Box Score
CHARLESTON, S.C.---Chattanooga (16-11/11-6) survived a three-point barrage by the Citadel (6-19/1-15) to claim a 78-71 win in Southern Conference action. The Bulldogs hit 17 three-pointers on the day, while the Mocs hit 10. The Citadel's 44 three-point attempts were a new school record.
The Bulldogs jumped out to the early advantage powered by Austin Dahn from beyond the arc. The freshman wing hit four three-pointers early to push the Citadel to a 13-8 advantage at 14:58.
Chattanooga quickly answered with a 21-1 run started by back-to-back three-pointers by Kevin Bridgewaters and Keyron Sheard to take a 29-14 lead. During the run, the Mocs held the Bulldogs without a field goal for 8:10. Stephen McDowell banked in a three shortly before the buzzer to end the half and give the Mocs a 43-27 halftime advantage.
The second half started as more of the same with the Bulldogs hitting three-pointers and the Mocs, answering from inside and out. The Citadel chipped away cutting the lead to eight, 68-60, with 4:59 left on a Cameron Wells jumper. The Mocs answered quickly again on a three-pointer by Marcus Watts and two Nicchaeus Doaks free throws at 4:05.
The Bulldogs closed to within seven, 73-66, on another Dahn three-pointer, his seventh of the game, with 2:07 to go. Down the stretch, Mocs held on from the free throw line to claim the win.
Doaks scored 18 points to lead five double-figure scorers for the Mocs. Watts and McDowell came off the bench to score 15 and 14, respectively. Doaks added six rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Bridgewaters had 12 points, as Sheard chipped in 10 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots.
Dahn led all scorers with 26 points on eight-of-14 shooting from behind the arc. Wells added 20, 19 in the second half, to go with 10 rebounds and seven assists.
The Chattanooga win, coupled with Appalachian State's 24-point loss at UNCG, pulls the Mocs even with the Mountaineers for the SoCon North lead with three games remaining in the league schedule.
Chattanooga is off until next Saturday, Feb. 23, when it hosts Wofford in the home finale. Seniors Kevin Bridgewaters and Marcus Watts will be honored on Senior Night.
NOTES:
>Head Coach John Shulman started a little different lineup. Redshirt freshman center Jeremy Saffore made his first career start, while Kevin Goffney just his second and Keyron Sheard his third.
>Sheard scored in double figures for just the second time this season. The first was his 12 points in the opening round of the Dr Pepper Classic against Murray State on Dec. 29.
>Seven of The Citadel's nine first-half field goals were three-pointers. The first two-point field goal came at 2:51 on a Tyrell McDowell pull up in the lane.
>Chattanooga has now won nine in a row against the Bulldogs.
>Nicchaeus Doaks extended his double-digit scoring streak to 13 games.
>The Mocs 18-30 (60%) performance from the line broke a streak of seven games with better than 70% shooting.
>Junior guard Stephen McDowell (28 minutes) had a streak of 14 games of playing 32 or more minutes snapped.
