Last season was not the best representation for the Western Carolina men's basketball team and coach Larry Hunter.
But with a healthy, relatively full roster, the Catamounts look a lot better.
Hunter's team has started the Southern Conference slate with a 2-1 record, with wins over The Citadel and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before an 85-71 humbling at Samford last Saturday.
If this season's team looks different than the last one - which finished 9-23 - it's because it is. The Catamounts added four players who have made significant contributions, led by junior college transfer Mike Amius, who had 27 points and eight rebounds against the Mocs.
In addition, last season's team was decimated by injuries, with five surgeries that really depleted the roster.
"It was a bit of an unusual year for us," Hunter said recently.
He's been able to rely some on depth, with seven different players leading the Catamounts in scoring at some point this season. Nine guys average at least 10 minutes per game, and that depth - along with a difficult early-season schedule - makes Hunter feel confident about his team's chances going forward.
"We were able to discover our weaknesses in a hurry," he said with a chuckle. "The guys have been really good; they've hung together, they have great work habits and they want to be a good team.
"Now we're just trying to claw back into it. The last six games we've got really better and had some success."
Players of the week
East Tennessee State center Peter Jurkin and Mercer guard KeKe Calloway were named the SoCon players of the week.
Jurkin averaged 15 points and 6.5 rebounds in the Bucs' double-digit wins over Samford and UTC, with a 15-point, 11-rebound game against the Mocs counting as the first career double-double for the senior 7-footer.
Calloway averaged 37 points per game in the Bears' wins over Wofford and Furman, with 19 3-pointers made. She tied a SoCon record with 12 3s in the 86-64 defeat of Furman, when she totaled 40 points - two days after seven 3s and 34 points in a 25-point rout of the Terriers.
Men's Power Rankings
1. East Tennessee State (12-4, 3-0)
2. Furman (12-4, 3-0)
3. UNC Greensboro (11-4, 2-0)
4. Wofford (10-5, 2-1)
5. Samford (6-10, 2-1)
6. Mercer (7-8, 0-2)
7. Western Carolina (6-9, 2-1)
8. UTC (6-10, 0-3)
9. The Citadel (5-10, 0-3)
10. VMI (5-9, 0-3)
Women's Power Rankings
1. Mercer (15-2, 2-0)
2. UTC (11-5, 2-0)
3. East Tennessee State (9-8, 2-0)
4. Furman (10-6, 1-1)
5. Wofford (7-9, 1-1)
6. UNC Greensboro (6-11, 0-2)
7. Samford (8-9, 0-2)
8. Western Carolina (3-13, 0-2)