ASHEVILLE. N.C. – The Citadel exploded for 68 second-half points Friday night to break away from Western Carolina and earn a 100-86 win in opening-round play of the 2021 Ingles Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship presented by General Shale Brick at Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville.
 
The eighth-seeded Bulldogs (13-11) clinched their first winning record since the 2008-09 season and just their second this century to advance to Saturday's noon quarterfinal against top seed UNC Greensboro (18-8).
 
No. 9 seed Western Carolina (11-16) led by seven at halftime but lost that advantage quickly as The Citadel opened the second half with a 15-4 run.
 
That kick-started a final 20 minutes that saw the Bulldogs shoot 73 percent from the floor (19-of-26), including a 9-of-15 effort from the 3-point lane.
 
Hayden Brown had 19 points, 13 rebounds and five assists before fouling out with 6:42 left to play, but his Bulldog teammates kept shredding the WCU defense.
 
The Citadel finished with six players in double figures.
 
The Catamounts got 29 points from senior Mason Faulkner in his final game.   
 
WCU took a 39-32 lead at halftime after playing solid defense.
 
The Citadel shot just 37 percent from the floor (13-of-35) and made only 3-of-14 3-point attempts.
 
2021 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship presented by General Shale Brick schedule
Friday, March 5 (ESPN+)
Game 1 - (8) The Citadel 100, (9) Western Carolina 68
Game 2 - (7) Mercer vs. (10) Samford, 8 p.m.
 
Saturday, March 6 (ESPN+/Nexstar)
Game 3 - (1) UNCG vs. (8) The Citadel, 12 p.m.
Game 4 - (4) Chattanooga vs. (5) ETSU, 2:30 p.m.
Game 5 - (2) Wofford vs. Game 2 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Game 6 - (3) Furman vs. (6) VMI, 8 p.m.
 
Sunday, March 7 (ESPNU)
Game 7 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 5 p.m.
Game 8 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 7:30 p.m.
 
Monday, March 8 (ESPN)
Championship game, 7 p.m.
 
-www.SoConSports.com-