounts with a career-best 21 points. Marlow Gilmore posted his first double-double of the season and second of his career with 12 points and a team-best 13 rebounds. Russell Jones Jr. (14 points), and Tyzhaun Claude (12) also finished in double figures in the winning effort. Claude continues to have scored in double-figures in each game this season, ranking 11th in the SoCon with a 14.4 point per game average, while ranking second in the conference with an 8.6 rebound per game clip. Senior transfer guard Tre Jackson leads the Catamounts in scoring, sixth in the league with an average of 14.8 points per outing.
 
Tennessee Tech is 3-8 following a last-second 64-63 loss at Lipscomb on Wednesday night. Jaylen Sebree led the Golden Eagles with a career-best 25 points and is the team's leading scorer for the season with 12.5 points per game. Sebree also is the top rebounder with 6.5 rebounds per game. Jayvis Harvey added 13 points in the loss to the Bisons. In addition to Sebree, Tech has two other players averaging double-digit scoring in junior Brett Thompson (11.1 ppg) and Harvey (10.3 ppg). Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) selection, graduate guard Ty Perry is averaging 9.8 points per game for a squad picked eighth in the 10-team OVC preseason polling.
 
The Golden Eagles lead the all-time series 5-4, but WCU has won the last four meetings including each game played during the past three seasons. The Catamounts have back-to-back overtime wins in Cullowhee including a 74-69 victory last season.
 
The Catamounts close out the nonconference portion of their schedule on Tuesday afternoon, hosting Toccoa Falls at 2 p.m. on Ingles Court in the Ramsey Center in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) and on the Catamount Sports Network.
 
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