CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina men's basketball goes for the season sweep of mountain rival ETSU on Wednesday night as the Catamounts host the Bucs at 7 p.m. on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center in a key Southern Conference matchup.
Tickets for Wednesday's game can be purchased in advance online at CatamountSports.com, by phone at (828) 227-2401, or at the Ramsey Center box office. As a reminder, WCU Athletics continues to adhere to a clear bag policy for all home men's and women's basketball games in the Ramsey Center. Only standard clear bags, 12-inches by 6-inches by 12-inches in size, small purses approximately 4.5-inches by 5-inches not including the strap, and clear gallon-size storage bags are permitted. Diaper bags (
child must be present upon entry) and any medical-related bags will be allowed.
The first 400 WCU students will receive a WCU jersey koozie courtesy of Nathan Earwood, Criminal Defense. Students must show their Cat Card at the bottom of the Cat Cage student section to receive the giveaway item.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live audio from the Catamount Sports Network beginning at 6:30 p.m.
WCU is 14-13 overall and 7-7 in the Southern Conference after a 93-59 setback at Furman on Saturday.
Tre Jackson led the Catamounts with a game-high 27 points and was joined in double figures by
DJ Campbell with 12 points.
Vonterius Woolbright tallied eight points and snagged a team-best eight rebounds as the Catamounts played a second-consecutive game without leading scorer and rebounder in post
Tyzhaun Claude.
On Monday, Jackson was named the SoCon Player of the Week after he averaged 37.0 points per game, going 24-for-39 (.615) from the field including a 10-for-20 mark behind the 3-point line. The Columbia, S.C., native was perfect at the free throw line, making all 16 attempts and boosting his season average at the charity stripe to .919, tops in the SoCon this season. Last Wednesday, Jackson scored a WCU Division I era-best 47 points as part of a 95-91 double overtime win at Wofford.
ETSU is 10-17 overall and 6-8 in league games following a 69-65 home win over VMI on Friday night. The Bucs were led by Jordan King's 18 points and received 12 points off the bench from Justice Smith. King's 14.3 points per game lead ETSU and are tied for 12
th in the league.
Wednesday's game is critical for both squads as the Catamounts – currently fourth in the standings at 7-7 – look secure the head-to-head tiebreaker over a second conference squad after earning the seasonal sweep of Wofford last week. The Bucs come to Cullowhee tied for fifth place with Chattanooga at 6-8 with the two Tennessee squads splitting the regular-season meetings. ETSU and UTC hold a game advantage over Wofford and Mercer in a tie for seventh, just below the sixth-place tournament opening round cut-off.
Wednesday's game is the 91
st all-time meeting between the schools with WCU having won the last two matchups including a 71-60 triumph in Johnson City on Jan. 4. In that game, the Catamounts used a pair of second half runs to gain separation after the contest was tied at halftime. The win snapped a 15-game road losing streak to the Bucs and marked WCU's first road win against ETSU since 1996.
The Catamounts hit the road for the first of consecutive away games on Saturday, traveling to Mercer for a 2 p.m. tip-off in a game that will be streamed on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required) and will feature Catamount Sports Network audio coverage.
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