March 6, 2008

2008 Southern Conference Basketball Tournament Information

Cullowhee, N.C. - On the eve of opening its run for the Southern Conference Championship, Western Carolina sophomore Brandon Giles was again honored today by the league office. Just two days after garnering All-Southern Conference accolades from the SoCon Sports Media Association, Giles was one of 10 members selected all-conference by the league's head coaches.

Giles is the 16th different Catamount to earn All-SoCon honors from the league's head coaches since joining the league in 1977-78. Like the media honor awarded earlier this week, it is the first time in the second-year guard's career that he has been labeled all-conference.

Riding an active 18-game, double-digit scoring streak, Giles led the Catamounts in scoring through the regular season at 15.3 points per game to rank fourth in the SoCon. Against conference foes, Giles additionally ranked fourth averaging 18.1 points, while also ranking 12th in the league in 3-pointers made per game with 1.85 per contest. Giles missed the final three regular season games due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident back on Feb. 24.

This season, Giles has 22 double-figure scoring outings and has surpassed the 20-point plateau nine times including a career-high 32 points against the College of Charleston in Cullowhee back on Dec. 1. He has paced the Catamounts in scoring 13 times this season.

The SoCon individual awards mirrored those selected by the media on Tuesday with Davidson's Stephen Curry earning Player of the Year, with head coach Bob McKillop tabbed as the league's top coach this season. Cameron Wells from The Citadel again racked up Freshman of the Year honors.

Western Carolina begins its quest for the Southern Conference tournament championship and the automatic bid into the NCAA Field of 64 it entails this Friday, March 7 at 3:00 pm. The ninth-seeded Catamounts battle No. 8 Wofford at the North Charleston Coliseum. The two squads split the two regular season meetings, each winning on its home court.

WCU and Wofford have only met once previously in the SoCon tournament with WCU pulling off a three-point, 67-64, upset win over the Terriers in 1999. The Catamounts had only won six regular season games that season, but captured upset victories over Wofford and South Division Champion, Davidson, before falling to the College of Charleston in Greensboro. Ironically enough, Western could face the Wildcats - again divisional champions - in the quarterfinal round if it gets past the Terriers.

Friday's first round game will be broadcast by the Catamount Sports Network (CSN)and can be heard across Western North Carolina on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee (www.WWCUFM.com) or 680 AM WRGC in Sylva (www.WRGC.com).

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LISTEN TO THE PRE-TOURNAMENT SHOW:
Coverage from Charleston begins on Thursday night with CSN's SoCon Tournament Preview Show, live from the Courtyard by Marriott Riverview downtown. The show, which will be held in conjunction with the WCU Alumni Affairs Lowcountry Social, will air on WWCU-FM (www.WWCUFM.com) at 7:00 pm and will include comments from Catamount players and head coaches Kellie Harper and Larry Hunter.

Join Steven Crumpler, Daniel Hooker and Brandon Stephens LIVE from Charleston as they discuss the start of the 2008 SoCon Basketball Championships.

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Coaches All-Southern Conference Team
Stephen Curry, Davidson
Kyle Hines, UNC Greensboro
Louis Graham, Georgia Southern
Jason Richards, Davidson
Donte Minter, Appalachian State
Nicchaeus Doaks, Chattanooga
Stephen McDowell, Chattanooga
Drew Gibson, Wofford
Brandon Giles, Western Carolina
Brett James, Elon

Coaches All-Freshman Team
Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston
Donald Sims, Appalachian State
Cameron Wells, The Citadel
Willie Powers, Georgia Southern
Austin Dahn, The Citadel

Player of the Year: Stephen Curry, Davidson
Freshman of the Year: Cameron Wells, The Citadel
Coach of the Year: Bob McKillop, Davidson