Cullowhee, N.C. – Early scoring spurts in both halves coupled with a cold-shooting night by the homestanding Catamounts led Chattanooga to an 84-60 victory over Western Carolina on Wednesday night on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center. Redshirt sophomore post Marcus Kell posted his sixth double-digit scoring effort of the season with a team-best 15 points to lead WCU as the two teams concluded the first half of Southern Conference play.
The Mocs broke-open a four-point, 17-13, game in the first half with a 19-to-4 run to grab a half-high 19-point lead heading into the final four minutes of the opening frame. Then in the second half with the Catamounts back to within 15 points following a CJ Hyland triple, UTC matched its 15-point swing with another 19-to-4 run for the 67-37 advantage midway through the second half on the way to the road league victory.
Kell connected on four field goals including a 3-pointer and was a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line to lead the Catamounts. The Rock Hill, S.C. native also posted a pair of blocked shots for his fourth game of the season with multiple rejections. Classmate Cord Stansberry finished with 11 points including a pair of threes, adding three rebounds. Senior Bernard Pelote just missed double figures with eight points to accompany four rebounds and a pair of steals.
Out of the lineup for the last two games, junior Brandon Morgan returned to action to led the Catamounts on the glass with five rebounds.
Chattanooga saw three players in double figures led by Honor Huff with a game-high 25 points including 7-of-11 from range. Huff also had five rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals. Transfer Bash Wieland added 12 points, four rebounds, and a team-high tying four assists. Frank Champion rounded out the double-figure scoring for UTC with 12 points with Garrison Keeslar collecting a game-best 13 rebounds to go along with four assists and three steals.
Chattanooga (14-8, 6-3 SoCon) opened the game fast with a 10-3 run to gain the early edge in the opening five minutes before a free throw from Chase McKey and a bucket by Vernon Collins curbed the momentum. The Mocs answered right back, though, with five unanswered before a 7-2 run from the Catamounts quickly cut it to a four-point deficit, 17-13 at the halfway point of the opening 20 minutes.
However, the Mocs used the next 6:31 to rattle off its first 19-4 run to stretch the lead to 19, 36-17, with 3:50 to play before the break. WCU whittled into the deficit with eight of the next 13 points before a late three by Huff handed Chattanooga a 44-25 halftime lead.
WCU opened the second half with an 8-4 burst behind CJ Hyland and Stansberry to cut the deficit to 15, 48-33. However, the Mocs would not allow the hosts to cut into the deficit any further. Chattanooga answered with its second 19-4 run over the ensuing six minutes to run its advantage to 30, 67-37, halfway through the second half.
The Catamounts used an 11-3 run that included eight points by Kell to cut the deficit to 70-48, but the Mocs answered with a 14-7 run before Morgan and Kell scored the game's final five points to give UTC the 84-60 win.
WCU finished 32.1% (18-of-56) from the floor with five 3-pointers and converted 19-of-25 (76%) from the charity stripe. Chattanooga posted a 49.3% (33-of-67) field goal performance, nine threes at a 32.1% clip, and 9-of-13 (69.2%) from the free throw line.
UTC controlled the glass on Wednesday with a 19-rebound advantage at 47-28, including a 7-0 lead in offensive rebounds. The Mocs outscored the Catamounts in the paint at 46-26 and held a 14-0 edge in second-chance points. WCU's bench outscored UTC 29-19 led by Kell's 15 points. The Catamounts tied a season-high with nine steals, led by Pelote and Emery with two apiece.
Western Carolina (6-14, 2-7 SoCon) opens February on Saturday, Feb. 1, with a Catamount basketball doubleheader. The women's team battles Mercer at 1 p.m. in their annual "Pink Game" in raising awareness for cancer research before the men face VMI to begin the second half of SoCon play.
Tip-off for the Catamounts and VMI is set for 3:30 p.m. in the backend of the twin bill. Both games on Saturday 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 for the men's game. Live stats are also available via a link on CatamountSports.com.
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