PEORIA, Ill. - Western Carolina used a 23-4 second-half run to erase a 10-point deficit and the Catamounts made all six of their free throws in the final minute of the contest to post a 75-67 road victory against Bradley Monday at Carver Arena.
In a game which featured big runs by both teams, Western Carolina (8-1 overall) used its impressive second-half spurt to pick up its third consecutive road win of the season. The 8-1 start to the season is the Catamounts' best start since opening the 1963-64 and 1962-63 seasons with identical 8-1 marks.
Bradley (5-3 overall) appeared to be in control in the first half before Western Carolina made a late push. Sophomore forward Taylor Brown (Atlanta, Ga./Dunwoody) scored 13 of his team-high 18 points in the first half and made his first seven field goal attempts, including a pair of 3-point tries. Junior guard Andrew Warren (Indianapolis, Ind./Brebeuf Jesuit) was 8-for-10 from the free throw line in the first half en route to 12 first-half points. The duo combined for 25 of Bradley's first 33 points and helped the Braves to a 33-24 lead with 4:17 left before the end of the half.
After opening the game 2-for-9 from beyond the arc, the Catamounts connected on 3-of-5 three-point attempts in the final four minutes of the period to quickly erase Bradley's nine-point lead. Western Carolina ended the half with a 14-5 spurt and took a 38-37 lead into the break.
Brown continued his hot shooting in the second half, knocking down his second three-pointer of the game in the opening minute of the second half as he helped the Braves take a 46-42 lead early in the second half.
Sophomore center Anthony Thompson (Houston, Texas/Klein Forest) scored five points to highlight a 10-0 Bradley run which put the Braves ahead 56-46 midway through the second half.
Western Carolina heated up again, however, scoring on seven consecutive possessions to open a 23-4 run that gave the Catamounts a 69-60 lead with 4:13 remaining. Keaton Cole opened the run with a three-pointer and capped the spurt with a three-point play as he scored all nine of his points during the near six-minute span.
Junior guard Sam Maniscalco (Chicago, Ill./St. Patrick) scored six consecutive points to pull Bradley to within 69-66 with 1:43 to play, but Western Carolina made all six of its free throw attempts in the closing minute to finish of its first victory against a current Missouri Valley Conference member since the 1969-70 season (Illinois State).
Jake Robinson scored 12 points in the final nine minutes of the game and led all scorers with 21 points to pace Western Carolina. Brigham Waginger added 14 points, seven assists and three steals, while Harouna Mutombo notched a double-double (14 points & 10 rebounds).
Brown led Bradley with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting and Warren finished with 14 points and five assists. Maniscalco was also in double figures with 10 points.
Bradley returns to action Dec. 16 when the Braves play host to Loyola-Chicago at 7:05 p.m. at Carver Arena. Western Carolina will play its third game in six days Thursday when the Catamounts host Campbell.
