GAME NOTES: Southern Conference foes are set to collide tonight in Statesboro, as the Georgia Southern Eagles welcome the Western Carolina Catamounts to Hanner Fieldhouse. It hasn't been easy for the Catamounts this season, as the club has been thinned down to a core of eight players. WCU, however, managed to pull out a surprising 70-64 win over SoCon North-leading Chattanooga on Monday night to improve to 7-15 on the year. As for Georgia Southern, it has posted victories in three of its last four contests, including a hard-fought 80-78 triumph over UNC-Greensboro the last time out. That victory improved GSU to 15-8 on the season, and moved its SoCon ledger to 8-5. GSU leads by a 16-10 margin in the all-time series between these two programs.

The Catamounts shot just 41.7 percent from the floor during Monday night's win over Chattanooga, but also took advantage of 20 Moc miscues. The Catamounts also edged their opponent in the battle on the boards 35-34, and converted the giveaways into 27 points. Brandon Giles paced Western Carolina with a game-high 20 points, and Eric Wilson added 13 points to go with seven rebounds. Jake Robinson chipped in 10 points and collected a team-high nine boards for the Catamounts. WCU is shooting just 39.8 percent as a team this season, which includes a 36.1 showing from three-point land. The club has floundered at the foul line as well, converting 65.3 percent. The club currently boasts just one player with a double-digit scoring averages, as Giles leads with 15.2 ppg.

GSU averages a solid 74.5 ppg this season, and is led by Louis Graham and his 16.5 ppg. Graham also heads the team in rebounding with 7.0 rpg, while Willie Powers represents the Eagles' second-leading scorer (12.3 ppg). Dwayne Foreman leads the squad with 143 assists, and he has been responsible for a respectable 9.4 ppg as well. The Eagles converted 50 percent of their shots from the floor, including 8-of-15 from long range, during Monday night's victory over UNCG. GSU won the battle on the boards by a 35-26 margin, and outscored UNCG in the paint to the tune of 42-28. Graham poured in a game-high 25 points to lead the Eagles in the win, while Matthew Fields tallied 14 points and collected nine rebounds. Powers added 11 points, and Antoine Johnson chipped in 10 points off the bench.

Give the edge to GSU here, as the Catamounts have been pitiful on the road this season. The Eagles should have no trouble with this Western Carolina squad, and the Catamounts will be in trouble from the opening tip.