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 Sharp-shooting sophomore Jake Robinson enters Wednesday's home opener averaging 10 points per game. |
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Nov. 13, 2007
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina opened its season last weekend by winning one of three games played in a three-day period, while also taking tournament host, Cincinnati, and Belmont to the wire in its two defeats. The Catamounts will open their home slate tomorrow night Wednesday, Nov. 13, as they host the Methodist College Monarchs at 7:03 pm in the Ramsey Center.
The game will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network with a 6:45 pm air time. Fans can listen to the game on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee or online at www.WWCUFM.com.
Fans can also log onto CatamountSports.com to follow live GameTracker, presented by Carolina West Sports Medicine and WestCare Health System.
Third-year head coach Larry Hunter was pleased with the way his squad opened the season at the Peggy Cronin Classic - a tournament named in memory of Cincinnati's late mother who passed away from cancer.
"Overall, I was pleased with the way our relatively young team absorbed the information that we gave them in a short period of time," said Hunter Tuesday afternoon. "I felt we played with great energy and effort, and improved each time we took the court."
He added, "Defensively we are ahead of our offense. Some of our weaknesses were exposed (in the tournament), but it gives us something to work on as we move forward."
Sophomore forward Nick Aldridge paced the Catamounts, earning all-tournament team accolades after averaging just under 20 points per game. With three-straight, double-digit outings, the South Webster, Ohio native extended his consecutive double-figure scoring string to 23 games dating back to last season.
Freshman Michael Porrini and sophomore sharp-shooter, Jake Robinson, are each averaging double-digits for the Catamounts after the first trio of games. Porrini is scoring at an 11.7 points per game clip while also dishing out four assists per game. Robinson, who ranked tied for seventh on WCU's single-season charts a year ago with 64 made 3-pointers, has eight treys so far this season and is averaging right at 10 points per game.
For its home-opener, Western welcomes the green & gold, NCAA Division III Methodist Monarchs out of Fayetteville, N.C., to the Ramsey Center to renew a series that dates back to 1981. WCU has won all five previous meetings in the series, last playing in 1986. Of the five victories, Western has downed the Monarchs by an average of 35.8 points with the largest point spread coming in the last meeting in '86 (106-45, 61 points) and the closest being an 18-point Catamount win in 1982 (78-60).
Methodist is coming off an 11-14 season, but is just two years removed from a 20-win, NCAA D-III tournament team.
Since opening the Ramsey Center in the 1986-87 season, Western Carolina is 14-6 in their home opener. The team will be looking to get back on the winning track after falling to South Carolina from the SEC in the first home game of last season
"We don't know too much about Methodist as this will be their first game. I do know that they have good athletes and are well coached and they will be ready to play here Wednesday night," Hunter said. "We are excited to open up the home portion of our schedule in front of our local fans and our student body. They have been tremendously supportive and we look to put on a good show for them."
Tip-off is set for 7:03 pm Wednesday night.
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