Coming off of its second straight overtime victory, the Western Carolina men’s basketball team remains on the road Tuesday as the Catamounts venture to Richmond, Va., to take on VCU at 7 p.m. inside the Siegel Center.
The game will be broadcast on MASN in select markets and streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with Scott Jackson and John Feinstein behind the microphones.
The Catamounts are 6-1 following a thrilling 104-98 overtime victory at North Carolina A&T on Saturday afternoon. Matt Halvorsen tallied 23 points after going 7-for-9 behind the 3-point line. Post Xavier Cork tallied his second career double-double after matching a career-high with 22 points and grabbing a career-best 14 rebounds. The Sulphur Springs, Texas native went 10-for-12 from the field against the Aggies. Tyler Harris contributed a career-high 19 points as Mason Faulkner (20) and Travion McCray (11) also finished in double figures as WCU had five players score 10-plus points for the first time this season.
The victory was the fifth-straight for the Catamounts, last accomplished last season between Dec. 21, 2019 and Jan. 11, 2020. WCU’s 6-1 start is the program’s best since the 2009-10 team opened the year with an 11-1 record through the first 12 games. Additionally, the Catamounts have won three games in overtime in a season for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign.
VCU is 5-2 after a 77-54 home win over regional rival Old Dominion. Rams’ seasonal leading scorer Nah’Shon Hyland (16.9 ppg) led three players in double figures with 15 points, the fifth time this season he had paced the squad. In addition to a win over Old Dominion, the Rams have victories against Utah State, Memphis, Mount St. Mary’s and North Carolina A&T. Both of VCU’s losses have come away from home, dropping a 78-66 decision to then-No. 15 West Virginia in the Crossroads Classic and a 72-69 setback at Penn State. In addition to Hyland, Vince Williams is averaging double-figure scoring at 10.0 points per game while pacing VCU with 4.7 rebounds per outing.
Tuesday’s game marks just the fifth all-time meeting between the schools and the first since the 1977-78 season. The Rams have won all four previous matchups with two coming in Cullowhee and two in Richmond.
The Catamounts conclude the 2020-21 nonconference slate on Friday at former Southern Conference rival College of Charleston. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. with live coverage scheduled on the Catamount Sports Network.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount basketball and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountMBB).
| Steven GrandyDirector of Media RelationsWestern Carolina Athletics | Ramsey Center |