Box Score Game Box (pdf)

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Wofford men’s basketball team was defeated 57-56 by Western Carolina on Monday night at the Ramsey Center. The Terriers had a seven point lead with seven minutes remaining, but the Catamounts then outscored Wofford 14-6 and hit the game-winning shot with two seconds on the clock.

Wofford moves to 10-16 on the season and 4-9 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina is 10-15 overall and 7-6 in the SoCon. The Terriers were led by Spencer Collins with 20 points, while Karl Cochran added 19 points. Lee Skinner had a team-high ten rebounds. The Catamounts were led by Trey Sumler with 26 points, 18 of which were in the second half.

“On the final shot Karl Cochran guarded the fire out of Trey Sumler and had a hand in his face to contest the shot,” said head coach Mike Young. “Sumler is good. He has been around a while and played a lot of basketball and he made the huge shot. We deserve better. I thought we outplayed them and we deserved a better fate, but that is the game and they made a couple more plays than we did down the stretch.”

The Catamounts opened the game with a three pointer, but Wofford answered with a three by Karl Cochran. Western Carolina added two more three pointers and had an 11-6 lead after five minutes of play. Two free throws by Aerris Smith and a jumper by Spencer Collins cut the lead to 11-10, but the Catamounts had a 15-12 advantage at the 10:47 mark. A three pointer by Karl Cochran tied the game at 15 with 10:13 left in the first half.

Western Carolina scored the next eight points to take a 23-15 lead at the 6:26 mark. Wofford ended the run with a dunk by Jarell Byrd. Another bucket by Byrd and two free throws by Lee Skinner cut the lead to 23-21 with just over two minutes remaining. Two free throws by Indiana Faithfull made it a 25-23 score with 28 seconds on the clock. After a technical foul on the Catamount bench with four seconds left, Karl Cochran missed both free throws. Western Carolina’s Trey Sumler hit a three pointer at the buzzer, but missed the free throw, for a 28-23 lead at the half.

To begin the second half, the Catamounts pushed the lead to 30-23. Wofford used a quick 6-1 run to make it a 31-29 score after a bucket by Spencer Collins. Western Carolina had a 35-29 advantage after four minutes. A three pointer by Spencer Collins cut the lead to 35-32 and two free throws by Karl Cochran with 12:28 on the clock made it a 37-36 game. Two more buckets by Spencer Collins gave the Terriers a 40-37 lead at the 10:51 mark.

Three pointers by Spencer Collins and Karl Cochran gave the Terriers a 46-41 advantage at the ten minute mark of the second half. Wofford pushed the lead to 48-41 after two free throws by Lee Skinner and had a 50-43 lead with a shot by Karl Cochran. The Catamounts answered with the next seven points to tie the score at 50 with 2:20 remaining. Wofford ended the run with a pair of free throws by Indiana Faithfull, but Trey Sumler answered with a three pointer for a 53-52 Catamount lead with 1:56 on the clock. The teams traded buckets and then Wofford had a 56-55 lead after a jumper in the lane by Spencer Collins with 16 seconds left. Trey Sumler hit a long jumper with 2.3 seconds remaining for a 57-56 and Wofford was unable to get a final shot off.

Wofford shot 40.9% from the floor while Western Carolina shot 42.3% overall. The Terriers were 5-of-15 from with three, while the Catamounts were 6-of-17 from behind the arc. Western Carolina was 7-of-11 from the line while Wofford was 15-of-21 on free throws. The Catamounts had a 35 to 26 lead on the glass. John Swinton missed the game due to injury.

Wofford will play at Samford on Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Terriers return home on Saturday night when they host Chattanooga at 7:00 p.m.