Dec. 9, 2011
Western Carolina Game Notes vs. Kent State 
| Basketball Spotlight: Boggs
Cullowhee, N.C. -
Western Carolina returns to the friendly confines of the Ramsey Center on Saturday afternoon, hosting the Kent State Golden Flashes in nonconference action with tip-off at 2:00 pm. It is the third meeting between the two schools all-time, all coming within the past four seasons.
With the holiday season right around the corner, "Santa Paws" will be on hand beginning at 1:30 pm on Saturday afternoon taking pictures with the young - and young at heart. Also, fans are invited to bring new, unwrapped toys to the gates as WCU Athletics again supports the Jackson County Christmas Store.
Fans can follow the action live on the Catamount Sports Network, locally on WWCU-FM Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee and 920 AM WPTL in Canton. The broadcast will also be streamed online through Stretch Internet at www.CatamountSports.com.
Live video streaming through Catamount All-Access (subscription required) as well as live GameTracker (free) is also available online at CatamountSports.com.
Western Carolina (5-5) is fresh off the road following a close, five-point loss at Purdue on Wednesday night at the Mackey Arena. The Catamounts led by as many as eight in the opening 20 minutes before a 10-0 spurt out of the halftime locker room allowed the Boilermakers to climb back into the game. WCU held a two-point edge in the second half, but too much from national preseason All-America selection Robbie Hummel helped Purdue outlast the Catamounts, 65-60.
The Catamounts have four players averaging double figures, led by Harouna Mutombo at 15.1 points per game. The Pickering, Ontario native has scored in double-figures in four-consecutive games, tallying 18 points in each of the last three. Sophomore Brandon Boggs, who was saddled with foul trouble at Purdue, is scoring 12.2 points per game with redshirt sophomore Trey Sumler (11.2 ppg) and senior Keaton Cole (10.2 ppg) also averaging double digits.
Cole is averaging four made 3-pointers over his past four games, shooting 16-of-31 (51.6-percent) over that same span. His current four-game, double-digit scoring streak is the longest of his collegiate career.
Kent State (6-1) is amidst a stretch of six-straight games away from home. The Golden Flashes have won five-straight including a 20-point, 71-51, road win over James Madison in the first of the six-consecutive away from the state of Ohio. KSU, which is seeking its second-straight 7-1 seasonal start, also has a 10-point, 70-60, road victory over West Virginia back on Nov. 15 to its credit this season.
The Golden Flashes have three players averaging double-figure scoring with Randal Holt (11.9 ppg), Justin Greene (11.1 ppg) and Chris Evans (11.0 ppg). Greene also paces the squad in rebounding at 6.6 boards per game including nearly two offensive rebounds per outing.
Kent State's roster also features a former Catamount in Michael Porrini. The 6-2 guard from Massillon, Ohio, began his career in Cullowhee in the 2007-08 season, starting 15 of the 16 games in which he saw action while averaging 11.3 points per game. He transferred in the second semester and later resurfaced at Gulf Coast. The MAC's Defensive Player of the Year a season ago, Porrini is averaging two steals per game to go along with his 9.7 points per game this year.
Both teams will break for final exams following Saturday's meeting in Cullowhee.
WESTERN CAROLINA vs. KENT STATE - THE SERIES:
Western Carolina is 1-1 all-time against Kent State with both of the previous two meetings coming on the road ... the Catamounts defeated Kent State in overtime in the 2008 season, 89-84, before falling on the road by two, 74-72, the following year in the ESPN BracketBuster ... This year's meeting in Cullowhee is the return game contracted by the BracketBuster agreement ... WCU head coach Larry Hunter holds a 17-11 all-time record against Kent State including a 16-8 mark while at Ohio University, and a 0-2 mark while coaching at Wittenberg.
WCU ALL-TIME VS. THE MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE:
Western Carolina is 4-4 all-time against current teams representing the Mid-American Conference, having played six of the current 12 teams: Ball State, 0-1; Bowling Green, 2-0; Eastern Michigan, 0-1; Kent State, 1-1; Northern Illinois, 1-0; Toledo, 0-1
FAMILIAR FACE FOR THE GOLDEN FLASHES:
Current Kent State point guard Michael Porrini started his collegiate career at WCU for Larry Hunter in 2007-08 ... He transferred to Gulf Coast College in Florida before ending up back in his home state of Ohio at Kent State ... In 16 games for the Catamounts, Porrini averaged 11.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game while also dishing out 3.3 assists and swiping 1.9 steals per game ... A season ago, Porrini was named the Mid-American Conference's Defensive Player of the Year, recording three-or-more steals in 14 games.
HOME-SWEE-HOME IN THE RAMSEY CENTER:
All told, the Catamounts have won 40 of their last 46 home games including 27 of the last 31 Southern Conference games in Cullowhee ... Over the past three seasons, WCU is 38-5 (.884) at home ... During head coach Larry Hunter's tenure, the Catamounts are 61-20 (.763) at home over the past seven years ... Western Carolina went 14-2 at home in the 2009-10 season in the Ramsey Center to set a school facility record for wins and posted an 11-1 mark last year.
NON-CONFERENCE FOES IN THE RAMSEY CENTER:
Following the Nov. 15 win over Montreat College, Western Carolina has won TEN-straight home games against non-conference opponents ... WCU has secured victories in 14 of the last 16 home meetings with non-league teams ... Since 2003, WCU is 31-5 against non-conference foes in Ramsey ... Under head coach Larry Hunter, the Catamounts are 21-4 (.840) in home games against non-SoCon foes.
