GAME NOTES: The Western Carolina Catamounts bring their three-game homestand to a close tonight, as they entertain the Chattanooga Mocs in a Southern Conference affair at the Ramsey Center. The Catamounts home swing hasn't gone to plan, as they have dropped their first two bouts to Georgia Southern (69-58) and most recently Appalachian State (69-64) on Saturday. WCU has now suffered three straight defeats in falling to 6-15 overall and an equally as bad 2-9 in conference play. As for Chattanooga, it took on league-leading Davidson on Saturday and it fell short in its upset bid, 78-71. The setback brought the team's two-game win streak to a halt, as it fell to 14-8 overall and 9-3 in conference play. The Mocs now take to the road, where they have gone an even 2-2 against SoCon foes thus far. Chattanooga leads the all-time series with WCU, 50-15, and that includes an 85-55 trouncing in an earlier meeting this season.

The Mocs made just 3-of-16 long-range attempts and they turned the ball over 18 times in a seven-point setback to Davidson this past weekend. The team converted a solid 24-of-32 free-throw attempts, but it was outrebounded at the offensive end of the court by a 17-10 margin. Nicchaeus Doaks guided Chattanooga in the loss with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Bridgewaters turned in 15 points, and Stephen McDowell chipped in with 10 points in the setback. For the season, McDowell leads the Mocs in scoring at 15.4 ppg and he is shooting 37.0 percent from three-point range. Doaks is next in order with 13.6 ppg and he is also ripping down a team-high 7.1 rpg. Overall, Chattanooga has done a good job at the offensive end of the court, averaging 79.2 ppg on 47.7 percent shooting from the floor. The team is also outrebounding its foes by a solid 7.0 rpg.

WCU lost the battle on the boards, 30-25, and was outscored at the foul line, 20-6, in a loss to Appalachian State over the weekend. The Catamounts hung tough by knocking down 12-of-23 shots from beyond the arc, but it wasn't enough. Brandon Giles led the team with 19 points, while Arnold Gore and Jake Robinson finished with 12 points apiece. For the season, Giles leads WCU in scoring at 15.0 ppg and he is making good on 41.5 percent of his attempts from long distance. Robinson chips in with 9.9 ppg and he is also dangerous from three-point land, hitting at a 37.6 percent clip. As a whole, the Catamounts are netting just 65.6 ppg mainly because of their sub par 39.7 percent shooting from the floor.

Chattanooga is simply the better offensive and rebounding team here and it should have no trouble routing WCU for a second time this season.