LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Western Carolina led wire-to-wire in an 81-62 victory over Virginia Military Institute in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Cameron Hall. The Catamounts built a 38-30 halftime lead and extended it in the second half, holding the Keydets at bay. Cord Stansberry led Western Carolina with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Samuel Dada added 14 points and nine rebounds. For VMI, Cal Liston, TJ Johnson and Walker Andrews each scored in double figures. Western Carolina improved to 12-15 overall. Virginia Military Institute fell to 6-23. Attendance was 2,284.

LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Cord Stansberry scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Western Carolina to a decisive 81-62 victory over Virginia Military Institute in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Cameron Hall. The Catamounts never trailed, using a stifling defensive effort and efficient offense to build a double-digit lead in the first half and steadily pull away from the struggling Keydets. Western Carolina improved to 12-15 overall, while VMI fell to 6-23. The most important part of the game was Western Carolina’s immediate and sustained defensive pressure, which set the tone from the opening tip. The Catamounts forced five VMI turnovers in the first half, converting them into 12 points, and held the Keydets to just 30 points on 10-of-28 shooting before halftime. This defensive foundation allowed Western Carolina to overcome its own early shooting struggles and build a 38-30 lead at the break, a margin that proved insurmountable for a VMI team that never mounted a serious rally. Stansberry, a 6-foot-4 guard from Bermuda Dunes, California, filled the stat sheet with his double-double and added four assists in 34 minutes. His performance anchored a balanced Western Carolina attack that saw four players score in double figures. Samuel Dada, a 6-foot-9 forward from Lagos, Nigeria, contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, just missing a double-double. Tidjiane Dioumassi added 15 points and four assists, and Marcus Kell chipped in 10 points and five rebounds. The Catamounts were markedly more efficient, scoring 81 points on 64 possessions for an offensive rating of 126.4, compared to VMI’s 99.6 rating. Western Carolina shot 45.2% from the field and a sharp 88.2% from the free-throw line. They also dominated inside, outscoring VMI 28-16 in the paint and outrebounding them on the offensive glass 8-4. Virginia Military Institute was led by Cal Liston and TJ Johnson, who each scored 12 points. Walker Andrews added 13 points off the bench. The Keydets struggled to find consistent offense, shooting 39.3% overall and just 7-of-11 from the foul line. Their 10 fast-break points were a bright spot but were negated by Western Carolina’s control in the half-court. Western Carolina’s victory extends its winning streak to four games, its longest of the season, following conference wins over The Citadel, Chattanooga and UNC Greensboro. The Catamounts have now swept the season series with VMI, having won the previous meeting 88-58 on Jan. 24. Virginia Military Institute has lost three straight and 10 of its last 11 games. The Keydets have not won a road game since Nov. 7. The game drew an attendance of 2,284 to Cameron Hall. Western Carolina was a pregame favorite and covered the spread, while the total score fell well under the projected over/under line. Western Carolina will look to continue its momentum when it hosts Mercer on Wednesday. Virginia Military Institute travels to face Samford on Thursday.

LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — Two Southern Conference men’s basketball teams heading in opposite directions will meet Saturday when the Western Carolina Catamounts visit the Virginia Military Institute Keydets at Cameron Hall. Western Carolina (11-15) enters on a modest uptick, having won three of its last four games, including a 91-77 victory over UNC Greensboro on Wednesday. The Catamounts routed VMI 88-58 in the teams’ first meeting just four weeks ago in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The Keydets (6-22), meanwhile, are mired in a prolonged slump. They have lost 10 consecutive games, with their last win coming on Jan. 10. Their most recent outing was an 82-76 loss at Wofford on Wednesday. A key matchup will feature two of the conference’s top guards. Western Carolina’s Tahlan Pettway is coming off a season-high 24-point performance in the win over UNC Greensboro. Over his last eight games, the guard has averaged 12.4 points. He scored six points in the January win over VMI. For the Keydets, guard Tan Yildizoglu has been a bright spot during the losing streak. He is averaging 13.5 points and 6.6 assists per game over his last eight contests. He scored 25 points and dished out seven assists in the loss to Wofford and had 13 points in the first meeting with Western Carolina. The Catamounts have found an offensive rhythm during their recent improved play, scoring 80 or more points in four of their last five games. VMI has struggled defensively, allowing an average of 84.2 points per game during its 10-game skid. Western Carolina will look to complete the season sweep and build momentum before hosting Mercer next Wednesday. VMI seeks to snap its lengthy losing streak and find a positive note before hitting the road for games at Samford and Chattanooga next week. Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.