2014 WCU Football Prospect - Corey Holloway

Corey Holloway
Position:  Running Back



Hometown:  McDonough, GA
High School:  Eagle's Landing HS
Height: 5-11
Weight:  215


In addition to Western Carolina, Corey Holloway has drawn interest from Ga State, Kennesaw St., Syracuse, Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt.   Corey has offers from Ga State, KSU and Syracuse.

Scanning the SoCon - Week Eight (Mid-season Awards)

Each week, our SoCon bloggers/message boarders (one representing each team) will vote on a Game of the Week, Power Rankings and Player of the Week. This week, we add the Mid-season Awards) At least three will answer a series of questions on their team and things of interest around the SoCon.

 Scanning the SoCon - Week Eight

The following is my submission to week eight of Scanning the SoCon. You can read the entire consolidated article and see everyone's answers to this week's questions at MocsMania, here for part 1 and here for part 2.


Power Ranking 
1-Davidson
2-Elon
3-Western Carolina
4-Wofford
5-Georgia Southern
6-UNCG
7-Chattanooga
8-App State
9-Samford
10-Furman
11-The Citadel

Player of the Week
Stephen Croone, Furman

Game of the Week
UNCG at Virginia Tech

Player of the Year to date
Z. Mason, Chattanooga

Coach of the Year to date
Matt Matheny, Elon

Freshman of the Year to date
Brian White, the Citadel

Why are you voting for who you are voting for in Player of the Year?
At this point, I'm strongly looking at Z. Mason of Chattanooga. Certainly the Mocs leader on the floor. He's currently third in scoring, third in rebounding and first in blocked shots. I'd like to have Trey Sumler in that spot, however I just havn't seen the offensive consistency up to this point.

Which team has been the most pleasant surprise? Why?
Sorry, but I don't think ANY SoCon teams have played surprisingly well, all have been surprisingly bad.

Which team has been the biggest disappointment? Why?
Western Carolina - Inconsistent play in both offense and defense from a team loaded with senior experience, leadership, and talent

Outside of Davidson, Elon and Western Carolina, who is most likely to improve the most between now and March? Why?
UNCG. The Spartans seem to be improving weekly, I think it will continue as the team jells, I believe they have the most potential of the remaining teams

If you had to pick right now, which two teams do you think would make the SoCon Championship Game and who would win? Why?
The same two that have been #1 and #2 all season, Davidson and Elon. The only two teams that can win out of conference, D1 games.

2014 WCU Football Verbal Commit - Nathan Dalton

Nathan Dalton
Position:  Tackle


Hometown:  East Flat Rock, NC
High School:  East Henderson HS
Height: 6'7"
Weight:  305


Nathan Dalton has verbally committed to Western Carolina to play football.  Dalton will play for NC in the upcoming Shrine Bowl.

View Nathan's highlights here

Game #14: Georgia Bulldogs

On Saturday, December 21st, the Catamounts travel to Athens, Georgia to play the Georgia Bulldogs in a 2:00 pm game in the Stegeman Coliseum on the campus of the University of Georgia. The game can be seen on CSS and ESPN3.

Head Coach Mark Fox's Bulldogs are 5-4 overall on the season, and are 5-1 at home. The Bulldogs have wins over three SoCon teams this season, Wofford, Appalachian State, and Chattanooga, with only Davidson beating the Dogs in the Charleston Classic.

As a team, Georgia is averaging 76.6 points per game, shooting 40% field goals, while hitting 66% of their free throws.  The Bulldogs have four players currently scoring in double figures.  Sophomore guard Charles Mann (6-5, 210) leads the Dogs in scoring with 14/3 ppg, followed by sophomore guard Kenny Gaines (6-3, 195) with 12.4 points, junior forward Nemanji  Djurisic (6-8, 230) with 12.00 ppg and sophomore forward Brandon Morris (6-7, 215) with 10.8 ppg.

Georgia's projected starters are forward Marcus Thorton, forward Donte Williams, forward Cameron Forte, guard Charles Mann and guard Kenny Gaines.

Another winnable game for the Cats, but which team shows up? The road team that loses or the team that plays and wins in Cullowhee?  If the same old road team shows up in Athens, the Cats don't have a prayer of a chance, however, if we didn't score our years' quota of three's on Wednesday night for 2013, the Cats just may pull off the up-set.

Attaway Named Preseason All-America

Senior shortstop Aaron Attaway has been selected to the 14th-annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) preseason All-America team. Attaway was a third-team selection among the 57 baseball student-athletes recognized.

A product of Morganton, N.C., Attaway is coming off a season where he was named first team All-Southern Conference at shortstop while also earning second team All-State accolades from the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA).

He ranked tied for second on the team with a .363 batting average including a SoCon-leading 97 base hits - a mark that in addition to representing his career-best also ranked him tied for eighth in WCU's single-season record books, matching 2007 SoCon Player of the Year, Kenny Smith. Attaway also paced the SoCon with 68 runs scored, a mark that ranked him seventh in the final NCAA statistics.

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations

Game #13: Charleston Southern

Charleston Southern Buccaneers

The Buccaneers of Charleston Southern travel to Cullowhee on Wednesday, December 18th to play the Catamounts at 7:00 pm in the Ramsey Center, seeking to break their current two game losing streak.

Head Coach Barclay Radebaugh is in his ninth season as head men’s basketball coach at Charleston Southern, and his Bucs were selected as the Big South - South Division favorite in the preseason poll of the league's coaches.  CSU returns three starters and eight letterwinners from the 2012-13 squad that won 19 games, and won the Big South South Division title, and played in the NIT.

Currently, the Bucs are 3-5 overall this season, and 1-3 on the road.  After eight games, the Bucs are averaging 86.2 points per game, with 47% field goal shooting and 74.7% from the free throw line. The three-point shot has fueled CSU’s offensive production this season, as the Bucs are shooting 40.2 percent as a team from deep and are third nationally with 11.4 made threes per game. The Bucs are also among the national leaders in assists per game (18th), three-point field goal percentage (21st) and assist-to-turnover ratio (28th).

The Bucs have five players averaging in double figures, junior guard Saah Nimley leads the Bucs in scoring with 15.0 ppg, followed by senior guard Sheldon Strickland with 11.9 ppg, junior guard Arlon Harper with 11.6 ppg, followed by senior guard Matt Kennedy with 10.6 ppg and junior forward Will Saunders with 10.2 ppg

The projected starters for CSU are guard Nimley, guard Harper, guard Kennedy ,senior forward Paul Gombwer (6-6 217), and senior center Alhaji Fullah (6-8, 235). Sheldon Strickland and Will Saunders are both averaging double figures scoring to lead the way for a Bucs’ bench that is producing in a big way so far this season.

This is a winnable home game, so lets protect the home court.

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Scanning the SoCon - Week Seven

Each week, our SoCon bloggers/message boarders (one representing each team) will vote on a Game of the Week, Power Rankings and Player of the Week. At least three will answer a series of questions on their team and things of interest around the SoCon.

 Scanning the SoCon - Week Seven

The following is my submission to week seven of Scanning the SoCon. You can read the entire consolidated article and see everyone's answers to this week's questions at MocsMania

Power Ranking
1-Davidson
2-Elon
3-Western Carolina
4-Wofford
5-Georgia Southern
6-UNCG
7-Chattanooga
8-App State
9-Samford
10-Furman
11-The Citadel

Player of the Week
Z. Mason, UTC

Game of the Week
Davidson at North Carolina

Sum up your team.
The Cats are 5-6 this season and have not played since a 68-76 setback to Coastal Carolina on December 4th, taking last week off for final exams. As I said last week, the lack of offensive consistency from last season's scoring leaders has resulted in many games that could have or should have been wins for the Catamounts.

Who is the SoCon's best pure shooter?
Trey Sumler

Name some college basketball rule changes you'd like to see. Why?
Eliminate rule 10, article 4 that took effect this season, it's resulting in excessive fouling and slows down the game. It has not improved scoring as hoped. I'd also like to see the 35 second clock reduced to 30 seconds. I think this would not only speed up the game, but could result in higher scoring games that was projected with the implementation of rule 10.

What are some things you'd like to see the commissioner do to promote the SoCon? Why?
I don't know what the commissioner can do at this point to promote SoCon basketball. The individual institutions must make a commitment to upgrade their programs, then follow through with the resources to accomplish any upgrades in the basketball product, which many of the institutions seem reluctant to do. I would like to see the conference utilize some of their funds to upgrade the streaming video in the individual member schools, something on the line of what the Big South has accomplished.


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Monday's WCU Sports Events

Men's Basketball 
Western Carolina at Cleveland State
Location/Time: Wolstein Center (13,610), Cleveland Ohio / 7 PM
TV: none
Radio: Catamount Sports Network

Live Stats:   Presto

Live Video:  Horizon League Video  (free)

Women's Basketball 
Charleston Southern at Western Carolina
Location/Time: Ramsey Center, Cullowhee, NC / 7 PM
Radio: Power 90.5  WWCU
TV: none
Live Video: Catamount All Access
Live Stats:  GameTracker 
WCU Game Notes

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Game #12: Cleveland State Vikings

Cleveland State Vikings

The Catamounts will travel to the state of Ohio for the third time this season, and will be visiting the Cleveland State Vikings of the Horizon League on Monday, December 16th at 7:00 pm in the Wolstein Center (13,610).   This will the the second Horizon League opponent of the season, having met Wright State on Nov. 30th in Dayton, Ohio. This will be the first meeting ever between Cleveland State and the Catamounts on the basketball court.

CSU Head Coach Gary Waters' Vikings were picked to finish third (just behind Wright State) in the Horizon League Preseason Poll.  Cleveland State sophomores Anton Grady (forward 6-8 225),  and Bryn Forbes (guard 6-3, 173) were named to the Horizon League second team preseason all conference team. Grady returns after playing in just six games last year due to a knee injury. He was averaging close to 14 points and 6 rebounds at the time of his injury. Forbes, last year's Horizon League Freshman of the Year,  is one of the top outside shooters in the league, connecting on 61-of-157 (.389)  three-pointers last season, earning a spot on the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-American team.

Cleveland State has three players scoring in double figures so far this season, Forbes is averaging 19.3 ppg, sophomore guard Trey Lewis (6-2, 190) is putting up 14.4 ppg, and junior guard Charlie Lee (5-8, 160) is coming in at 12.8 ppg.   Forbes and Lee are hitting 49% and  42% respectively from three point range.  The Vikings are scoring 76 ppg and are hitting 75% as a team from the free throw line.

Currently the Vikings are 4-5 on the season, 3-1 when playing at home and 1-4 on the road, with wins over Ball State, Robert Morris, Texas-Arlington, and Iona.  The Cats enter this game on a 3 game losing skid, while the Vikings have lost their last two games.

RealTime RPI projects a 21 point loss  (66-87) by Western Carolina to Cleveland State.  Based on the play of the Catamounts in the last four games, I see no reason to doubt that projection of a mid-pack Horizon League team over this years' inconsistent Catamounts.  However, this is the perfect opportunity and time for the Cats to pull together and take control in a very week SoCon.  The senior leadership on this team should step up and make their mark this season.  They may just save their coaches job if they do.

Courtesy Daily Catamount

Rankings - (as of  12-13-13)
RPI:  Western - 233;   CSU -  195
Sagarin:  Western - 241;   CSU -  116
Massey:  Western - 236;   CSU -  139
Pomeroy:  Western - 229;   CSU -  130


Radio: Catamount Sports Network
Live Stats:   Presto
Live Video:  Horizon League Video  (free)
TV: None

Courtesy Daily Catamount

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2014 WCU Football Verbal Commit - Andrew Miles

Andrew Miles
Position:  Offensive Tackle


Hometown:  Flowery Branch, GA
High School:  Flowery Branch
Hight:  6'5"
Weight:  290 lbs


Andrew Miles announced today that he has committed to Western Carolina for football.  Miles joins Flowery Branch team mate Jackson McDonald in committing to Western Carolina.  Miles received offers from Air Force, Georgia State, Western Carolina and has drawn interest from Duke and Georgia Tech

Andrew Miles ‏@Andrewmiles228h

Officially committed to Western Carolina! Proud to be a catamount!!!

Jackson McDonald ‏@legsmcdonald8h

More than excited to play college football with my brother

View Andrew Miles highlights here
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'Celebration of Catamount Baseball' Set for Jan. 18

The 2014 "Celebration of Catamount Baseball Fundraiser Banquet" will be held on Saturday, Jan. 18 in the Grand Ballroom of the on-campus A.K. Hinds University Center.

Headlining the 2014 Catamount baseball banquet is keynote speaker, former WCU relief pitcher - and current Kansas City Royals closer - Greg Holland. Last season, Holland became the first former Catamount baseball player to ever be named a Major League Baseball All-Star.

"We are honored to have former Catamount great and current MLB All Star, Greg Holland, back on campus for our baseball banquet," said  WCU head coach Bobby Moranda, who is entering his seventh season at WCU. "His story of tremendous perseverance and achievement are unprecedented. To go from a WCU walk-on to a Major League All Star is an inspiration to all."

RSVP's are requested by Monday, January 13. All funds raised through this event will directly support the operation of the WCU baseball program.


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2014 WCU Football Prospect - Bradley Dewberry

Bradley Dewberry
Position:   Quarterback / Athlete


Hometown:  McDonough, GA
High School: Eagles Landing Christian Academy
Height: 6' 0"
Weight:  180
40: 4.6 secs
Bench Max: 235
Squat Max: 300
GPA: 3.5
Class: 2014 (High School)

Indiana, Georgia State and Western Carolina have shown interest in Bradley and Presbyterian has offered him.

Women's Basketball GPA Sets The Standard

2014 WCU Football Prospect - Anthony Faggione

Anthony Faggione
Position:  Offensive Guard / Center


Hometown: Clemmons, NC
High School:  West Forsyth HS
Height:  6'4"
Weight:  285 lbs
40: 5.9 secs
Bench Max: 285
Squat Max: 365

Besides Western Carolina, Tony has received interest from NC State and Davidson.  No offers at this time.


View highlights on Tony here

Mutombo joins London Lightning

Western Carolina's own Harouna Mutombo joins Ontario's London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada.

“Harouna has been working out with NBA trainers in Atlanta, Georgia, and jumped at this opportunity. He comes well recommended by several NBA coaches and scouts and we look forward to having him in London,” Lightning general manager Taylor Brown said.

The Lightning are hoping to have Mutombo in the lineup for the team’s Dec. 19 game against the Halifax Rainmen.

2014 WCU Football Verbal Commit - Jackson McDonald

Jackson McDonald
Position:  Dual-Threat Quarterback



Hometown: Flowery Branch, GA
High School: Flowery Branch HS
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Rivals Ranking:  2 stars


Flowery Branch QB Jackson McDonald has given a verbal commitment to Western Carolina for football.   McDonald was flying under the radar, as he had committed to James Madison back in July 2013, but on 12-10-13 he decommitted from James Madison and gave a verbal to WCU.

Jackson also had an offer from Georgia Southern, and has drawn interest from App State, Georgia Tech  & Middle Tennessee.

All Area / All Region Quarterback
2012 MVP: Jackson McDonald, Flowery Branch
17 Passing TD's
18 Rushing TD's
40 Time - 4.48
Vertical - 33"
Bench - 315 lbs. S
quat - 455 lbs.
Clean - 250 lbs.

From Twitter:
Jackson McDonald ‏@legsmcdonald

17h

I am now a #WCU Catamount and will be for the next 4 years. Cullowhee is my new home

Watch Jackson McDonald's highlights here


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Seasons Greetings from WCU

Moments To Remember from Western Carolina University on Vimeo.

2014 WCU Football Prospect - Robbie Wallace

Robbie Wallace
Position: Safety




Hometown:  Covington, GA
High School:  Newton HS
Height:  6'0"
Weight:  205 lbs


Robbie Wallace has seen interest from Chattanooga, Georgia State, Middle Tennessee, Charlotte, Western Carolina, & Jacksonville State.   He has offers from  South Dakota State and Wingate

Senior season -
Solo Tackles: 40
Total Tackles: 54
Tackles Per Game: 5.4

View Robbie Wallace Highlights


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Scanning the SoCon - Week Six

Each week, our SoCon bloggers/message boarders (one representing each team) will vote on a Game of the Week, Power Rankings and Player of the Week. At least three will answer a series of questions on their team and things of interest around the SoCon.

Scanning the SoCon - Week Six


This is my submission to week six of Scanning the SoCon.  You will be able to read the entire consolidated article and see everyone's answers to this week's questions, just visit here and here.

Power Rankings
1) Davidson
2) Elon
3) Western Carolina
4) Wofford
5)  Georgia Southern
6) UNCG
7) Appalachian State
8) Furman
9) Chattanooga
10) Samford
11) The Citadel

Player of the Week 
Jelani Hewitt, GSU

Game of the Week
Drexel at Davidson

Sum up your team since the last time you wrote.
The Catamounts are currently on a 3-game Division I nose dive at this time. The senior leadership Catamount fans were hoping for this season, hasn't materialized. Inconsistent defensive play, personal fouls, and a lack of offensive consistency in last season's leading scorers have resulted in 6 losses to date, five of which are classified as bad losses.

Long term, what are your thoughts on the SoCon's future?
I think the future is pretty bright for the SoCon long term. With the addition of the three new schools and the improvement of most of the remaining schools, the SoCon should be easily mid pack of the conferences in the next couple of seasons. Many of the schools have put renewed emphasis on basketball, and substantial improvement should be forth coming. Of the remaining schools, I think only the Citadel and Western Carolina are not moving in the right direction.

With the Big Ten-ACC Challenge fresh on your mind, what conference would you like to see the SoCon have a conference challenge against?
I think the logical geographic choice would be the Big South. Better overall RPI than the SoCon, teams all SoCon fans know, and could travel to most away games.


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Holiday Socials - North Carolina

2014 WCU Football Prospect - Andrew Bruce

Andrew Bruce
Position:  Safety


Hometown:  Fort Mill, SC
High School:  Nations Ford HS
Height:  6-1
Weight:  205

Besides Western Carolina, Andrew Bruce has drawn interest from App State, Charlotte, and Charleston Southern.  Andrew has received offers from both Campbell and Tusculum.

Honors:
Most Improved Defensive Player , Defensive player of the game-NfHS vs. rock hill, Defensive player of the game-NFHS vs. lancaster,  Defensive player of the game-NFHS vs. south pointe


View Andrew Bruce highlights


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2014 WCU Football Prospect - Brett Toth

Brett Toth
Position:  Offensive Tackle



Hometown:  Charleston, SC
High School:  West Ashley
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 260 lbs
Class: 2014 (High School)



Including Western Carolina, Toth has received offers from Army, the Citadel, Gardner-Webb, and Presbyterian.  He has received interest from ECU, Va Tech, Clemson, and NC State.

View highlights for Brett Toth here


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Game #12: Cleveland State Vikings

Cleveland State Vikings

The Catamounts will travel to the state of Ohio for the third time this season, and will be visiting the Cleveland State Vikings of the Horizon League on Monday, December 16th at 7:00 pm in the Wolstein Center (13,610).   This will the the second Horizon League opponent of the season, having met Wright State on Nov. 30th in Dayton, Ohio. This will be the first meeting ever between Cleveland State and the Catamounts on the basketball court.

CSU Head Coach Gary Waters' Vikings were picked to finish third (just behind Wright State) in the Horizon League Preseason Poll.  Cleveland State sophomores Anton Grady (forward 6-8 225),  and Bryn Forbes (guard 6-3, 173) were named to the Horizon League second team preseason all conference team. Grady returns after playing in just six games last year due to a knee injury. He was averaging close to 14 points and 6 rebounds at the time of his injury. Forbes, last year's Horizon League Freshman of the Year,  is one of the top outside shooters in the league, connecting on 61-of-157 (.389)  three-pointers last season, earning a spot on the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-American team.

Cleveland State has three playing scoring in double figures so far this season, Forbes is averaging 19.3 ppg, sophomore guard Trey Lewis (6-2, 190) is putting up 14.4 ppg, and junior guard Charlie Lee (5-8, 160) is coming in at 12.8 ppg.   Forbes and Lee are hitting 49% and  42% respectively from three point range.  The Vikings are scoring 76 ppg and are hitting 75% as a team from the free throw line.

Currently the Vikings are 4-5 on the season, 3-1 when playing at home and 1-4 on the road, with wins over Ball State, Robert Morris, Texas-Arlington, and Iona.  The Cats enter this game on a 3 game losing skid, while the Vikings have lost their last two games.

RealTime RPI projects a 21 point loss  (66-87) by Western Carolina to Cleveland State.  Based on the play of the Catamounts in the last four games, I see no reason to doubt that projection of a mid-pack Horizon League team over this years' inconsistent Catamounts.

Courtesy Daily Catamount

Rankings - (as of  12-13-13)
RPI:  Western - 233;   CSU -  195
Sagarin:  Western - 241;   CSU -  116
Massey:  Western - 236;   CSU -  139
Pomeroy:  Western - 229;   CSU -  130


Radio: Catamount Sports Network
Live Stats:   Presto
Live Video:  Horizon League Video  (free)
TV: None

Courtesy Daily Catamount

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Women's Basketball on 5 game win streak

The Western Carolina women's basketball (5-3) extended their winning streak to five, by defeating Presbyterian last Wednesday in the Templeton Center on the campus of Presbyterian University.

The Cats opened the season with three losses on the road, prior to coming home to the Ramsey Center to play mountain rival UNC Asheville. The Cats won two home games, Asheville and Georgia State, before hitting the road to play Appalachian State. In Boone, Coach Middleton picked up her first win against the Mountaineers, 71-63.

After the well played victory over App State on the road, the Cats returned home to face future conference member East Tennessee State. The Bucs have now dropped three straight to the Cats, with the slim 58-56 win over ETSU.

After the end of semester exam break, the Cats return to the Ramsey Center to play Big South foe, Charleston Southern on December 16th.


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Cats kick off Indoor T&F at App State

The Western Carolina men's and women's Track & Field teams participated in the Appalachian Invitational inside the Holmes Center on Thursday and Friday. Of the four Division I teams in the meet, the Western Carolina women took first, with 215 points, while the WCU men finished in second with 192 points in the meet.

As a squad, the Western Carolina women took first with 215.2 points, Appalachian finished second with 130.5 points while USC Upstate (95.5) was third and Virginia Tech (17.7) took fourth among the Division I teams in attendance. Six Division II programs took part in the meet with King College (133) finishing first followed by Livingston (76), Mars Hill (67), Lees-McRae (32), Milligan (12) and Brevard (6)

The Western Carolina men's team took second with 192 points in the men's division, while App State finished in first place among the Division I teams with 212.5 points while. USC Upstate was third (44.5) and Virginia Tech came in fourth (20). Six Division II teams participated in the event with King College finishing first (117) followed Mars Hill (108), Livingstone (98), Lees-McRae (44.5), Milligan (20) and Brevard (17.5).


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Wednesday's WCU Sports Events

Men's Basketball 
Western Carolina at Coastal Carolina
Location/Time: The HTC Center (3,212), Conway, SC
TV: none
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
Live Video: Big South Network (free)
Live Stats: GameTracker
WCU Game Notes - CCU Game Notes


Women's Basketball 
Western Carolina at Presbyterian
Location/Time: Templeton Center, Clinton, SC
Radio: Power 90.5  WWCU
TV: none
Live Video: Big South Network (free)
Live Stats: Live Stats
WCU Game Notes
Presbyterian Game Notes

Scanning the SoCon - Week Five

Each week, our SoCon bloggers/message boarders (one representing each team) will vote on a Game of the Week, Power Rankings and Player of the Week. At least three will answer a series of questions on their team and things of interest around the SoCon.

Scanning the SoCon - Week Five


Power Rankings
1) Davidson 105 (5)
2) Western Carolina 94 (2)
3) Elon 92 (3)
4) UNCG 74
5) tie - Chattanooga 60
5) tie - Georgia Southern 60
7) Wofford 44
8) Samford 43
9) Furman 39
10) Appalachian State 36
11) The Citadel 13

Player of the Week
Jelani Hewitt, Georgia Southern

Game of the Week
Elon at VMI

Questions
Sum up your team.
With DeMon Brooks out, who is the best big man in the SoCon?
What's been the biggest SoCon upset so far this year?
What basketball related things are you thankful for?  

Read the entire article and see the answers to this week's questions, visit MocsMania


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Athletic Holiday Socials

The first two stops of Western Carolina's Athletic Holiday Socials caravan are scheduled for this week in the Palmetto State of South Carolina. The first stop is Dec. 3 in Greenville, S.C., and Dec. 4 in Conway, S.C.

WCU Athletic Holiday Socials This Week Information


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Game #11 - Coastal Carolina

The Catamounts (5-5) travel to Conway, SC on Wednesday, December 4th to meet the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (2-5) at 7 pm in the HTC Center on the CCU campus.  The Cats are 3-4 overall against Coastal Carolina after last season's BracketBuster win over the Chanticleers in Cullowhee by a final score of 80-70.

The Chants were picked third in the South Division in the Big South Conference Preseason Poll, with no preseason all conference selections. Coastal Carolina returns the bulk of its roster from last season, but is without last season's two leading scorers, Anthony Raffa and Kierre Greenwood. 

Coastal is 2-5 on the season, with home wins over Guilford and St. Francis, they are 2-2 at home and 0-3 on the road.  Coastal has just two upperclassmen returning from last season to their lineup, senior center El Hadji Ndieguene (6-10, 240) and junior guard Warren Gillis (6-3, 205). However, head coach Cliff Ellis brought in transfers guard, Eric Smith (6-0, 205) a grad student, from South Carolina and junior guard Josh Cameron (6-1, 175) from Connors State College.  Smith started 27 games for the Gamecocks last season and will add some veteran leadership for the Chants.

CCU has two players scoring in double figures, guard Elijah Wilson (6-4. 205) at 16.9 ppg and freshman guard Warren Gillis (6-3, 205) scoring 10.6 ppg.  Cameron is just off the 10 point mark at 9.7 ppg.   As a team the Chants are hitting 38.6% field goals and just 27.2% on 3-point attempts.  CCU is hitting 66% at the free throw line and are averaging 65.7 points per game as a team.

CCU's true freshman Elijah Wilson has not disappointed Chant fans over his first seven games for CCU, as he has paced the Chanticleer offense. Wilson is the guy who tied Michael Jordan's single-game scoring record at Laney High School during his senior season and has now become CCU's leading scorer.

Chart Courtesy Daily Catamount 

 Chart Courtesy Daily Catamount

Radio: Catamount Sports Network
Live Stats: Game Tracker
Live Video Streaming: Big South Network  (free)
TV: None

Rankings -
RPI:  Western - 177;   CCU - 229

Sagarin: Western - 203;   CCU - 296

Massey: Western - 221;  CCU - 209

Pomeroy: Western - 217;   CCU - 222




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Cats fall to Wright State

With five players in double figures, Wright State posted a 85-77 win over Western Carolina Saturday afternoon at WSU's Nutter Center.

Once again, Catamount fouls played a major role in the game outcome. Tawaski King and James Sinclair both fouled out, Trey Sumler and Justin Browning both ended the game with four fouls, while Hall, Tankelewicz, and Brummitt committed 3 each. All total, the Catamounts committed 21 personal fouls, resulting in 40 attempts at the free throw line for Wright State resulting in 29 points from the charity strip. Foul trouble resulted in King only playing 18 minutes.

Again, sluggish shooting in the first half (FG 33% & 3FG 25%), put the Cats down 9 points that the Cats just could not overcome in the second half, even with improved shooting (FG 49% & 3FG 47%).

The Catamounts continue their three-game road trip at Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, December 4 before heading back to Ohio for a game at Cleveland State on Monday, December 16.


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