WISE – UVA Wise dropped it first SAC road test at Catawba Saturday night in a 109-87 decision inside Goodman Gymnasium. Sophomore Cameron Whiteside finished with a career-high 31 points in the loss.

UVA Wise (4-4, 1-2 SAC) put on a strong performance but struggled to get in a rhythm late in the second half as Catawba (6-2, 2-1 SAC) secured the win.

Senior Chance Sheffey opened up the scoring on a jumper but Catawba managed to come from behind to pull ahead to a 13-7 lead with just under 16 minutes on the clock. Whiteside drained a three to put UVA Wise down by one point, 18-17, at the 12:38 mark. Whiteside knocked down another shot from downtown with 10 minutes to play to put the Cavs within two before he tied the game at 33 apiece with just over six minutes left on a pair of free throws. Redshirt sophomore Briggs Parris connected on his first triple of the game as the Cavs gained a momentary lead, 36-33. Catawba found their way back on top as the team held a 47-44 advantage into halftime.

UVA Wise shot 40 percent from the field, 81.8 percent from the charity stripe, and 20 percent from behind the arc to start the game. Whiteside led all scorers with 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting in the opening half while Okenchi followed with eight points and a six rebounds. The Cavs committed just three turnovers in the first half while dishing out nine assists. UVA Wise won the battle in the paint outscoring Catawba, 26-16, to start the game.

Catawba extended its lead early in the second half before a jumper by Sheffey with under 17 minutes pulled UVA Wise within three, 55-52. Parris would get the Cavs within one, 65-64, with a little over 13 minutes to go on a shot from downtown later in the game. Catawba gained a double-digit advantage, 79-68, before pushing their lead to 20 points with under five minutes as the team went on to pick up their second conference victory.

The Cavs shot 46.9 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from three, and 75 percent from the foul line in the closing half.

Whiteside connected on 10-of-17 shots from the floor on the night and added three rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal to his stat line while Carter (12) and Parris (11) also finished with double-figures. Sheffey led the team in assists with seven of the Cavs 17 total assists while he and Okenchi each posted a team-high six boards in the game.

Head Coach Blake Mellinger's team will return to action next Saturday for a 4 p.m. matchup against Newberry College inside the David J. Prior Convocation Center.