FINAL STATS
POST-GAME NOTES
GREENVILLE, S.C. --- The Chattanooga Mocs (11-13/7-6) led for about 38 of the 40 minutes, but dropped a heart-wrenching 72-70 loss at Furman (5-17/3-10) Saturday afternoon in Timmons Arena. The Mocs led by as many 18 in the second half before the Paladins comeback.
The Mocs got off to a good start scoring early and often from inside taking a 17-6 lead at 13:48 on a Nicchaeus Doaks layup. Doaks and Khalil Hartwell combined to score 17 of Chattanooga's first 21 points.
The Paladins answered with a 13-2 run to tie the score at 19-19 on an Alex Opacic basket at the 9:29 mark. With a slim two-point lead, 32-30, heading into the half's final minute, the Mocs scored the last six points before intermission, the final one coming with an exclamation point on a breakaway slam by Doaks right before the horn sounded giving Chattanooga a 38-30 advantage.
Chattanooga got off to a good start in the second half as well out-scoring the Paladins 13-4 to open up an 18-point lead, 54-36, on three Kevin Goffney free throws at 14:49. Furman would not go away quietly.
The Mocs went 9:49 without making a field goal as Furman closed the gap to 60-58 before a three-pointer for the right baseline by Ty Patterson ended the drought making it 63-58. UTC did make 11 free throws over that stretch.
A McDowell basket at 6:21 pushed the lead back to eight, 65-57. McDowell scored again at 3:05 to give the Mocs a six-point cushion, 69-63. Furman then scored the next seven points to take a 70-69 lead on a Connor Nolte layup at 1:14.
An offensive foul call on Goffney at 58 second fouled out the Chattanooga senior and gave the ball back to the Paladins. After a Furman timeout, Keyron Sheard forced a five second call on Justin Dehm to give the Mocs the ball with 40 seconds to play.
With 24 seconds remaining, Brandon Sebirumbi fouled Sheard out top for his fifth foul and to send Sheard to line for two shots. Sheard made the first to tie the game at 70 but missed the second.
Jordan Miller hit a jumper with 10 seconds remaining to give the Paladins a 72-70 lead. After a foul with four seconds remaining, Sheard missed his first free throw and then the second on purpose, but a lane violation gave the Paladins the ball.
Nick Duval then missed two free throws but Keyron Sheard's desperation toss from just inside halfcourt was just off to give the Paladins the upset.
Four Mocs scored in double figures led by Hartwell with 17 points and game-highs of nine rebounds and three steals. McDowell added 16 points and seven rebounds as the Mocs held a 39-28 advantage on the glass. Doaks and Goffney scored 13 apiece.
Dehm led all scorers with 19 for the Paladins. Miller chipped in 14 points, while Connor Nolte came off the bench to add 13 points and seven rebounds.
The Mocs conclude its three-game-in-five-day road trip in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday facing new North Division rival Samford at 8:30 p.m. (EST).
