2018 SoCon Football Power Rankings - (after week #10)

Welcome to Purple & Gold's 2018 SoCon Football Power Rankings.

Each Monday throughout the season, we'll release that week's Power Rankings.








Here are this week's power rankings after ten weeks of play (last week's ranking in parenthesis):



1.  (2) ETSU  (8-2, 6-1 SoCon)

Next:  Bye

2.  (4)  Samford (5-4,  4-2 SoCon)
Next:  at Citadel

3.  (1)  Wofford (6-3, 5-2 SoCon)
Next:  at Western Carolina

4.  (6) Furman (4-4, 4-2 SoCon)
Next:  at VMI

5. (5)  Chattanooga (6-3, 4-3 SoCon)

Next:  Mercer

6.  (3) Mercer (4-5, 3-3 SoCon)
Next:  at Chattanooga

7.  (7) The Citadel (3-5, 3-4 SoCon)
Next:  Samford

8.  (8) VMI  (1-8, 0-7 SoCon)
Next: Furman

9.  (9) Western Carolina (3-6, 1-6 SoCon)
Next:  Wofford

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2 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

2 Days until Tip-off


 #12 Marc Gosselin

Position: Forward
Height/Weight: Senior
Hometown: Lyon, France
High School: Cite Scolaire Internationale


2016-17 (Sophomore): One of two Catamounts to appear in all 32 games ... Started 31 of the 32 contests in which he appeared ... Named the team's Most Valuable Player ... Earned the team's Scholar-Athlete Award ... Led or shared the team lead in scoring four times ... Scored in double-figures 14 times including the final seven games of the season ... Posted a career-high 20 points against VMI (02/27) in the regular season finale ... Had four double-doubles coming in the final four games of the season ... Had a career-high 14 rebounds at Ohio State (11/21) ... Led or shared the team lead in rebounding 16 times including leading the squad in the category in the final seven contest ... Knocked down 30 3-pointers to rank third on the squad ... Had a career-high four triples against VMI (02/27) as he went 4-for-4 from long range ... He had 20 points and 12 rebounds against the Keydets (02/27) and was 7-of-8 from the field, 4-of-4 from 3-point range and 2-of-2 at the free throw line in 37 minutes ... Dished out 31 assists including a career-high tying four against The Citadel (02/22) ... Appeared on the 2016-17 Southern Conference Honor Roll.

2015-16 (Freshman): Appeared in 33 games for the Catamounts while making 22 starts ... Made first collegiate start at Davidson (12/12) ... Scored first career points in the season opener at Cincinnati (11/13) ... Scored a career-high nine points versus Wofford in the Southern Conference Quarterfinals ... Grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds against Warren Wilson (12/03) ... Made first career 3-pointer at Davidson (12/12) ... Dished out a season-high four assists on three occasions including versus Warren Wilson (12/03), at Pittsburgh (12/23) and versus Furman (02/27) ... Blocked first career shot at Morehead State (12/20) ... Had a career-high two steals twice including against Eastern Washington (12/14) and versus VMI (01/09) ... Led the team in rebounding three times and shared the lead once.

Prior to Western Carolina: Attended Cite Scolaire Internationale ... As a sophomore finished third in the National Championship in division 2 group A.


Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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3 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

3 Days until Tip-off


#44 Adam Sledd

Position: Forward
Height/Weight: 6'8" 220
Class: Junior
Hometown: Roanoke, Va.
High School: Virginia Episcopal School


2016-17 (Freshman): Appeared in 30 of WCU's 32 contests ... Started in 23 contest ... Made collegiate debut in the season opener against Miami ... First appeared in the starting lineup against UNC Asheville (12/17) and started every game the rest of the season ... Scored in double-figures eight times ... Ripped down double-figure rebounds twice ... Picked up a pair of double-doubles against VMI (01/12) and College of Charleston (12/22) ... Led or shared the team lead in scoring five times ... Led or shared the team lead in rebounding seven times ... Scored a career-high 16 points at VMI (01/12) and versus Mars Hill (12/28) ... Ripped down a career-best 12 rebounds versus College of Charleston (12/22) ... Knocked down a season-high five free throws at UNCG (01/07) as he went 5-of-7 from the charity stripe ... Connected on a season-high seven shots from the field against Mars Hill (12/28) ... Named the team's Most Improved Player at the end of the season ... Appeared on the 2016-17 Southern Conference Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Finished his prep career at Virginia Episcopal School ... Spent his freshman and sophomore campaigns at Cave Spring High School ... As a sophomore, averaged 14.9 points and eight rebounds per game ... Named a Timesland Sizzlin' Sophomore ... Had the highest field goal percentage for a season at Cave Spring as a freshman at 65 percent ... As a junior, averaged six points and nine rebounds per game ... Team advanced to the state championships where they eventually fell to Blue Ridge ... Played travel ball for Spectrum Sports Academy Age 17 Elite Black team ... Won the Big Shots Myrtle Beach 1 Tournament, an NCAA certified event ... The team was selected to play in the highest talent division and went 5-0, beating teams from South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Louisiana and Iowa ... Also a standout on the soccer pitch where he was named First Team All-Conference and Goalie of the Year while playing for Cave Spring ... Also set the record for most saves in a season while playing for CSHS.




Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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Cats drop Homecoming Game

Cats drop Homecoming Game to Citadel https://t.co/Dvtak7npYN

— CatamountSportsForum (@CatSportsForum) November 4, 2018

4 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

4 Days until Tip-off


#35 Yalim Olcay

Position: Forward
Height/Weight: 6'8" 225
Class: Junior
Hometown: Izmir, Turkey
High School: Spire Academy (Ohio)


2016-17 (Freshman): Appeared in 28 of WCU's 32 contests ... Made six starts ... Made collegiate debut against Miami in the season opener ... Started the next six games following the Miami contest ... Scored in double-figures once with a career-high 14 points against VMI (02/27) in the regular season finale ... Led or shared the team lead in rebounds twice ... Had a career-best nine rebounds against Wofford (01/28) ... Had five or more rebounds in six contests ... Knocked down a season-high four free throws against VMI (02/27) ... Appeared on the 2016-17 Southern Conference Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Finished his prep career at Spire Academy in Geneva, Ohio ... Prior to Spire, attended Bornova Anadolu Lisesi in Turkey ... Was invited to the U16 national team camp and served as the team captain for his club team ... Averaged 12.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and just under an assist per game for his club program, Pinar Karsiyaka, at the U16 national championship ... As a junior and senior, his club was the number one ranked team in the city and placed seventh in the Turkish National Championship ... While at Spire, Olcay averaged 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game.


Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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Saturday's activities

5 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

5 Days until Tip-off

#33 Onno Steger

Position: Forward
Height/Weight: 6'5" 205
Class: Junior
Hometown: Upper Arlington, Ohio
High School: Upper Arlington HS

2016-17 (Freshman): One of two Catamounts to appear in all 32 contests ... Made 21 starts ... Debuted in the starting lineup at Marquette (11/30) ... After not starting the next five games, returned to the starting lineup against Mars Hill (12/28) and never left ... Scored in double-figures six times ... Led or shared the team lead in scoring four times ... Scored a career-high 15 points at The Citadel (02/22) and against Samford (01/02) ... Grabbed at least one rebound in all but two games ... Had a career-high eight rebounds against Wofford (01/28) ... Second on the team with 33 steals ... Had a career-high three steals versus The Citadel (01/19) and against Mars Hill (12/28) ... Dished out a season-high four assists against Mars Hill (12/28) ... Knocked down a team-high 39 3-pointers ... Had a career-high five triples against Samford (01/02) as he went 5-of-7 from downtown ... Given the team's Mr. Hustle Spirit Award at the end of the season ... Appeared on the 2016-17 Southern Conference Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Attended Upper Arlington HS in Upper Arlington, Ohio ... As a senior, named Associated Press All-Central District boys all-star second team ... Averaged 16.6 points per game ... Named honorable mention All-State ... As a junior, averaged 12 points and five rebounds per game for UAHS ... Named the Ohio Capital Conference All-League Special Mention ... Team finished with a 17-6 overall record ... While attending Ohio State University's team camp, scored 25 points in a game and was PrepHoopsOhio.com's pick for Player of the Camp.




Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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Catamount Football Weekly: Week 10, The Citadel

Catamount Football Weekly: Week 10, The Citadel
https://t.co/aV0suZiezG

— CatamountSportsForum (@CatSportsForum) November 1, 2018

6 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

6 Days until Tip-off


#3 Carlos Dotson

Position: Forward
Height/Weight: 6'7" 265
Class: Junior
Hometown: Riverdale, Md.
High School: Dorman (S.C.) HS
Last College: Central Florida Community College

Prior to Western Carolina: Junior transfer from Central Florida Community College who has two seasons of eligibility remaining at WCU ... Began his collegiate career at Anderson University, playing in four games back in 2015-16 where he averaged 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds per game ... Transferring to Central Florida, the strong post played in 32 games in 2016-17 for the Patriots, averaging 13.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game on 60.3-percent shooting from the field ... Posted 22 double-digit scoring games with 20-or-more points four times including a season-best 33 points against Santa Fe ... Pulled down double-digit rebounds nine times including eight-or-more in 13 games, charting 13 double-doubles ...Selected to play in the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Association All-Star game played in Las Vegas, Nev., in mid-May 2018, scoring eight points on 3-of-6 shooting in just over 15 minutes of court time;

High School: Originally from Riverdale, Md., p[layed prep basketball at Dorman High in Spartanburg, S.C., where he was a two-time all-region, as well as first team all-area and earned an all-state selection ... As a senior, he helped guide the Cavaliers to a 20-5 record, averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds per game, capturing a spot on the North-South All-Star game roster where he scored 14 points – three in the closing moments to send the game into overtime.




Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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WCU 2-Deep Roster vs. The Citadel

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations                 

7 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

7 Days until Tip-off

#3 Jason McMillan

Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 5'11" 165
Class: Junior
Hometown: Cherokee, N.C.
High Scool: Cherokee HS

2016-17 (Freshman): Competed in 18 of WCU's 32 games on the season while making one start ... Made collegiate debut in the season opener at Miami (11/11) ... Scored career-high nine points in nine minutes at Miami (11/11) ... Drained three 3-pointers in the loss at Miami (11/11) ... Made first career start at VMI (01/12) ... Scored six points at Mercer (01/30) on a pair of 3-pointers in the final two minutes of the game ... Collected seven rebounds including a season-high of two versus Hiwassee (11/13) and at Marshall (11/19) ... Dished out three assists throughout the year ... Had two steals against Hiwassee (11/13).

Prior to Western Carolina: Spent the final three years of his prep career at Cherokee High School where he was a three-sport athlete ... Completed his prep career with 1,064 points as he averaged 14.8 points per game over just three seasons at Cherokee ... Spent freshman year at Choctaw Central High School in Choctaw, Miss. ... As a senior was named to the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association All-District Second Team ... Named the Most Valuable Player at the Coaches versus Cancer Shootout ... Was a two-time all-conference honoree ... Named All-Western North Carolina as a senior ... Earned Honorable Mention All-Conference as a junior ... Was a two-time Honorable Mention All-Western North Carolina ... Earned all-conference accolades in both football and baseball throughout his three-year career ... Led Cherokee to the 2013-14 and 2015-16 Big Smoky Mountain Conference Championships ... The team also advanced to the second round of the State Championships his sophomore season, the third round his junior year and eventually the fourth round as a senior.




Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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Game #9: The Citadel

For the ninth game of the season, the Cats return to the friendly confines of E.J. Whitmire Stadium to host the Bulldogs of The Citadel for Homecoming 2018.

Western faces the Bulldogs for the forty-third time since 1972.











The Citadel

When: Saturday, November 3 at 3:30 pm
Where: E.J. Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
- Talent: Play-by-Play: Gary Ayers; Color Analyst: Greg McLamb; Host / Producer: Jeff Bryson
TV/video: ESPN+
- Talent: Play-by-Play: Daniel Hooker; Color Analyst: Daniel Gibson
Game Notes :   WCU       -     The Citadel 
Message Board:  The Citadel Independent Sports Network

The Series: Western trails The Citadel 17-24-1 overall in the series. After winning on the road in Charleston last season, the Cats broke a two-game skid to the Bulldogs. Coach Speir is currently 2-4 against vs. the Citadel.

Games played by the Bulldogs this season prior to the WCU contest: (8 games) The Bulldogs kicked off the season with an opening conference loss at Wofford (21-28), followed by another loss against the Mocs in Charleston (28-29).  Week three was a win vs. Mercer in Macon (38-31).followed by an OOC game loss vs. Towson (27-44).  A loss to ETSU followed (23-26), then a win over the Keydets of VMI (34-32).  The Dogs then lost to Furman (17-28).

Last Season's Game vs. The Citadel (Nov. 14, 2017) - Catamount Football Scores Road Win at The Citadel, 31-19 - Senior running back Detrez Newsome broke Saturday's third tie with an 81-yard touchdown romp to cap a one-play scoring drive that gave No. 24 Western Carolina a lead it would never relinquish as the Catamounts scored a 31-19 Southern Conference road victory over The Citadel Bulldogs in Southern Conference action at Johnson Hagood Stadium. Redshirt sophomore QB Tyrie Adams threw for three touchdowns - two to redshirt senior WR Terryon Robinson - and Newsome rushed for 197 yards as the Catamounts picked up their seventh victory of the season - fifth in league play.

The Citadel's 2017 Record: 5-6 overall, 2-3 home, 3-3 away, 3-5 SoCon
The Citadel's 2018 Record: 2-5 overall, 0-3 home, 2-2 away, 2-4 SoCon

Offensive Formation: Triple Option
Defensive Formation: Multiple
Starters returning/lost:  15 /  7
Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 9 / 2
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 6 / 5
Specialist - Returning/Lost: 5 / 5
Losses on 2-Deep Roster:   9

Significant Losses:   
Offense: QB Dominique Allen; A-BACK Cam Jackson
Defense: DT Jonathan King; LB Myles Pierce; CB Tyus Carter;   FS Kailik Williams; CB  Ben Roberts

Returning:  All-SoCon center - Tyler Davis;  All SoCon safety Aaron Spann;  All SoCon defensive end Ja'Lon Williams; All SoCon left guard Jon Barrett Lewis;  All Son right guard Jonathan Lewis; and All SoCon B-Back Brandon Rainey

The 2-5 Bulldogs will be looking to solve some of the offensive woes against the perceived weak defensive unit of the Catamounts, they play to play "keep away" from the high scoring offensive unit of the Cats. Currently, the Bulldgs are 5th in scoring offense in the SoCon, scoring an average of 26.9 ppg (WCU is 3d at 34.2 ppg), the Bulldog defense is also in 5th place holding opponents at 31.1 ppg (the Cats are 8th at 40.8 ppg).  The Citadel is in second place in rushing offense, averaging 264.4 yards per game (WCU is 3d at 224 ypg), and the dogs are in 4th place in rushing defense, holding teams to 155 ypg (Cats are in 7th at 192.2 ypg).  In pass offense, the dogs come in 9th place at 103.3 yards gained per game (Cats are 4th at 262.5 ypg) while the dogs are in 5th place in pass defense giving up 250 yards per game (the Cats are in last place in pass defense, giving up 296.9 ypg).


2018 The Citadel Statistics (8 games):
Rushing Offense: 1851 yards
Yards per game: 264.4
Yards per rush: 4.4 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 94
TDs rushing: 19
Passing Offense: 732 yards or 103.3 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 7.8 yards
Passing 1st downs: 28
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 41-93-4
TDs Passing: 3
Total Offense: 2574 yards or 367.7 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 7 - 5
3d Down Conversions: 49 of 119 (41%)
4th Down Conversions: 19 of 32 (59%)
Field goal attempts: 7 - 8
PAT-Attempts: 23 of 23 (100%)
On-side kicks: 0-1
Red Zone Scores: 18 of 21 (86%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 13 of 21 (62%)
Punts-Yards: 29 - 1259 - Avg per punt: 43.4


Game prediction: Per the Massey Ratings, the Cats have a 41% probability of winning (35-38) over the Bulldogd
According to Massey, Western Carolina should be 3-6 after this game.  I'm going to disagree, the Cats are 4-5 after this game.


-------------------------------------- 

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8 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

8 Days until Tip-off

#0 Maurice Smith

Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6'6" 215
Class: Junior
Hometown: Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
High School: Northeast HS

2016-17 (Freshman): Competed in 28 of WCU's 32 games on the season ... Made first appearance in the season opener at Miami (11/11) ... Scored a total off 22 points on the season ... Drained first career basket against High point (12/19) ... Scored a career-high six points at Samford (02/02) ... Had a season-long four game scoring streak from Jan. 30 to Feb. 11 ... Ripped down 47 rebounds during the season ... Had a career-high six boards at Samford (02/02) ... Played the most minutes of the season, 17, in the season opener at Miami (11/11) ... Appeared on the 2016-17 Southern Conference Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Attended Northeast High School where he was coached by Darrance Gillion ... As a senior, averaged 15 points and 11.4 rebounds per game while also collecting two blocks per contest ... Scored over 500 points in his career while collecting 200 rebounds ... Named All-Broward County as a sophomore.


Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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Tyrie Adams, Offensive Player of the Week (x2)

       For the second straight week, Tyrie Adams has been selected as the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week  

9 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

9 Days until Tip-off



#11 Mason Faulkner

Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6'1" 165
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown: Glasgow, Ky.
High School: Caverna HS
Last College:  Northern Kentucky

Prior to Western Carolina: Transferring to WCU from Northern Kentucky, Will have to sit out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA transfer rules will have two years of eligibility remaining ... Played in 65 total games with one start for the NKU Norse, averaging 6.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per game over the two years including a 7.4 point per game average as a freshman ... Earned Horizon League Freshman of the Week plaudits after scoring a then-career-high 24 points against Youngstown State followed by 16 points against Cleveland State ... Usurped his career benchmark as a freshman with a career-best 29 points including 23 in the second half alone against Detroit Mercy;

High School: A former Mr. Basketball finalist from Caverna High ... Led the Commonwealth of Kentucky in scoring as a senior in 2015-16, averaging 35.9 points per game while also averaging 10 rebounds, four assists, and 2.1 steals per game ... Was the co-Fifth Region Player of the Year from the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches (KABC) as a senior, adding to a litany of accomplishments that included first team all-state honors two seasons ... A prolific scorer, finished his prep career with a school-record 3,148 career points scored and over 600 career rebounds ... Was a three-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals out of high school.


Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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10 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

10 Days until Tip-off


#10 Douglas Elks




Position: Guard/Forward
Height/Weight: 6'4"  189
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
High School: Ravenscroft School
Other College: Roanoke College



Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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11 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

11 Days until Tip-off

#21 Marcus Thomas

Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6'3" : 180
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Mint Hill, N.C.
High School: Moravian Prep


Prior to Western Carolina: Finished his prep career at Moravian Prep in Hudson, N.C., after being a 1,000 point scorer at Independence High in Charlotte, N.C. ... Was selected to the all-conference team twice as a prep player while being named Player of the Year in the conference as a senior ... Was also named to the All-District 9 team and was an East-West All-Star selection ... As a senior in high school, averaged over 19 points per game after a junior campaign which saw him score at a 15 points per game clip.


Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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12 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

12 Days until Tip-off

#2 Matt Halvorsen

Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6'1" 170
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Kingsport, Tenn.
High School: Christ School (N.C.)


Prior to Western Carolina: Played prep basketball at Christ School in Arden, N.C. ... As a senior, selected to the All-NCISAA 3A team ... Named Carolina Athletic Association Player of the Year ... Earned All-Carolina Athletic Association honors ... Connected on over 100 3-pointers for the second-straight year ... Set the career Christ School 3-point mark with 285 made triples ... Finished with 1,235 career points to rank fourth in the Christ School record books ... As a junior, averaged 16.1 points, three rebounds and three assists per game and was named All-Carolina Athletic Association, as well as earning an Ingles' Player of the Week honor ... His team finished with a 23-8 record and won both the regular season and tournament conference championships before advancing to the NCISAA 3A quarterfinals ... Made 111 3-pointers during the year to set a new Christ School single-season record ...As a sophomore, was named all-conference and helped lead the team to a regular and conference tournament championship while advancing to the semifinals of the NCISAA 3A championships ... Played his first season as a prep at Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn., where he earned first team all-conference underclassmen while helping the team win a conference and district championship.


Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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Catamount Basketball

On the ⏰ #Whee cant wait for #CatamountNation to pack this place!!! #WheeReady pic.twitter.com/dpry6YpgSV

— Western Carolina Basketball (@WCU_MBB)

WCU 2-Deep Roster vs. ETSU

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations               

13 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.

13 Days until Tip-off



#15 Josh Cottrell

Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6'2" 185
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Hayesville, N.C.
High School: Hayesville HS

Prior to Western Carolina: Was a four-time All-Smoky Mountain Conference selection including an honorable mention as a freshman ... Was honored by the Asheville Citizen-Times three times with All-Western North Carolina team selections ... Was a two-time- first-team All-District honoree and twice named the Hayesville High School Male Athlete of the Year ... Supplanted his older brother, Zach, as the all-time leading scorer in Hayesville High history with 1,958 career points ... Averaged 27.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 steals per game as a senior ... Scored a school-record 704 points as a junior while also setting the single-game record with 46 points ... Over the season, averaged 28.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.0 steals per game for Hayesville ... As a sophomore scored 17.9 points per contest while helping lead the Yellow Jackets to a Smoky Mountain Conference title and a 23-5 record.

Personal: Is the son of Jenny and Michael Cottrell ... His father, Michael, played collegiate basketball at Lenoir-Rhyne after scoring over 2,500 career points as a prep ... His older brother, Zach, played men's basketball at Appalachian State. ... Grandfather, Steve Cottrell (145-133), coached at Western Carolina for 10 seasons from 1977-87, earning Southern Conference Coach of the Year plaudits in 1979-80 ... Uncle Todd Cottrell played football at Western Carolina while his aunt Laura played basketball at Clemson.


Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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14 Days Until WCU Basketball Tip-off (at Wright State)

Welcome to the 2018 WCU basketball tip-off countdown.

We will count down the remaining days until WCU basketball tips off at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio on November 7th. In this season's countdown, we will meet the coaches and team members as we countdown.
14 Days until Tip-off

#14 Kameron Gibson

Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6'3" 180
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
High School: Walnut Hills HS


Prior to Western Carolina: Earned both Eastern Cincinnati Conference (ECC) Athlete of the Year as well as second-team all-district plaudits as a senior ... A four-year varsity player, he led the ECC in scoring with an 18.1 point per game average on 54.4-percent shooting from the floor that included 46.6-percent shooting from beyond the arc ... Added 4.2 rebounds and two assists per game ... As a junior, averaged just under 10 points per game at 9.5 points per game to rank third on his high school team ... Shot 50.8-percent from the floor while averaging 2.2 rebounds per game as a junior ... Listed as the fifth-rated shooting guard in the state of Ohio in 2018.



Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations


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