Sinclair hits go-ahead; Western Carolina beats Chattanooga

Feb 7, 2015, 07:11 pm

CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- James Sinclair made a go-ahead jumper in the lane with 35 seconds left and Kenneth Hall added a late free throw to help Western Carolina beat Chattanooga 73-70 on Saturday.

Sinclair finished with 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Western Carolina (12-13, 7-6 Southern). Mike Brown added 16 points and nine rebounds, and Torrion Brummitt had 14 points.

Brown's three-point play gave Western Carolina a 70-63 lead with 3:21 left. Then Eric Robertson's 3-pointer started a 7-0 Chattanooga run to tie it at 70 with 1:53 left. Hall made the first free throw and missed the second with three seconds left, but Casey Jones missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Justin Tuoyo led Chattanooga (16-9, 9-3) with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Chattanooga trailed 39-25 at halftime, but Tuoyo scored 12 of the Mocs' first 14 points of the second half to pull within 45-39.