Western Carolina races past Furman 72-53

Jan 5, 2016, 09:26 pm

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- James Sinclair scored 20 points, Rhett Harrelson had 16 and Western Carolina used hot shooting to race past Furman 72-53 on Monday.

The Catamounts (7-8, 2-1 Southern Conference) shot 57.4 percent from the field, including 8 of 15 3-pointers, and 10 of 14 from the foul line. Mike Brown added 12 points and Torrion Brummitt 10 as Western Carolina won its fourth straight with its best defensive effort of the season against a Division I team.

Devin Sibley led Furman (3-10, 1-2) with 16 points and Geoff Beans and Kris Acox had 11. The Paladins only shot 34 percent, going 5 of 18 behind the arc.

Western Carolina made 17 of 25 shots in the first half (68 percent) to race to a 43-25 lead with Sinclair scoring 14 points.

The Catamounts outrebounded the Paladins 19-11 in the second half. Sinclair ended up with seven.