Cullowhee, N.C. – Vonterius Woolbright led four Catamounts in double figures with a double-double effort of 19 points and 15 rebounds as Western Carolina pushed its season-opening win streak to five-straight as it clawed past North Alabama 81-63 on Sunday afternoon on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center.
 
Scoring 30 seconds into the tilt on a DJ Campbell turnaround jump shot in the lane, the Catamounts never trailed on Sunday in improving to 5-0 on the year, matching the best start for a WCU men's basketball team since the 1981-82 squad. It's the fifth time in program history that the Catamounts have won their first five games to open a seasonal campaign.
 
Woolbright again filled the stat sheet for the victorious Catamounts, scoring 19 points and pulling down 15 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. 13 of his rebounds came on the defensive end on Sunday as the Albany, Ga., product added six assists. Tre Jackson continued his early-season rebound with a season-high 18 points including four 3-pointers with seven boards. Transfer guard Kamar Robertson posted his first double-digit scoring effort as a Catamount with 16 points, while Campbell scored 10 of his 12 in the opening 20 minutes, adding four boards and three helpers.
 
North Alabama (3-3) put three in double figures led by 13 from Damian Forrest, with preseason All-ASUN selection Jacari Lane scoring 11 and KJ Johnson chipping in 10. Dallas Howell just missed double figures with nine points on a trio of made buckets.
 
Western Carolina (5-0) broke open a two-point, 9-7, game with eight-straight points that included triples by Bernard Pelote and Jackson to grab its first double-digit lead seven minutes into the first half. UNA whittled the Catamount advantage back to five on two occasions – 19-14 and 25-20 – but it would be as close as the Lions would get the remainder of the game. WCU closed the first half by outscoring the Lions 20-to-10 to carry the 45-30 lead into the halftime locker room.
 
Out of the break, the Catamounts pushed the lead to 18 just 60 seconds into the second stanza on a Woolbright layup and took its first 20-point advantage on a Jackson jump shot at the 16-minute mark. WCU managed a game-high 26-point lead midway through the second half on a Robertson triple that pushed the hosts ahead 66-40.
 
North Alabama mounted a late threat midway through the second half, scoring six unanswered points while holding the Catamounts off the scoreboard for over three minutes – and without a field goal for over three and a half. Jackson, however, snapped both droughts with a pair of free throws to end the Lions' run and a fast-break layup to break the drought from the floor. UNA pulled to within 14, 68-54, with five minutes to play, but would get no closer as the Catamounts maintained the double-digit edge for the remainder of clock time.
 
Western Carolina shot 50 percent plus in both halves on Sunday, connecting on 56 percent (19-of-34) in the opening 20 minutes and an even 50 percent after halftime (13-of-26). Among the 32 made field goals were nine 3-pointers and the Catamounts commanded the glass to the tune of 43-to-26. North Alabama managed 39 percent shooting on the afternoon with six made 3-pointers.
 
Western Carolina opens a three-game road swing on Tuesday (Nov. 28), traveling to Cookeville, Tenn., to face Tennessee Tech. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with a 7 p.m. tip-off. WCU also visits Gardner-Webb (Dec. 2) and High Point (Dec. 5) before its next home date against UNC Asheville on Dec. 9.
 
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