Nashville, Tenn. – Vonterius Woolbright capped a 10-to-2 run over the game's final three minutes with a scoop to the hoop with 1.5 seconds showing on the game clock as Western Carolina rallied past SEC-foe Vanderbilt 63-62 on Tuesday night from Memorial Gymnasium. The win was WCU's second over a Power Five Conference opponent this season, coupled with the early-season win at ACC-foe Notre Dame.
Down seven, 60-53, with three minutes remaining in regulation, the Catamounts tallied 10 of the game's final 12 points including back-to-back buckets by Woolbright. The three-time Southern Conference Player of the Week pushed the Catamounts in front 61-60 with 51 seconds left before taking a toss-back feed from Russell Jones Jr. at the top of the key on WCU's final possession and floated down the mid-line with an up-and-under shot banking home with the game-winning points.
Tuesday's victory is just the third for WCU over an SEC opponent all-time and the first since the 2003-04 season when the Catamounts downed Arkansas in Little Rock. WCU has garnered multiple P5 wins for the first time since the 2001-02 season when the Catamounts defeated Florida State out of the ACC and Kansas State out of the Big 12. This year is the first time that WCU has earned victories over teams from the ACC and SEC -- both of which were formed out of the Southern Conference in 1953 and 1933, respectively -- in the same season.
With the win, WCU (9-2) is off to the program's best start since the 2009-10 season when the Catamounts began 11-1.
Woolbright led the Catamounts with his seventh 20+ point performance of the season as he scored 22 points and pulled down a team-high 12 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the campaign – and his 20th in a WCU uniform. He scored 13 of his game-high 22 in the second half including the two huge baskets in the final minute.
Jones Jr. added 16 points, connecting on three from beyond the arc while adding five rebounds to his stat line on Tuesday. He did most of his damage in the second half at the charity stripe, going a perfect 5-for-5 including three during WCU's definitive late run. DJ Campbell rounded out the double-figure scoring for WCU with a dozen points.
Tre Jackson hit a pair of 3-pointers on the way to eight points with Bernard Pelote scoring five as just five Catamounts recorded points in Tuesday's tight battle.
Ezra Manjon led Vanderbilt with 18 points, four rebounds, and a pair of steals for the hosts. Tyrin Lawrence added 10 points and five rebounds in the contest. Evan Taylor and Carter Lang led the Commodores on the glass with eight rebounds.
Western Carolina hit the right notes immediately out of the gates, using a 12-2 run to gain the early edge on Vanderbilt. The Commodores tried to answer the early WCU burst, but 3-pointers from Jackson and Jones Jr. allowed the Catamounts to maintain a 10-point edge at 18-8 with 11:47 to play in the opening half.
Vanderbilt (4-7) used a quick 5-0 burst over the next two minutes to whittle the deficit to seven, 20-13, before WCU stretched the lead back to 10 with a Campbell layup and a Jones Jr. triple. Vanderbilt closed the half on a 10-5 run that cut the deficit to be just five, 30-25, at the half.
In the opening 20 minutes, WCU used the advantage from deep, making six 3-pointers while Vandy did not connect from range en route to the Catamount halftime edge.
The second half started tight with both teams trading points either on layup conversions or at the free throw line. The Commodores were able to use an 8-4 burst in a two-minute timeframe to whittle the WCU lead to one, 36-35 with 15:52 to play in the half.
WCU responded quickly with an 8-3 spurt over the next three minutes to push the advantage back to six, 44-38 with 12:55 remaining. Vanderbilt scored five of the next seven points to cut into the Catamounts advantage again before a Woolbright dunk pushed it to 48-43 for WCU with 9:36 to play in the contest.
The Commodores pushed back in a big way, though, outscoring WCU 12-to-1 over the next three minutes to gain their first lead of the game, pulling out to a 55-49 advantage as the two teams went down the stretch.
Jones Jr. and Jackson scored the game's next four points before five-consecutive points from the Commodores gave the home squad the seven-point, 60-53 edge with 3:12 to play to set up WCU's final push.
Jackson opened the rally in hitting his second 3-pointer to help inch WCU a little closer as the three from Jackson was the lone triple for the Catamounts in the second half. Following a defensive stop, Jones Jr. was able to draw a foul while attempting a 3-pointer and buried all three tosses to cut the deficit to one, 60-59, with 2:17 to play. After three consecutive misses between the two teams, Woolbright hit a driving layup that gave the Catamounts the lead back 61-60 with 51 seconds to play.
Manjon pushed Vanderbilt back in front with nine seconds to play. Jones. Jr. then led the Catamounts back down the floor, dished to Woolbright who drove the lane and drained a layup on the left side that pushed WCU back in front 62-61.
The two teams combined to call three timeouts before the game's final play, but the Catamounts were able to withstand a hail-mary attempt from just past halfcourt that bounced off the left side of the backboard and gave WCU the one-point victory.
Western Carolina shot 36.4% (20-of-55) from the floor including seven 3-pointers while limiting Vanderbilt to 34.3% (23-of-67) and just one triple. Both teams were efficient at the free throw line as Vanderbilt went 15-of-18 and WCU was 16-of-21 at the charity stripe.
Led by Woolbright's eighth game with 10+ rebounds, the Catamounts won the rebounding battle by four, 43-39.
The Catamounts return home for their final pre-holiday game, hosting Brescia College on United Community Bank Education Day on Thurs., Dec. 21. Tip-off from Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center is scheduled for an early 11:30 a.m. start. Thursday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with live stats and live audio by the Catamount Sports Network both available on CatamountSports.com.
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