CULLOWHEE, N.C. (Interstat) — Western Carolina delivered a dominant and efficient offensive performance, overwhelming Virginia Military Institute 88-58 in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Ramsey Center.

The Catamounts seized control with a decisive 18-2 run early in the second half, transforming a competitive contest into a lopsided affair. Leading 44-39 shortly after halftime, Western Carolina unleashed a barrage of scoring, capped by a Tidjiane Dioumassi 3-pointer and a Julien Soumaoro layup, to surge ahead 62-41 with 14:01 remaining. Virginia Military Institute never recovered, as the Catamounts cruised to their most decisive conference victory of the season.

Western Carolina’s offense operated with remarkable precision, scoring 88 points on just 60 possessions for an offensive rating of 145.6. The Catamounts shot 51.4% from the field, including 40.6% from 3-point range, and dominated the interior with a 44-18 advantage in points in the paint. Their work on the glass was equally commanding, outrebounding VMI 17-4 on the offensive end, which led to numerous second-chance opportunities.

Marcus Kell led a balanced Western Carolina attack with 18 points. Cord Stansberry added 17 points, five assists and three steals, orchestrating the offense effectively. The Catamounts’ defensive anchor was Abdulai Fanta Kabba, the 7-foot center from Sierra Leone, who posted a formidable line of 10 rebounds and four blocked shots in just 20 minutes, altering countless other attempts near the rim.

Virginia Military Institute, which has now lost four straight, struggled to find consistent offense outside of guard AJ Clark. The sophomore from Suffolk, Virginia, scored 17 points, but the Keydets shot just 39.6% overall as a team and managed only four total assists against seven turnovers. Tan Yildizoglu added 13 points for VMI, which finished with an offensive rating of 98.6.

The game began with VMI showing early fight. After TJ Johnson hit a 3-pointer on the game’s first possession, the Keydets traded baskets with the Catamounts for the first seven minutes, with Clark’s second 3-pointer tying the game at 8-8. However, Western Carolina began to create separation with a 7-0 spurt, highlighted by a Stansberry steal and layup, to take a 15-8 lead. The Catamounts maintained a working margin for the rest of the half, taking a 39-31 lead into the break before their explosive run to start the second half sealed the outcome.

The victory improves Western Carolina to 7-12 overall. The Catamounts will travel to face East Tennessee State on Thursday.

The loss drops Virginia Military Institute to 6-15. The Keydets will look to snap their skid when they visit The Citadel on Thursday.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Western Carolina had a 78.6% pregame probability to win. The Catamounts covered the pregame spread of -8.5. The total score of 146 fell under the over/under line of 150.5.