CHARLESTON, S.C.---In its third game in five days, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team (6-10/2-3) traded three-point punches outlasting The Citadel (7-9/2-3) 76-70 at McAlister Field House on Monday evening. The two teams combined to hit 24 three-pointers on the evening.
It was a see-saw affair throughout the first half with 12 lead changes and four ties. The Bulldogs scored the first five points of the game followed by six in a row for UTC. The three-point shot was featured as the teams combined to hit 13, 39 of the 76 first-half points as the Bulldogs took a 37-36 advantage into the break.
The Citadel got off to a hot start in the second half scoring nine of the first 11 points in the half to extend its lead to 46-38 powered by two Zach Urbanus three-pointers. The Mocs quickly answered with a 14-3 run to retake the lead, 52-49. Chattanooga held the Bulldogs without a point for 5:41 during the run.
The Mocs extended the lead to 60-54 on a Kevin Goffney layup with 6:33 to play. The Citadel closed to within 63-60 on a Bryan Streeter free throw at 4:31.
Chattanooga had another answer scoring the next five points to make it 68-60 via a Nicchaeus Doaks driving jumper and yet another Stephen McDowell three-pointer giving six at that point in the game. The Citadel answered with the Urbanus show continuing from downtown as he and Demetrius Nelson cut the Mocs lead to three at 68-65.
McDowell hit three-pointer number seven to make it 71-65, then Austin Dahn answered with a trey of his own to make 71-68 at 2:01. The teams traded defensive stops before a Keyron Sheard free throw made It 72-68 with just 34.7 seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs came down but Cameron Wells, the 2008 SoCon Freshman of the Year, lost control of his dribble at 25.5 to give the Mocs the ball. After a brief scramble on the inbounds pass, Urbanus fouled McDowell with 17.6 to go who hit both to make it 74-68.
A Nelson layup made it 74-70 before Doaks coolly sank two free throws at 4.4 to seal the victory 76-70.
McDowell led all scorers with 27 points including seven three-pointers. Goffney had 14 points and seven rebounds, while Doaks and Ty Patterson chipped in 11 apiece. Khalil Hartwell tied Goffney for team high honors with seven boards as the Mocs won the battle on the glass 39-35.
The Mocs had just nine turnovers on the evening, the fewest total since six against Asbury on Dec. 21, 2007. Chattanooga hit 84.6 percent (11-13) from the free throw line in the second half which helped key the win.
Urbanus scored a career-high 24 points to go with six rebounds and three assists. Urbanus was one three-pointer of McDowell's total with six. Nelson added 15 points and set a career high of his leading all players with 14 rebounds.
The Mocs return to the McKenzie Arena Thursday night to host SoCon North Division rival Appalachian State at 7 p.m.
NOTES
>Starting Lineup: F ? Kevin Goffney & Nicchaeus Doaks, C ? Khalil Hartwell, G ? Stephen McDowell & Keyron Sheard. The Mocs are 4-3 when starting this lineup.
>Chattanooga won the tip.
>Stephen McDowell extended his streak to 37 games with a three-pointer made at 18:09 in the first half. He entered the evening with tied for the fourth longest active streak.
>McDowell has now made three or more three-pointers in a game 12 times this season.
>The 24 three-pointers were made with eight different players hitting at least one.
>Doaks is now tied for sixth on the Chattanooga DI Scoring list with 1,153 points tying Chattanooga native Stanford Strickland (1981-84).
