Carlos Dotson lays it up for an and-one. Photo by Ashley Evans, WCU Public Relations.
They say there’s no place like home. After Saturday, Nov. 9, it’s safe to say the Catamounts would agree.
It wasn’t pretty, but Western Carolina beat the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs 71-59 behind 22 PTS from early season breakout Mason Faulkner. Eric Jamison Jr. led the away team with 15 PTS and 7 REB.
The Junior guard has been a revelation for his team’s first few games, having scored 21 in their loss against Georgia. But for Faulkner, it’s not all about scoring.
“I don’t necessarily go into the game with a mindset to score. As a point guard I just want to provide whatever the team needs and stability with the basketball in my hands. Whether that be a steal on the defensive end or an assist on the offensive end. My teammates make my play a lot easier,” Faulkner said.
Senior Carlos Dotson added 15 PTS, 6 REB, and 2 AST, though he did not contribute much during the first half. Coach Mark Prosser’s rotation made it so Dotson left for the bench every 3 minutes, making it difficult to establish any rhythm.
But in the second half, the rhythm came. At the 14:15 mark of the second half, Dotson rolled to the rim, barreled into the lane, and fell, but not before putting up a circus shot that went as high as the shot clock before dropping in cleanly for an and-one. This was one of three and-one’s by Dotson in the span of a few minutes, and worthy of a SportsCenter Top 10 spot.
It was not all sunshine, though. The game was a back and forth affair until the last fourth of it, largely due to Gardner-Webb playing very lackadaisical defense.
The Catamounts play with grit, but have a glaring flaw that could significantly hurt their chances of going far in the SOCON. That would be their defense, known as the pack line. The pack is supposed to deter opponents from penetrating, making them settle for jumpers. Gardner-Webb, however, made it their mission to penetrate Western Carolina’s defense. A lousy coaching decision? Perhaps, but it worked for most of the game. This interior defense debacle could exacerbate as the season continues due to their lack of size.
Nevertheless, it was a solid win for the Catamounts. Their next match is Tuesday, November 12, at 7:00 PM EST against North Carolina A&T at the Ramsey Center.
