Catamounts Seek High Note in the Music City
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Western Carolina university’s men’s basketball team travels to Nashville, Tennessee, to face Lipscomb on November 22nd as part of the 2025 ASUN-SoCon Challenge, aiming to build on a successful first round where they defeated Stetson 76-65 on November 16th. The Catamounts will look to continue their momentum against the ASUN opponent after a strong showing in the initial stage of the challenge.
The ASUN-SoCon Challenge pits teams from the ASUN and Southern Conferences against each other in a head-to-head competition,currently tied at 6 wins apiece.Western Carolina’s victory over Stetson contributed to the SoCon’s 5-4 advantage in Round 1. This year’s challenge provides valuable non-conference matchups for both conferences, offering opportunities for teams to test their skills and build their resumes ahead of conference play. The Catamounts’ game against Lipscomb marks a crucial opportunity to gain ground in the challenge and refine their strategy before returning to conference competition.
The first round of the challenge saw Mercer defeat Lipscomb 92-77 on November 9th, West Georgia triumph over The Citadel 100-92 on November 14th, ETSU edge past north Alabama 78-74 on November 15th, Austin Peay conquer UNCG 69-63 on November 15th, Florida Gulf Coast dominate Chattanooga 91-73 on November 15th, Jacksonville narrowly beat VMI 69-67 on November 15th, and Wofford overcome Bellarmine 94-86 on November 15th. Samford secured an 84-77 victory against Central Arkansas on November 16th.
Following the November 22nd matchup, Western Carolina will continue its participation in the challenge with future games scheduled against other ASUN teams. Round 2 results so far include florida Gulf Coast’s 77-62 win over Samford on November 19th, Wofford’s 86-78 victory against north Florida on November 19th, and Queens’ 101-94 triumph over UNCG on November 20th. Upcoming Round 2 games include Mercer at Eastern Kentucky, North alabama at Chattanooga, VMI at Stetson, and Western Carolina at Lipscomb on November 22nd, with Queens at Furman, Bellarmine at The Citadel on November 24th, and Central Arkansas at ETSU on November 29th.
Fans can follow Catamount men’s basketball and WCU Athletics on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@catamountmbb @wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@CatamountMBB @catamounts). The game will be available on ESPN+ (a paid subscription is required), and live stats can be found on CatamountSports.com.
