PEORIA, Ill. - Keaton Cole's driving basket with 5.7 seconds remaining lifted Western Carolina (6-6) to a 68-67 non-conference road win at Bradley (5-6) Tuesday night at Carver Arena. The Catamounts halted a 2-game losing streak, while sending the Braves to their second straight tight loss.
In a game that featured 15 ties and eight lead changes, Western Carolina completed a 3-year sweep in the series and Catamounts coach Larry Hunter improved to 2-1 all-time against his former Ohio point guard, first-year Bradley head coach Geno Ford.
Cole came off the bench to lead four Western Carolina players in double-figures with 13 points, while Bradley junior guard Dyricus Simms-Edwards led four Braves in double-figures with a game-high 17 points. Simms-Edwards came up with a loose ball and was able to get off a baseline jumper for the win before the buzzer, but the shot caromed off the rim as time expired.
Western Carolina led most of the first half, before the Braves launched an 11-4 run to take a 31-28 lead. Benefitting from their sixth offensive rebound of the half that allowed the Catamounts to hold for the last shot of the half, Preston Ross buried a corner 3-pointer just before the buzzer to force a 31-31 tie at the break.
Coming off the game's 13th tie, Western Carolina answered a 6-0 Bradley run with an 8-0 run of its own, taking a 66-64 lead on Tawaski King's baseline bucket with 58 seconds remaining. After Walt Lemon, Jr. split two free throws with 44.8 seconds left to get Bradley within 66-65, King missed the front end of a 1-and-1 situation with 43.7 seconds remaining.
Jordan Prosser's follow slam of a Lemon missed layup gave the lead back to the Braves, 67-66, with 28.0 seconds remaining. The Catamounts worked the clock down, before Cole drove down the lane for his game-winner.
Bradley will play its final non-conference tuneup Thursday night when the Braves visit #19/20 Michigan (9-2) for a 5:30 p.m. CST tip on the Big Ten Network. Bradley will open Missouri Valley Conference play Dec. 28 by hosting Wichita State (9-2) in a 7 p.m. game at Carver Arena.
