Cullowhee, N.C. – Off to the program's best start since 2015-16, the jet-setting Catamounts continue their six-game road swing on Wednesday morning as Western Carolina visits the ninth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners at the Lloyd Noble Center. WCU's road game into the "Sooner State" marks the front end of a nonconference home-and-home series with Oklahoma which will make the trip to Cullowhee next season.
Both teams come into Wednesday morning's 11:30 a.m. ET /10:30 CT "field trip day" tip undefeated with the Catamounts having two thrilling fourth-quarter comeback victories in a row over Campbell and Radford. The Sooners are 2-0 and have done so without the theatrics, earning a 76-44 win over Southern University in the home opener and a 95-51 win over the Virginia Cavaliers in their last time out.
Wednesday's Women's Basketball Matchup:
Western Carolina (3-0) at #9 Oklahoma (2-0)
Nov. 13, 2024 | Lloyd Noble Center | Norman, Okla. | 11:30 a.m.
Live Stats: https://tinyurl.com/53mec23v
Watch (ESPN+): https://tinyurl.com/mu53d653
Full Court Press:
The Catamounts and Sooners meet for the first time in program history Tuesday morning, though the two schools have some familiarity with each other's conference. The Catamounts are 14-27 against SEC opponents with 10 of those wins coming against the Tennessee Volunteers (who the Catamounts face later this month). The Purple and Gold also have wins over South Carolina (2x), Kentucky, and Georgia. WCU's last win over a Power Four opponent came in the 2007-08 season, when the Catamounts took down the Clemson Tigers 62-53. The Catamounts last faced a NCAA Top 10 opponent in the 2017-18 season as the #5/6 South Carolina Gamecocks earned a 101-43 win in Columbia.
The Sooners are 3-1 against current members of the Southern Conference, last falling to the Chattanooga Lady Mocs in the first round of the 1984 women's NIT 84-78. The Sooners most recently faced the Samford Bulldogs in 2013, taking a 66-35 win over the visitors. Mercer faced the Sooners twice in 1992 and 2009, earning wins both times though the Bears were members of the ASUN at the time.
The Sooners last home loss came to Southern University in 2023-24. In that game, the Jaguars climbed in efficiency each quarter, eventually shooting 69% from the floor and hit both 3-pointers attempted in the fourth.
Players to Watch:
Georgia Tech transfer AC Carter has fueled the Catamount comeback attempts in their last two outings, recording 11 of WCU's final 18 points against Campbell and five of the final 15 against Radford. Freshman Taj Hunter and veteran Chelsea Wooten posted timely 3-pointers against the Highlanders in the fourth, while Tyja Beans had the go-ahead putback with 20 seconds to go in Virginia.
Oklahoma is shooting 45% from the floor collectively to start the season thanks in large part to the shooting effort of Raegan Beers. She's shooting over 70% to start the season with a significant volume as well, going 19-for-27 in the Sooners' two wins to open the campaign. The Oregon State transfer also leads the team with 28 rebounds (6 O, 22 D) in their two games and has posted a double-double in both.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
Western Carolina hits the midway point of its six-game road swing as they face the USC Upstate Spartans in Spartanburg, S.C. on Saturday, Nov. 16. The Catamounts will then head to Atlanta for a Tuesday night bout with the Georgia State Panthers on Nov. 19.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount women's basketball and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, Catamountwbb).
