CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a Southern Conference clash defined by a dominant start and a furious, but ultimately futile, comeback, Western Carolina built a massive first-half lead and then withstood a second-half onslaught from Chattanooga to secure an 81-76 victory on Saturday afternoon at McKenzie Arena.

The Catamounts, who led by as many as 22 points in the opening period, saw their commanding advantage nearly evaporate completely in the final minutes before making critical defensive stops and clutch free throws to seal the win before a crowd of 3,347. The result avenged a 90-82 home loss to the Mocs just four weeks prior and evened both teams’ conference records.

The narrative of the game fractured cleanly at halftime. Western Carolina, the visiting team, executed with precision and aggression from the opening tip, racing out to a 39-29 lead at the break. The Catamounts’ defense stifled Chattanooga, holding the Mocs to just 29 first-half points on 31% shooting from the field. The foundation of the lead was built on second chances and perimeter shooting, as Western Carolina corralled 14 offensive rebounds and hit 7 of 18 three-point attempts in the first half.

Julien Soumaoro, a guard from the Bronx, New York, was the catalyst for the early surge. He scored 18 of his game-high 25 points before intermission, knocking down four three-pointers. His backcourt mate, Tidjiane Dioumassi of Paris, France, added 10 first-half points, helping the Catamounts establish a control that seemed unshakable.

The second half, however, told a different story. Chattanooga emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, spearheaded by the backcourt duo of Jordan Frison and Teddy Washington. Frison, from Memphis, Tennessee, orchestrated the comeback, scoring 16 of his 20 points after halftime and dishing out six assists. Washington, from Blytheville, Arkansas, provided a spark with all 13 of his points in the second period.

The Mocs chipped away methodically, leveraging a more efficient offense. They shot a blistering 60% from the floor in the second half and outscored Western Carolina 47-42. A key sequence came with just over a minute to play. After a flagrant foul was called on Western Carolina’s Cord Stansberry, Chattanooga’s Tate Darner hit two free throws. On the ensuing possession, Darner grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a tip-in to cut the deficit to 69-67 with 1:21 remaining, capping a 13-2 run that brought the arena to life.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the tense final 39 seconds. Leading 72-69, Western Carolina’s Justin Johnson, a forward from Miami, Florida, delivered a crucial defensive play. After a Mocs timeout, Chattanooga inbounded the ball looking for a tying three-pointer. The possession ended with Collin Mulholland missing a triple, but the Mocs retained possession on an offensive rebound. On the reset, Frison connected on a deep three-pointer from the wing, tying the game at 72-72 with 39 seconds left, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

Western Carolina did not falter. On the ensuing inbound play, Marcus Kell found Johnson streaking down the lane for a powerful, uncontested dunk to reclaim the lead, 74-72, with 37 seconds remaining. Chattanooga’s next chance to tie or take the lead ended when Frison was called for an offensive foul on a drive with 19 seconds left. Stansberry then sank two pressure free throws to extend the lead to four. After a quick layup by Washington made it 76-74 with eight seconds left, Kell was fouled and made one of two free throws. On Chattanooga’s final desperate possession, a Mulholland layup at the buzzer provided the final margin but did not alter the outcome.

Despite being outshot overall (49.2% to 37.9%) and committing more turnovers, Western Carolina won the game through sheer volume of opportunities and efficiency at the line. The Catamounts attempted 19 more field goals, thanks to a staggering 14-5 advantage in offensive rebounds and a 10-8 edge in turnovers forced. Most critically, they made 20 of 25 free throws, while Chattanooga attempted only six, making all of them.

Johnson finished with 10 points, three assists and two blocks for Western Carolina, providing key interior defense. Dioumassi totaled 16 points. For Chattanooga, Darner had 12 points and three assists, Mulholland added nine points and six assists, and Josh Bowman contributed six points and three blocks.

With the win, Western Carolina improved to 10-15 overall and 5-7 in the Southern Conference. Chattanooga fell to 10-17 and 5-7. The game’s total of 157 points went over the pregame over/under line of 151.5, a line that seemed improbable after the first-half defensive struggle. The result also defied the statistical projections, which heavily favored the Mocs at home.