CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Senior forward Alex Anderson (Stone Mountain, Ga.) posted a game-high 14 points to go along with five rebounds and a game-high tying three steals as Chattanooga (6-3) defeated Alabama (3-7) 62-34 Saturday afternoon in a non-conference women's basketball game at The McKenzie Arena.
The Lady Mocs gained control of the game early on, taking a 28-9 lead with 4:29 to play behind a dominating 23-5 run that spanned more than 12 minutes. During that stretch, Anderson scored eight of her nine points for UTC and Chattanooga held the Crimson Tide without a field goal for more than eight minutes. After a brief rally by Alabama, the Lady Mocs closed out the half with an impressive 32-14 lead over their Southeastern Conference foe.
Chattanooga continued its strong play at the start of the second half, rolling out to a 44-19 advantage with 12:53 to play before extending to their largest lead of the afternoon at 56-27 with 5:14 remaining.
Sophomore guard Jenaya Wade-Fray (Madison, Ala.) joined Anderson in double figures with 11 points on four-of-six shooting, including a game-high three-of-four from beyond the arc and sophomore forward Shanara Hollinquest (Sylacauga, Ala.) added eight points and a game-high tying seven rebounds and three steals. Sophomore guard Tagan Hatchett (Acworth, Ga.) added eight points on the afternoon while junior forward Erin Ogan (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished with six points and five rebounds.
As a team, Chattanooga set several season marks, limiting Alabama to 24 percent shooting for the contest and forced a season-high 27 turnovers, scoring 25 points off of Tide errors.
The 28-point margin of victory is not only the largest for the Lady Mocs in the series against Alabama but is the second largest victory against any SEC team in the history of Chattanooga women's basketball. The only larger margin of victory against an SEC program occurred on January 19, 1977 when UTC defeated Vanderbilt 88-23.
The Lady Mocs return to action on Monday, December 17 when Furman visits The McKenzie Arena for a 7 p.m. Southern Conference contest.
NOTES
Today's game was the Chattanooga debut for No. 24 LaCondra Mason, No. 30 Bailey Dewart and No. 3 Anelia Murray ... for Mason, it was her first game that she was eligible for following her mid-year transfer from Middle Tennessee State ... Mason is very familiar with current Alabama coach Stephany Smith, who recruited Mason when she was the head coach at Middle Tennessee.
