Cullowhee, N.C. – Coming off a thrilling 85-82 win on Sunday afternoon against Mercer, the Western Carolina men's basketball team looks to make it two in a row in Southern Conference play on Wednesday night with a trip to VMI to battle the Keydets. Tip-off from Cameron Hall is set for 6 p.m. in Lexington, Va.
The contest will be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required). Free live streaming audio from the Catamount Sports Network and live stats are available online at CatamountSports.com. Fans can also listen to the game locally on 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC, "The River" in Sylva (www.wrgc.com).
Matchup: Western Carolina (5-10, 1-3 SoCon) at VMI (6-11, 0-4 SoCon)
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15
Site: Cameron Hall (Lexington, Va.)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Live Video: ESPN+ (paid subscription required)
Live Audio: Catamount Sports Network
Radio: 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC "The River" (wrgc.com)
Twitter: @CatamountMBB
About Western Carolina:
With the game tied at 78 with 1:10 to play, senior Bernard Pelote connected on a clutch 3-pointer as Western Carolina scored seven of the game's final 11 points over the final 70 seconds to lead the Catamounts past Mercer 85-82 in Southern Conference action on Sunday afternoon from Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center.
On Sunday, WCU had four players in double figures, led by redshirt sophomore Cord Stansberry, who poured in 17 points as the Pepperdine transfer connected on three from beyond the arc and added three boards and a pair of assists. Junior Ice Emery added 16 points off the bench on the power of four triples. Brandon Morgan added 13, including a pair of critical free throws in the waning seconds to finish one point shy of his season-high, adding five rebounds and three assists. Pelote picked up his third double-double of the season, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Coming off of his second SoCon double-double and third overall of the season, Pelote continues his red-hot start in SoCon play as the Savannah, Ga. native ranks second in the league, averaging 19.0 points per game through four league contests including two 20-plus performances. He's second in the league, averaging 7.8 made field goals per game, and is tied for third in rebounding with 8.2 boards per game. Pelote ranks in a tie for fifth in league play, connecting on 11 threes, and is second in defensive rebounds with 27.
The Catamount bench has filled the scoreboard throughout the start of the 2024-25 season, averaging 25.6 points per game, fourth-best in the SoCon. Marcus Kell, who moved into the starting lineup against Mercer, has tallied a team-high 69 points over 10 games in reserve, including his career-high tying 16 points off the bench against Wofford. Junior Ice Emery has totaled 63 points, including his 16 points against Mercer, for his third double-figure scoring bench performance of the campaign.
Freshman Fischer Brown has scored 45 points off the bench, followed by junior Brandon Morgan with 44, and redshirt junior Chase McKey tallied 40 points. The Catamounts have seen a bench player with double-figures 11 times, paced by Emery's 24 against Truett McConnell. Emery leads the squad with three double-digit point games off the bench, followed by two apiece for Kell, Morgan, and sophomore Jamar Livingston.
Western Carolina sits tied atop the league in rebounds with 38.9 per game over 15 games, led by Pelote at 7.7 per game – the second-best individual average in the SoCon. He also ranks second in the league with 6.1 defensive rebounds per game and second in the conference with 91 total defensive boards. Junior Vernon Collins sits in a tie for seventh in the league, averaging 1.9 offensive rebounds per game, and he's tallied 28 offensive boards.
Redshirt sophomore transfer guard Cord Stansberry sits among the nation's leaders at the free throw line, shooting a red-hot 92.7 percent (38-of-41). Stansberry ranks 11th in the country at the charity stripe and leads the SoCon.
Collins leads WCU with 15 blocks, sitting in a tie for sixth with a block per game. Redshirt junior Chase McKey is fifth in the league with 62.5 percent (20-of-32) from the field, while Collins is 10th at 58.3 percent (35-of-60).
Scouting the Opposition:
VMI comes into Wednesday's action with a 6-11 overall record and 0-4 in SoCon play. The Keydets have dropped five straight including a 91-66 matchup to Chattanooga on Sunday afternoon. The Keydets have played a pair of the same nonconference opponents, defeating Bellarmine (76-71) and dropping a home bout with Queens (78-81). VMI has already faced ETSU, Mercer, Samford, and Chattanooga.
VMI and third-year head coach Andrew Wilson have employed a different approach to filling the roster, welcoming some of the program's first transfers this year with many offering immediate impacts.
Sophomore forward Augustinas Kiudulas – transfer from Indiana State a season ago – leads the Keydets on the offensive end of the court, averaging 15.6 points per game as he's eclipsed 20 points five times and recorded three double-doubles for VMI. Kiudulas is eighth in the league in scoring as he's connecting on 41.9% (18-of-43) from deep and 80.9% (55-of-68) at the free throw line.
Junior guard Rickey Bradley Jr., who spent his freshman season at VMI before transferring to Georgia State and returning to Lexington this season, is averaging 14.8 points per game. He has 11 straight double-figure scoring performances, including 30 points against Mercer. Bradley Jr. has connected on 25 threes and dished out 57 assists. He also leads VMI in league play, averaging 20.5 points per game.
Sophomore forward TJ Johnson, who transferred from Lipscomb, rounds out the double-figure scoring for VMI at 12.8 points per game with 12 double-figure scoring games, including 11 straight to begin the season. Johnson also leads the way from deep, making 42 threes. Kiudulas leads the Keydets with 6.6 rebounds per game as sophomore Tan Yildizoglu, who transferred from Pacific, has a team-high 67 assists, with Johnson tallying a team-high 24 steals and sophomore guard AJ Clark.
VMI was tabbed 10th in the 10-team preseason poll after finishing the 2023-24 season 4-28, including a 1-17 mark in league play, before falling in the opening round of the SoCon tournament to UNCG.
Series History:
Western Carolina carries a 41-29 record in the all-time series with the Keydets, earning wins in the past five matchups with a 102-77 decision in Cullowhee and an 84-51 victory in Lexington last season. WCU is looking for three straight in the series with VMI in games contested in Lexington as the Catamounts have a slim 17-16 lead in at Cameron Hall compared to a 23-11 advantage in Cullowhee.
Bernard Pelote had eight rebounds in the road win last season before totaling 11 points as one of five in double-figures in the 102-77 victory in Cullowhee.
Up Next for Western Carolina:
The Catamounts return home on Saturday, Jan. 18, for a "White Out Ramsey" matchup against UNCG on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center. Tip-off with the Spartans is slated for 3 p.m.
Saturday's giveaway is a replica of WCU's home white jersey to the first 800 fans, courtesy of Champion Credit Union. For the first time since Jan. 18, 2022, the ZOOperstars return to the Ramsey Center on Saturday, presented by WCU Residential Living.
Saturday's game will be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with live audio coverage through the Catamount Sports Network available online at CatamountSports.com and on 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC "The River" in Sylva. Live stats are also available via a link on CatamountSports.com.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount men's basketball and WCU Athletics through our social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@catamountmbb @wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@CatamountMBB @catamounts).
