Feb. 19, 2018
CULLOWHEE, N.C. -
The Western Carolina men's basketball team will play its final road game of the regular season Tuesday night as the Catamounts travel to Macon, Ga., to face the Mercer Bears. The Catamounts have dropped three-straight contests after opening February with three-straight victories. The Bears are riding a five-game win streak of their own and are moving up the SoCon standings late in the season. WCU defeated Mercer by two points in Cullowhee earlier this season to improve to 8-6 in the all-time series with the Bears. Mercer and Western Carolina are currently separated by just one win in the Southern Conference standings as they battle for the fifth and sixth spots in the upcoming 2018 Southern Conference Championships. Tuesday night's game will be streamed live on ESPN3 with audio coverage through the Catamount Sports Network.
Western Carolina (12-16, 7-8 SoCon) at Mercer (15-13, 8-7 SoCon)
Tuesday, Feb. 20 | 7 p.m. | Macon, Ga. | Hawkins Arena (3,200)
MEDIA
TV/Video Stream: ESPN3
Talent: Pete Yannity (PxP), Dean Keener (Color) & Avery Braxton (Sideline)
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
Talent: Gary Ayers (PxP)
Live Stats: MercerBears.com
Twitter Updates: @Catamounts
Western Carolina Game Notes 
WCU vs. Mercer Opening Tip:
• The Catamounts and Bears meet for just the 15th time with WCU holding a slight 8-6 edge in the all-time series.
• WCU was a perfect 4-0 against the Bears during Mercer's first two seasons in the SoCon before Mercer swept the season series a year ago.
• WCU travels to Macon, Ga., where the Catamounts are 4-1 all-time with the lone loss coming last season inside Hawkins Arena. WCU's 4-1 record in Macon is slightly better than its 4-2 record at home against the Bears.
• The Bears are one of the hottest teams in the Southern Conference heading into Tuesday night's meeting. Mercer has won five-straight including knocking off UNCG in Macon this past Saturday, 77-74.
• Mercer boasts a 10-3 record at home this season while the Catamounts are just 3-11 in road contests this season.
• The Catamounts edged Mercer earlier this season in Cullowhee, 58-56. The game never featured more than a five-point advantage by either team. WCU was led by junior Mike Amius who had a game-high 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. The junior was 8-of-11 from the field in the contest and 5-of-7 at the free throw line.
• Amius was helped by junior Marc Gosselin who had a double-double in the contest. The Lyon, France native ripped down 11 rebounds to go along with 11 points. Gosselin knocked down a huge three with 56 seconds left in the game off an assist from Amius to put him into double-figures. He also had two big defensive rebounds in the final minute of play to help the Catamounts hang onto the lead.
• Stephon Jelks led Mercer with 16 points while Demetre Rivers added 11. Desmond Ringer nearly had a double-double with seven points and 10 rebounds in the loss to WCU.
Up Next
• The Catamounts return home for their final two contests of the season.
• Action begins Friday night at 7 pm as WCU hosts Furman for a Southern Conference contest. The Paladin are battling for the No. 3 seed with Wofford while the Catamounts are trying to keep pace with Mercer for the No. 5 seed in the upcoming 2018 Southern Conference Championships.
Catamounts Versus Bears
• The Catamounts and Bears series goes all the way back to the 1978-79 season when the Catamounts lost 83-71 in Lakeland, Fla., as part of the Florida Citrus Invitational.
• The Catamounts lead the all-time series 8-6 and have won five of the last seven meetings.
• The Bears swept the season series last year including winning 70-50 in Cullowhee and 62-47 in Macon.
• Mercer's two victories a season ago halted a four-game winning streak for the Catamounts in the series.
• WCU ended the two game slide with a thrilling 58-56 victory in Cullowhee earlier this season.
Rebounding Is Key
• The Catamounts are 10-0 this season when either winning or tying in the rebounding battle.
• WCU is 2-16 this season when losing on the boards. The two victories came at home against Appalachian State and Chattanooga. ASU out-rebounded the Catamounts by five while the Mocs had just a one rebound advantage.
Grand Theft
• Despite ranking tied for second in the Southern Conference in steals per game this season, the Catamounts rank t-16th overall in the NCAA in the category.
• The SoCon and the Southland Conference are tied with three teams inside the top-16.
• The SoCon is represented by The Citadel (3rd, 10.0), UNCG (t-16th, 8.1) and UNCG (t-16th, 8.1).
• The Southland boasts Stephen F. Austin (1st, 10.7), Nicholls State (5th, 9.6) and Lamar (7th, 8.9).
• No other conference has more than one team in the top-16.
