CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Senior Karl Cochran scored a game-high 26 points and the Wofford men's basketball team closed the game on a 15-2 run to defeat Western Carolina, 75-55, Saturday evening at the Ramsey Center.
Cochran lit it up from long range, finishing the game 7-of-13 from deep and 9-of-16 from the field. He hit two from over 25 feet away and had another bounce off the rim four times before settling through. On top of his offensive outburst, the senior guard had five rebounds, a game-high four assists, game-high two blocks and game-high two steals.
Cochran moved up in the history books as well. He surpassed Ian Chadwick (1997-2001) for seventh on the program's all-time scoring list and now sits at 1,793 in his career. The Marietta, Georgia native is also just six 3-pointers from breaking Chadwick's program record in that department. Chadwick ended his career with 299 triples.
A 10-0 Western Carolina run cut Wofford's lead to as little as three, 41-38, in the early part of the second half. The Terriers responded by scoring nine of the next 11 points to rebuild the lead to double digits. The Catamounts only ever got to within seven the rest of the way.
Wofford (21-6, 12-2 SoCon) maintains its one-game lead in the Southern Conference standings over Chattanooga (18-9, 11-3 SoCon). Western Carolina (13-14, 8-7 SoCon) falls 4.5 games back and is officially eliminated from contention for the league's regular season title.
"We came in focused and played a much better game on both ends of the floor," said Wofford head coach Mike Young, who earned his first victory at the Ramsey Center in nine tries. "I thought our guys bounced back well after a disappointing loss on Thursday."
The Terriers hit a season-high 13 threes, finishing the game 13-of-26 from beyond the arc. It accounted for nearly half of Wofford's total field goals.
"We hit a lot of threes, but we were getting the looks we wanted, so it didn't concern me," Young added. "When Karl can hit shots like that, it makes me look like a better coach. He was also tremendous defending James Sinclair."
Sinclair struggled to a 4-for-19 showing. He ended the game with 12 points, nine rebounds and three turnovers. Torrion Brummitt led the Catamounts 15 points, going 5-of-8 from the field and grabbing four rebounds.
C.J. Neumann scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. The 6-foot-7 junior came down with a team-high seven rebounds and has finished with seven or more in four of the last five games. Sophomore Eric Garcia and junior Spencer Collins had eight points apiece, while senior Lee skinner had seven points and six rebounds.
Western Carolina led 8-5 early, but six straight points from Garcia put the Terriers in front. The Catamounts never regained a lead.
Wofford was hitting its threes early. Four different Terriers hit the first four triples on a combined six attempts. Collins, Garcia, sophomore Jaylen Allen and freshman Derrick Brooks all connected as Wofford went on top 19-13 midway through.
Cochran then got it going and couldn't miss. He hit four threes in the final 10 minutes of the half and from all over the court. His final trey went in at the halftime buzzer to put the Terriers on top 34-23 at the break.
The second half started just like the first one ended. Cochran took the first shot and drained his fifth 3-ball to push Wofford's lead to 14.
Western responded with its best run of the game. The Catamounts scored three points on six straight possessions, earning three the old-fashioned way the first four times before Sinclair and Rhett Harrelson made three the modern way. It chopped Wofford's lead all the way down to a basket with over 16 minutes still left.
It was as close as it got. A 9-2 Terrier run made it a double-digit game, once more. The margin remained about 10 the majority of the half until Wofford's late surge increased the lead to as many as 22.
The Terriers return to Benjamin Johnson Arena for their final two home games of the season, beginning Thursday against UNC Greensboro at 7 p.m.
Wofford Notes: - The Terriers earned their first victory at the Ramsey Center since February 19, 2001. They had lost their previous eight games in Cullowhee.
- With a record of 21-6, the Terriers have matched the 1993-94 team for the best record through 27 games in program history.
- Wofford improved to 12-2 in Southern Conference play, marking its best SoCon record through 14 games.
- Wofford's 13 3-pointers marked a season-high.
- The Terriers earned a season sweep of the Catamounts. Wofford has swept four SoCon teams so far this season.
