• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1982-02-04_Vol46_No18_07

I Sports 7 February 4,1982/ Western Carolinian Cats Continue Winning; Face Leading Mocs by Russ Randolph Basketball fans in Western North Carolina are in for a treat between tonight and late Monday evening. "This is what it's all about," said Catamount Coach Steve Cottrell, and indeed Cottrell may just be preparing tor his team's toughest homestand yet. This three-games-in-live-days show begins tonight in WCU's Reid Gym when powerful UT-Chattanooga arrives for what many are billing as the "game of the year" in Cullowhee. II C. coming into the game with an 11- game winning streak, is attempting to makea runaway of the Southern Conference basketball race. Appalachian visits Cullowhee Saturday night for the 100th renewal of one of the south's most intense college basketball rivalries, and many beleive the Mountineers are coming with revenge on their minds after last Wednesday's upsetting loss to WCU 56-55 at Boone. A-gain, this will be a tough game to see. The show continues Monday night when Davidson, the surprise team of the Southern Conference, makes the trip to Cullowhee. The Wildcats are one of only five teams that have beaten Western this season so again a revenge match-up on the part of the Cats may beat hand. "This is a basketball fan's dream and I'm really looking forward to these three games," said Coftrell. "1 expect these next few nights to be as exciting as any Western Carolina's basketball program has experienced in a long time." Tonight's game pits Western against one of the nation's hottest teams, as UT's Mocs come to Cullowhee with an 18-2 overall record and a perfect 10-0 Southern Conference record. Western is 6-3 in conference play and currently has a hold on third place in the league behind UT-C and East Tennessee (7-3). However, the Cats have won 8 of their last 9 games, including 5 consecutive road wins, and will take an impressive 13-5 record into the homestand. "It is an understatement to call tonight's game one of the most important games we have played since joining the Southern Conference." Cottrell emphasized. Chattanooga is hot and we must beat them to have a chance at the regular season championship, whereas they can virtually wrap it up by beating us tonight," he explained. Cottrell labeled UT-C "probably the most complete team in the conference that I've seen in many seasons. They have no weaknesses at all and their shooters, rebounders, ball-handlers and speed is by far the best this league has ever had," he added. Tonight's game was originally scheduled for January 13 but it had to be postponed due to snow here and the bad road conditions. Western returns to Reid Gym with momentum behind them developed from three big road wins that started with Appalachian last Wednesday night. In a game where the Cats knew it would be tough, some 7,000 screaming fans packed the campus gymnasium in Boone as usual to cheer their Mountneers on against their cross-mountain opponents. However, Western payed little attention to the opposing fans and came out of their dressing room ready to play, as proved by the score. With just three minutes into the game the score stood 9-2 in favor of the Cats. However, the Mounties were not to let things go so easily and by halftime they had managed to scratch their way back to tie the Cats at 29-all. As anticipated, the second half was filled with the same excitement found in the first, as Mountineers Charles Payton, John Fitch, and Preston Gant gave Western a run for their money. With just 1:10 left to play, Appalachian came within one point of the Cats. As the clock ticked down the score switched from 53-54, 53-56. and 55-56 in favor of Western, and each shot taken was crucial. Fortunately, Appalachian missed a shot with 8 seconds left to give Western a hard-earned victory by one. 56-55. The closeness of the game is reflected in the stats. WCU's basketball Cats begin a three-game homestand when UT-Chattanooga invades Reid Gymnasium. The Mocassins are 18-2 overall and currently riding an 11-game winning streak. The homestand continues with ASU Saturday night and Davidson on Monday. photo by Doug Cavanah Western was down by four late in the game at The Citadel last Friday night but managed to comeback and win in Charleston on Greg Dennis' clutch free throw shooting, Mike MacFarlane's and Kenny Trimier's inside defense and rebounding, and a team defensive effort that caused six of the Bulldog's 20 turnovers in the last three minutes. Dennis paced the Cats again in scoring with 19 points, while Trimier added 12. Western shot a blistering 65% in Raleigh's Civic Center to blow away Campbell Monday night. Carr and Dennis scored 20 points apiece in the non-conference encounter, while Kevin Young tossed in 14 points and assisted on 7 more. Pat Sharp also had a good night with 15 and was impressive under the boards against the Camels to give Western its best record of any WCU team at this point in the season in 11 years. The Cats hit 21 of 52 from the floor while the Mounties hit 25 of 48. On the foul line the Cats sank 14 of 19, compared to 5 of 9 for the Mounties. Western had 8 turnovers to 7 by Appalachian. Greg Dennis paced the Cats in scoring with 19 points, followed by Ronnie Carr with 18 in the low scoring game. Dennis was also the top Catamount rebounder with 7. followed by Si Simmons and Kevin Young who each had 4. John Fitch had 16 to pace Appalachian, while the Cats held Charles Payton, last year's Southern Conference Player of the Year, to just 10 points. "This got our road trip started with a bang," Coach Cottrell said of the Cat's most-important win. "We really had to play hard and maintain our composure to win. I think our close game experience was what allowed us to do that." Lady Cats Win Two Of Three b\ Steve (rawford After play ing a very mediocre game in Mars Hill last Tuesday, the Lady Cats regained their enthusiasm last Wednesday and journeyed to Boone, NC to overcome Appalachian State University, 66-64. Western played a very emotional game and was up bv as much as 14 at one time. However, with the Apps down bv 10 with 5 minutes leli on the clock, the old rivalry spirit awoke suddenly and the Appalachian State fans began to play an important role in the game: the last 5 minutes were "eventful" to write the least. Spurred by the electricity of the crowd, Appalachian overcame the 10-point deficit to tie the game at 62 with 28 seconds left. Now Western had the ball out of bounds, but, on the attempt to throw the ball into play. Appalachian stole the balland Kay Hampton of the Apps took a shot. Hampton missed the shot but was fouled on the play—this sent our old rivalry to the line for two free throws with only 22 seconds left. Western's Coach Stroud promptly called time-out. Luckily, after the time-out. Hampton missed both foul shots. Appalachian rebounded and shot, but the ball failed to pass through the rim's perimeter. With 8 seconds left. Western's Judy Green brought the ball across half- court and passed to Sandy Kruse who in turn passed to Sharon Wilson. Wilson then proceeded to score the winning basket. Serena Surrat topped Western's scoring and rebounding with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Sandy Kruse played very well; Judy Green and Tammy Laster contributed 14 points apiece. For Appalachian. Muriel Higginbothom had 19 points and 17 rebounds, while Betsy McLelland pumped in 16. Last Thursday, January 28, the Lady Cats were unpleasantly surprised when they hosted UNC-A in Reid Gym. For the first time in Western Carolina's Womens Basketball history, UNC-A beat WCU, 70-63. Coach Stroud said her players "didn't play well as a team" and that they "lacked intensity, possibly from the night before" when they played Appalachian State. After four away games in six days, the Lady Catsdid not expect to get beaten at home by a team that had never won against Western. Stroud also commented that Helen Carroll, UNC-A's new head coach, has really turned UNC-A's basketball program around. Up by 10 points at one time in the first half. Western was led by 6'0" sophomore Teresa Braswell who had 18 points and 12 rebounds and, says Stroud, played probably her best game of the season. Surratt added II and Green had 15 points. UNC-A had five players in double digits. Lisa Roberts and Kim Duncan shared high scoring honors, both having totals of 16 points. After a weekend to think over thedisappointing loss to UNC-A, the Lady Cats, sparked by Sandy Kruse's exceptional defensive play, defeated Gardner-Webb College, 85-73, in a home game on Monday of this week! Western's Tammy Laster, a 5"8" sophomore out of North Buncombe High School, led WCU's scoring and set a school shooting percentage record, hitting 10 out of 10 from the floor for a total of 20 points. Sandy Kruse scored 16 and Ginger Eichhorn did a good job off the bench, adding 14 more. Cindi Saltz, Western's fifth woman player to score over 1000 career points, was not honored at the UNC-A home game as had been expected. However, she will receive her well-deserved recognition at the halftime of the Lady Cats' 5:00 game against Appalachian State here Saturday. Cindi, the only senior on the team, was injured in a game two weeks ago. She may be back in action next week, but the extent of her injury is still unknown. The Lady Cats have a tough schedule for the coming week. They play Belmont Abbey College tonight in Belmont, NC, ASU here on Saturday at 5:00. and Lenoir- Rhyne College Sunday in Hickory, NC. Stroud's team also plans to travel to Rock Hill. SC. next Thursday for a 3-day tournament at Winthrop College. , Track Team Shines In First Meet The Carolinian wants you! If you are interested in writing for us, please feel free to drop by for an interview with one of our editors. by Karen Ashe Outstanding results were posted Friday, January 29 in Atlanta by the 1981-82 track team. WCU competed with fifteen teams, which included such powerhouses as Georgia Tech. Furman. Carson-Newman, Moorehouse and Fisk. Coach Donald Millwood praised the '81-82 track team for having completed an "outstanding job" with just one and a half weeks of practice under their belts. On February 27-28, the track team will complete the indoor season, but the outdoor season will not end until the last week in April. The indoor season is short because only four or five schools in the conference have indoor facilities. However, on Friday, February 5 the Cat track team will travel to Tennessee tocompete inanother meet. According to the Cat trainer there are "not any bad injuries plaguing the team" and with the "freshmen looking good." this could prove to be a good season for the '81-82 Cats. Coach Millwood could only say that he was "tickled to death" over his second WCU track team. WCU, which is a newcomer to the Southern Conference, has never placed above 5th place in competition until the January 29 meet. In that meet, the Cats brought home two second place finishes, three third places, two fourths, two fifths and two sixth places in the overall finals. Millwood praises the Cat track team on their ' real good attitude," and although the "boys have to practice outdoors in 20 degree F weather, they have never complained." Instead, the team has had "excellent" practice sessions. The following results were posted in the January 29 meet. In the longjump Trace Barnette took third. Tiger Greene fifth, and Dwayne Norman placed sixth. Rick Caldwell had ajumpof 6feet 6inchesin thehighjump. In the shot event Charles Weddington placed second overall in the finals, and also competing in the shot were John Surratt and Georg Fox. Walter Smith said he was disappointed because he couldn't move into the finals of the 220 due to 0.01 seconds, however, Eric Rasheed took second overall, Larry Jackson placed fifth, and Norman took sixth. Billy Martinez was third in his heat in the 440 and finished fifth overall, but Miles Nicholson outran his heat by at least thirty yards while grabbing third in the finals. Robert Murray took fourth in the mile run with Madison Crum and Doug Fear competing in the preliminaries. Jeff Simpson was WCU's only two-miler in the meet, and high hurdler John Maar took fourth overall. The javelin throwers consisting of Barnette and Norman took third and fourth place finishes respectively. The mile relay team consisting of Harp, Jackson, Maar and Mark Wisenhunt took fourth overall in the meet. Coach Millwood did express concern that if anyone in WCU's student body has the heart and desire to run track he would welcome that person to the team. The Carolinian salutes this year's track team and wishes them continued success throughout this season. Y^AVAV^VAVA^^^^ Last Minute Productions is sponsoring "Leave The Driving To Us" Bus Coach To WCU vs. U. T. Chattanooga Saturday, Feb. 13, 1982 WCU Students $12.00 All Others $15.00 Price includes ticket and transportation to and from the game. Register at Cats home ball games on the 4th. 6th. & 8th or come by 1st floor of U. C. Only 45 seats are available! Must be registered by noon on Wednesday 2/11/82 For more information call 227-7479 VA'A'AYA'Att'&VttA^

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1982-02-04
  • Date digitized: 2019-01-29
• Extent
  • Dimension: 15" x 11.5"
  • Pages: 14 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1982-02-04_Vol46_No18
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library