JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. --- TaRonda Wiles led all scorers with 24 points to lead East Tennessee State to an 85-61 win over Chattanooga at the Memorial Center in the season opener for both teams Friday night.
The Lady Mocs (0-1) struck first with a 4-0 lead, but Wiles and the rest of the Lady Bucs offense kicked it into high gear. Wiles and Siarre Evans hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put ETSU (1-0) up 6-4 at the 16:58 mark of the first half.
Chattanooga senior Jenaya Wade-Fray (Madison, Ala.) put the Lady Mocs back on top with a 3 of her own just moments later, but a momentum shifting 13-2 run gave East Tennessee State the lead for good at 19-9. Redshirt freshman Michelle Davis (Cleveland, Tenn.) hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 19-12, but that was as close as it would get for UTC the remainder of the game.
The Lady Bucs outscored Chattanooga 30-14 over the next 12:14 and would carry a 49-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The second half was more evenly played as ETSU who went 9-of-16 from the 3-point line in the first half managed just one in four attempts in the second half. East Tennessee outrebounded UTC 48-49, but the Lady Mocs outrebounded the Lady Bucs 28-20 in the second half, beating them on the offensive glass 14-13 for the game.
Senior Shanara Hollinquest (Sylacauga, Ala.), who was held to just five first-half points, snared her first double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Wade-Fray also hit double-digits for UTC with 13 points.
Davis had six points for the Lady Mocs with seven rebounds and three assists while senior Megan Rollins (Monteagle, Tenn.) had six points, five rebounds and a pair of steals. Freshman Erin Helton (Cookeville, Tenn.) also tossed in six points with five rebounds.
Chattanooga's scoring woes in the first half included a 9:48 frame where the Lady Mocs went without a bucket and were outscored 25-6 making just free throws.
Wiles went 4-for-4 from the 3-point line and had a pair of steals. Gwen Washington had a double-double for ETSU with 16 points and 10 boards and a team-high three steals. Tara Davis and Evans had 14 and 11 points, respectively, for ETSU in the win.
The Lady Mocs will travel to Clarksville, Tenn., to take on Austin Peay Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Larry Ward, the "Voice of the Lady Mocs", will have all the action live on the flagship station of Mocs athletics, ESPN 105.1 The Zone.
