Cullowhee, N.C. – After navigating the Southern Conference's most formidable nonconference schedule, Western Carolina men's basketball is set to ring in 2025-26 league play with a New Year's Eve showdown against Wofford on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center.

Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required). Live audio from the Catamount Sports Network is on 105.7 FM/540 AM WRGC in Sylva, 103.9 FM/1250 AM Big Foot Country in Marion, and streaming audio and live stats online at CatamountSports.com 

Men's Basketball Matchup: Wofford (8-5) vs Western Carolina (4-7)
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 31
Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center (Cullowhee, N.C.)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Live Video: ESPN Plus (paid subscription required)
Live Audio: Catamount Sports Network
Radio: 105.7 FM / 540 AM WRGC or 103.9 FM/1250 AM Big Foot Country
Twitter: @CatamountMBB
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About Western Carolina:
The Catamounts return to the hardwood on Wednesday after a 112-82 road loss at #25 Georgia. WCU tallied the most points against Georgia by a non-Power Four opponent all season. Western Carolina has already faced Cincinnati (Big 12), Duke (ACC), Virginia Tech (ACC), and Georgia (SEC) ahead of Wednesday's matchup with the Terriers. The Catamounts hold the 21st toughest NET SOS entering league action.

Sophomore CJ Hyland led the Catamounts with 14 points, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field, including 2-of-2 from three-point range and 4-of-5 at the free-throw line. This performance marks the fourth time in Hyland's last five games that he has reached double-figure scoring. Redshirt junior Marcus Kell and sophomore Justin Johnson both contributed 13 points; Johnson shot 6-for-12 from the field, while Kell hit four field goals, including two 3-pointers.

The Catamounts ended pre-SoCon action on a high note over the last six games, averaging 80.3 points per contest, and raised their seasonal per-game average from 71.7 to 77.3. Kell led the Catamounts in that stretch with 14.5 points per game, becoming the team's top scorer during this run. Hyland contributed 12.3 points per game, while graduate transfer Julien Soumaoro made an impact with an average of 10 points per game over these six games.

Soumaoro ranks among league leaders in 3-point shooting, making 27 threes at an average of 2.5 per game. This places him tied for sixth in total threes and tied for fourth in per-game average, giving the Catamounts a potent perimeter threat. Sophomore transfer Abdulai Fanta Kabba enters the league tied for fifth in blocks, with 13 rejections, and anchors the team's interior defense.

The Catamounts have continued to crash the boards early in the 2025-26 season, averaging 39 rebounds per game through 11 contests, ranking second in the league. The Purple & Gold lead the league in offensive rebounds per game (12.9), and they rank fourth in defensive rebounds (26.1).

Kabba leads the Catamounts in rebounding, averaging 7.5 boards per game, ranking fifth in the SoCon and providing a strong inside presence. Post-mate Samuel Dada follows with 5.6 rebounds per game, and Kell adds 4.9 per contest, contributing to the team's overall rebounding strength. All three have at least 16 offensive boards, with Kabba's 31 tying him for second in the league at 2.8 per game. This rebounding group has helped WCU win or tie the rebounding battle six times this season, punctuated by a 64-rebound performance against VUL.

The Catamounts look to open league play with a win for the fourth time in the last seven years, as WCU began the 2019-20, 2021-22, and 2023-24 seasons with victories, twice against The Citadel. WCU and Wofford meet in a league opener for the first time since Dec. 2, 2009, when the Catamounts downed the Terriers 72-67 to open the 2009-10 SoCon campaign.

Scouting the Opposition:
Wofford (8-5) enters SoCon play on a winning streak, having won four of its last six games. This includes an 88-54 victory over non-Division I Union (Ky.) Commonwealth on Sunday in Spartanburg. The Terriers earned wins in both their ASUN-SoCon Challenge games against Bellarmine (94-86) and North Florida (86-78). Wofford holds a 5-1 record at home and is 3-4 away from Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.

The Terriers finished 19-16 last season, including a 10-8 mark in the SoCon. They fell to Tennessee in the opening round of the NCAA tournament after defeating in-state rival Furman for the 2025 Southern Conference Tournament crown.

Sophomore Kahmare Holmes leads Wofford's offense with 17.3 points per game, scoring in double figures in 11 games and notching three performances with 24 or more points. His 30-point outing against Eastern Kentucky marked a season high. Junior Nils Machowski averages 12.9 points over 13 games with double figures in 11 contests, highlighted by a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds against Northern Kentucky.

Holmes also tops the team with 5.8 rebounds per game, providing all-around production. Freshman Brian Sumpter follows with 5.5 boards, and sophomore Luke Flynn averages 4.8. Junior Cayden Vasko leads in assists with 48, facilitating offense, while Machowski adds 38 assists. Holmes leads with 31 steals, tying for the conference lead in thefts, and Sumpter is tied for second in the SoCon with 19 blocks.

Head coach Kevin Giltner started his first season in Spartanburg after a successful playing career at Wofford. He spent six years on staff at Virginia Tech, following former head coach Mike Young to Blacksburg. Giltner is a five-time SoCon champion as both coach and player. The Terriers were picked ninth in the 10-team preseason poll by conference coaches.

Series History:
Winners of three straight, Wofford holds a slim 37-33 lead in the all-time series entering Wednesday's meeting in Cullowhee. WCU has fared better at home against Wofford, posting a 19-13 mark, including wins in two of the past three home meetings.

In the 2024-25 season, Kell led returners with 17.5 points and five rebounds per game over two matchups, with Vernon Collins (15 points) and Cord Stansberry (14) both scoring double-digit total points between the two meetings.

Up Next:
Following Wednesday's action in Cullowhee, the Catamounts turn the page to 2026 with a season-long three-game road swing in SoCon play beginning on Saturday, Jan. 3, with a trip to Greenville, S.C., battling chromatic rival Furman. The meeting with the Paladins is slated for a 4 p.m. start and will be shown on ESPN+ (paid subscription required), with live audio from the Catamount Sports Network, and live stats available online at 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).