Cochran’s Career Night Leads Wildcats Past Western Carolina, 79-74

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CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Nik Cochran scored a career-high 32 points, including 26 in the second half, to lead Davidson to a 79-74 victory over Western Carolina in Southern Conference men's basketball action Thursday evening at the Ramsey Activity Center.

Cochran, the first Wildcat to score 30 points in a contest since Stephen Curry, scored 21 of his club's first 22 points in the second half, including five 3-pointers. For the game, Cochran went 10-of-13 from the field, 6-for-8 from beyond the arc, and a perfect 6-for-6 at the free throw line.

Jake Cohen was also a big contributor for Davidson (12-7, 7-1 SoCon) as he scored 15 points, pulled in seven rebounds and blocked three shots. Tyler Kalinoski added 10 points.

Brandon Boggs and Trey Sumler each had 22 points for Western Carolina (8-12, 5-3 SoCon), but Boggs fouled out with just over six minutes remaining. Tawaski King added 12 points and nine rebounds.

Davidson led by as much 17 in the first half, but just like the 2012 SoCon Championship contest, the Catamounts wouldn't go away as they slowly chipped away and made it a one-point game, 71-70, on a King dunk with 1:37 remaining. The next trip down the floor, Cochran drilled his sixth 3-pointer of the period to put the game out of reach.

For just the second time this season, Davidson finished shooting over 50 percent, hitting 25-of-47 attempts from the field to finish at 53.2 percent, including a blistering 57.1 percent (12-for-21) from long range.

After the intermission Western shot 53.1 percent to finish at 48.3 percent for the game.

Cohen scored 10 of his 13 first-half points during a 23-5 run to give Davidson a 28-11 advantage with 8:29 remaining in the first frame. The Catamounts cut the deficit to nine, 39-30 on consecutive 3-pointers, but the Wildcats responded with five straight, including a Chris Czerapowicz trey before taking a 44-31 lead into the half.

Highlighted by 6-of-10 shooting from behind the arc, the Wildcats shot a season-high 55.6 percent in the first 20 minutes of action.

After Western Carolina opened the second half 5-of-7 from the floor to make it a five-point contest, 49-44, the Wildcats went on a 13-4 run of their own capped off by three straight Cochran triples to push the margin back to double figures, 62-48, with 10:53 to play. The Catamounts used a 22-9 spurt to get within one, 71-70, but that's as close as they would get.

The Wildcats also held a 32-26 advantage on the glass.

Davidson will conclude it's brief road swing with a 2 p.m. contest at Appalachian State Saturday afternoon.

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