Cullowhee, N.C. – A mountain rivalry on the hardwood is rekindled this weekend as Western Carolina men's basketball hosts UNC Asheville in the front end of a Saturday doubleheader on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center. The Catamounts and Bulldogs clash in men's action at 4 p.m., followed by the women's game at 7 p.m.
 
Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live audio from the Catamount Sports Network and live stats available online at CatamountSports.com. Fans locally can also hear the men's CSN broadcast on 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC – The River.
 
Tickets for Saturday's doubleheader are available through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, by phone at (828) 2272-401, or online at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets.
 
Saturday's mountain match-up is among the biggest in recent years as both teams feature their respective conference's preseason players of the year. Senior guard Vonterius Woolbright, who enters the weekend pacing the Southern Conference in both scoring (22.1 ppg) and rebounding (11.3 rpg), was tabbed as the SoCon's Preseason Player of the Year, while UNC Asheville fifth-year forward Drew Pember, who likewise ranks among the Big South leaders with 18.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, was the Big South's preseason top player.
 
Both teams are featured in the Mid-Major Top 25 by CollegeInsider.com as the Catamounts clock in at No. 11 this week – down one spot from a season-best 10th the week before – while the Bulldogs are among those receiving votes, just outside the Top 25.
 
Adding to the festivities on Saturday, Western Carolina will honor former Catamount men's basketball standout and WCU Athletics Hall of Famer Kevin Martin as his No. 32 jersey will be raised to the rafters as the fifth number honored all-time. A three-time All-SoCon selection and NBA first-round draft pick, the 12-year NBA veteran joins other Catamount greats Henry Logan (#10, 1964-68), Ronald Rogers (#15, 1949-53), and Mel Gibson (#20, 1959-63) from men's basketball and Jayne Arledge (#25, 1976-79) from women's basketball to receive the honor.
 
To help commemorate the occasion, the first 2,000 fans through the gates will receive a special Kevin Martin trading card to help celebrate honoring his No. 32.
 
Western Carolina (6-2) returns home following a three-game road swing looking to halt a two-game slide after opening a program-best 6-0 on the season. Woolbright, who was named SoCon Men's Basketball Player of the Month in November, posted his eight-straight double-digit scoring effort with a team-best 25 points while classmate Tre Jackson pumped in 17 points with all four of WCU's made 3-pointers in the road loss at High Point.
 
Woolbright – who is tied for ninth nationally overall with his 22.1-point scoring average – and Jackson (10.9 ppg) are two of the four Catamounts currently averaging in double figures. Sophomore DJ Campbell just missed double digits with nine points at High Point while continuing to rank 19th in the SoCon at 12.3 points per game, while Russell Jones Jr. is averaging 11 points per outing.
 
UNCA represents the third of four consecutive Big South opponents for the Catamounts on this year's nonconference schedule. WCU's last two losses came at Big South foes Gardner-Webb (82-77) and most recently at High Point (97-71).
 
UNC Asheville (5-4) comes to Cullowhee following a 79-76 overtime road loss at Kennesaw State as the Owls broke the 76-all tie with a last-second 3-pointer in the extra session to foil UNCA's 10-point second-half comeback. Pember posted his second double-double of the season with a game-high 27 points with Josh Banks chipping in 22 points.
 
A trio of Bulldogs are averaging double-figure scoring, paced by Pember at 18.1 ppg, followed by Banks at 13.4 ppg, and western North Carolina product – and transfer from The Citadel – Fletcher Abee at 12.4 ppg. Pember also leads UNCA in rebounding a 7.4 boards per game, followed by Nick McMullen at 6.2 rpg.
 
Saturday marks the 58th all-time series meeting between the two mountain rivals with WCU leading the series 33-24 overall including a 19-9 mark in games played in Cullowhee. UNC Asheville has won the last two series meetings on the heels of the Catamounts claiming four straight. All told, WCU has won seven of the last 10 series meetings.
 
Following Saturday's nonconference meeting with UNCA, the Catamounts are idle until Dec. 16 when the squad travels to Spartanburg to face USC Upstate in a late-afternoon tip.
 
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