WCU Rallies to Upset Mercer, Faces ETSU in SoCon Semifinals 

Asheville, N.C. – Fifth-seeded Western Carolina overcame a double-digit first-half deficit and a late push from fourth-seeded Mercer to advance in the 2026 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship, securing a 77-73 victory in a tightly-contested quarterfinal matchup at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville on March 8, 2026.

The Catamounts trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half, but rallied to take a one-point lead into halftime. After Mercer regained the advantage early in the second half, Western Carolina responded with another surge, ultimately securing the win thanks to clutch free throws from Marcus Kell and Cord Stansberry in the closing seconds.

Western Carolina (15-15) will now face top-seeded ETSU (22-10) in the first of two SoCon semifinals on Sunday, with tip-off scheduled for 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU. WCU swept the Buccaneers during the regular season, winning 72-68 in Cullowhee on January 14 and claiming a 90-88 victory in Johnson City on January 29.

“Just a great college basketball game, and I want to tip my hat to Mercer,” said WCU head coach Tim Craft. “I’m really proud of our team. We didn’t start either half well, particularly the first half. The way these guys responded, they’ve been so connected and together the last three weeks. It’s hard to shake them up.”

Tidjiane Dioumassi led all scorers with 21 points, including four 3-pointers. Tahlan Pettway added 18 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while Kell finished with 15 points and seven boards. Stansberry contributed 13 points, six from the free-throw line.

“Dioumassi put us on his back in that first half when we were struggling to score. He wasn’t going to be denied. It was awesome,” Craft added.

Western Carolina’s dominance on the glass proved crucial, as they outrebounded Mercer 53-29, including a 25-11 advantage in offensive rebounds. This translated into 27 second-chance points for the Catamounts. Samuel Dada grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, nine on the offensive end.

Mercer (19-13) was led by Baraka Okojie, who scored a game-high 26 points. Zaire Williams added 18 points, while Brady Shoulders contributed 11.

Mercer started strong, building an 18-5 lead early in the first half. The Bears maintained a double-digit advantage for much of the opening period, leading 28-11 with nine minutes remaining. However, Western Carolina responded with a 25-7 run, closing the gap to just four points, 29-25, with 5:14 left before halftime.

Dioumassi’s 3-pointer at the 3:32 mark brought the Catamounts within one, 33-32, and a mid-range jumper from Pettway gave WCU its first lead, 36-35, with 36 seconds remaining in the half. The Catamounts carried that one-point lead into the break.

Mercer came out strong in the second half, scoring 12 of the first 15 points to regain the lead. They extended their advantage to nine points, 54-45, with 12:47 remaining. However, Western Carolina answered with a 10-0 run, tying the game at 55-55 after a 3-pointer from Kell.

The final five minutes of the game were closely contested, with the score tied three times. After a Williams free throw gave Mercer a 72-71 lead with just over a minute remaining, Kell converted a pair of free throws to put Western Carolina ahead for good. A defensive rebound and four subsequent free throws from Stansberry sealed the victory.

The win ties Western Carolina’s program record for most consecutive victories with seven. The Catamounts will look to continue their momentum and secure a spot in the championship game and an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

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