Bulldogs Prepare for Final Regular Season Road Series

Final	1	2	T
Citadel (10-20,6-11)	20	50	70
Western Caro. (16-14, 11-6)	37	25	62
Cullowhee, N.C. (Ramsey Center)

Citadel	Western Caro.
Pts: Cameron Wells - 21	Pts: Williams, Mike - 20
Reb: Mike Groselle - 11	Reb: Gordon, Richie - 8
Ast: Zach Urbanus - 2	Ast: Sumler, Trey - 4

Team Statistics	Citadel	Western Caro.
Field Goal %	49.0% (25-51 )	40.0% (24-60 )
Rebounds	39	30
Assists	6	10
Turnovers	13	13
Pts off Turnovers	12	16
2nd Chance Pts	19	5
Pts in the Paint	34	24
Fastbreak Pts	0	8
Bench Pts	22	7

full stats

CHARLESTON, S.C.- For the second straight time in as many seasons The Citadel Basketball team completes their regular season with a series of Southern Conference road games. Beginning on Thursday, the Bulldogs look to extend their winning streak to five games when they collide with Western Carolina, in the 60th all-time meeting between the two schools. The Catamounts, winners of their last seven straight games, are deadlocked with Chattanooga for SoCon North Division supremacy. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Liston B. Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, N.C.

BULLDOGS NATIONAL RANKING: The Citadel Basketball program ranks in the top 180 of 12 different national categories, based on a recent ranking that was released on Feb. 21. The highest ranking by the Dogs is 44th in personal fouls per game, where they commit only 16.8 per contest. The national leader, Florida (14.1), has only one player on their roster, Vernon Macklin (59), with more than 45 personal fouls. The Citadel also ranks nationally in rebounding average (2.7 rpg, 100th), free throw percentage (71.0%, 111th) and 3-point field goal defense (33.3%, 124th).

Senior Cameron Wells has placed himself in six different national categories, including two rankings within the top 100. Wells, who has scored 491 this season, is 98th in the NCAA in points per game with 16.2 per contest. His 128 assists this season, which moved past Kevin Hammack earlier this month, places him 98th nationally with 4.4 assists per contest.

ELITE COMPANY: On Saturday, following his 17-point, 10-rebound outing against Georgia Southern, sophomore Mike Groselle achieved a feat that just three other Citadel Basketball players had accomplished during their playing careers. Groselle joined Regan Truesdale, Kent Hill and Patrick Elmore as the only players to have consecutive double-doubles on more than one occasion during a single season. Groselle's performance on Saturday followed a 10-point, 10-rebound outing against the College of Charleston that took place on Feb. 17. In the first week of January, the Plano, Texas native had the first series of consecutive double-doubles in his career in games against Clemson (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Wofford (19 points, 16 rebounds).

Truesdale became the first Bulldog to accomplish the feat when he had three separate series of double-doubles during the 1984-85 season, including one stretch in which he recorded a double-double in four straight contests. Hill followed three seasons later, when in 1987-88 he had a pair of consecutive double-double outings. Elmore, who finished with 14 double-doubles during his career at The Citadel, registered successive double-doubles on three occasions in the 1989-90 campaign. On two separate instances Elmore had a double-double in three straight games.

CITADEL LINEUP PREPARES FOR SECOND MEETING WITH WESTERN CAROLINA: Senior point guard Cameron Wells hit 9-of-14 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and finished a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line to net a game-high 27 points in the first meeting between the two teams on Jan. 22. That 27-point effort gives Wells 85 points in his career against Western Carolina, the most of any current Bulldog. He surpassed Zach Urbanus, who has 76 career points against the Catamounts, and maintains a healthy lead over Austin Dahn (39 career points).

The Citadel heads into the meeting with all five probable starters making at least one career start against Western Carolina, highlighted by six apiece by Dahn, Urbanus and Wells. The tandem of Dahn and Urbanus will play a key role in the match-up with 25 combined 3-pointers over the last four years. Urbanus, who has connected on 16-of-33 from long range against WCU, has three or more 3-pointers in five meetings. Dahn has combined for five against the Catamounts in the last three meetings. Also integral will be rebounding, where starters Wells (25), Urbanus (22) and Dahn (15) lead the Dogs in succession. The senior laden backcourt, led by Urbanus' six assists earlier this season, will need to continue their success in finding open players in the offense to have success against WCU. Wells leads the duo with 25 assists, while Urbanus has dished out 22.

Reserve Bryan Streeter, who leads the team in points (32) and rebounds (17) off the bench, will be a valuable commodity for head coach Chuck Driesell off the bench. Another key reserve for the Bulldogs is Daniel Eykyn, who has one 3-pointer and seven rebounds in four prior meetings with the Catamounts.

WELLS NEARS ANOTHER MILESTONE: Guard Cameron Wells is nearing another career milestone which would place him in unique company among Southern Conference players. Wells, who became The Citadel's all-time leading scorer during a meeting with SIU-Edwardsville in December, has moved within 12 points of becoming the first player in Bulldogs history to score 2,000 points. Among the current SoCon schools he would become the 20th player, and third this season, along with Andrew Goudelock (College of Charleston) and Donald Sims (Appalachian State), to accomplish the feat. Among the 12 SoCon institutions, nine have at least one player that has scored 2,000 or more points during his career. Wofford leads the way with four players that have eclipsed the mark.

PREVIEWING WESTERN CAROLINA (16-13 Overall, 11-5 SoCon)

LATE FREE THROWS SECURE SEVENTH STRAIGHT WCU VICTORY (Feb. 22): Western Carolina seniors Mike Williams and Richie Gordon combined for four made free throws inside the final three seconds as the Catamounts held off the upset bid from UNC Greensboro, 70-66, at the Greensboro Coliseum.

UNCG chipped away at the Catamounts' game-high 15-point lead in the second half, taking its lone lead of the second half on a four-point play by Brandon Evans with 3:30 to play. WCU managed to regain the lead, stretching it back to three on an offensive stick-back by Harouna Mutombo. But Evans sank his fourth 3-pointer of the game less than 30 seconds later to knot things at 66 with 88-seconds remaining.

Following a WCU miss and a Spartan defensive rebound, the Catamount defense then came up huge on consecutive possessions as freshman Brandon Boggs intercepted a would-be entry pass to the low blocks with 37 seconds remaining. WCU held for what it hoped would be the final shot of the game with Williams weaving his way through the lane for a lay-up that missed, but he was fouled. The New Orleans, La., native hit both of his charity tosses for a two-point lead, 68-66, with 2.8 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing inbounds pass, Gordon intercepted the court-length heave and was fouled, stepping to the line and making both free throws to make it a two-possession game with two seconds showing on the clock, providing the final tally.

Western Carolina won its seventh-straight game on the year to match a school-record with its 11th victory in league play. The Catamounts kept pace with co-divisional leader, Chattanooga, which won at home over Furman, 75-59, to remain deadlocked at 11-5 with two games remaining.

Williams struggled from the floor on the night, but finished with 11 points and five assists. Gordon likewise had troubles finding the bottom of the basket, scoring six, but contributed five rebounds, four assists and four steals in the win.

Mutombo led the Catamounts with 20 points and eight rebounds, adding three steals with Boggs scoring 10. Redshirt freshman Trey Sumler shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor in the first half, scoring 15 of his 16 points before intermission as WCU took a nine-point, 40-31, edge into the locker room.

CATAMOUNTS HOLD OFF EASTERN KENTUCKY IN BRACKETBUSTER (Feb. 19): Four Catamounts scored in double figures for the second-consecutive game as Western Carolina was able to fend off Eastern Kentucky for the 81-74 victory in the ESPN Sears BracketBusters game in the Ramsey Center.

The Catamounts led by as many as 18 points and held a double-digit advantage most of the afternoon, but the Colonels shot 59-percent from the field in the second half to draw within four, 76-72, inside the game's final 96 seconds on the fourth 3-pointer by Justin Stommes who led all scorers with 24 points.

On the ensuing possession after the Stommes triple, Richie Gordon was fouled as he drove to the basket before stepping to the line to hit a key free throw with 1:23 left. EKU then missed a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer attempt that allowed Mike Williams to seal the victory with four made free throws in the final minute of play.

Combined, WCU made 7-of-8 free throws in closing minutes to secure the victory, its sixth-straight on the season and 12th-consecutive at home.

Williams paced the squad with 18 points - his 24th double-figure scoring performance of the season -adding five assists and a pair of steals for the Catamounts. Freshman Brandon Boggs scored 16 points while Harouna Mutombo finished with 14, eclipsing the 1,000 career point plateau on the day. Mutombo is the 39th different Catamount to score 1,000-or-more points for the Purple & Gold. The Pickering, Ontario, native notched his 1,001st point inside the final 30 seconds of the opening stanza.

Gordon rounded out WCU's double-figure scorers by recording his third career double-double with 14 points and a career-high tying 10 rebounds with a solid all-around performance. The Atlanta, Ga., native shot 5-of-7 from the floor while swiping four steals and blocking three shots.

Keaton Cole added eight points off the bench for WCU including a pair of 3-pointers.

For more information on Bulldog Basketball, visit the official website of The Citadel Athletics at www.CitadelSports.com.