Keaton Cole scored a career-high 28 points, hitting nine of Western Carolina's 17 3-pointers, as the Catamounts held off Samford 79-77 Thursday night to win their third straight game and sweep the season series.
Western Carolina (13-17, 7-10 Southern Conference), which came in averaging 6.96 treys a game, matched its school record for made 3-pointers while attempting 33 from long range.
The Catamounts led by 14, at 60-46 with 12:33 to go, but the Bulldogs (11-17, 8-9) chipped away, tying the game for the first time at 73 with 1:27 left.
Western Carolina then hit 6 of 6 free throws down the stretch. Samford's Raijon Kelly made a free throw to get within two, then deliberately missed his second shot, but Trey Sumler grabbed the rebound to deny the Bulldogs another shot.
With 100 3-pointers, Cole now has the Catamounts' single-season record.
Drew Windler's career-high 27 points paced Samford.
