FINAL STATS
QUOTES
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- Senior forward Nicchaeus Doaks powered Chattanooga (12-13/8-6) to a 66-56 win at Samford (11-13/6-9) Monday night. The win gave the Mocs sole possession of first place in the Southern Conference North Division.
It was not an easy 10-point win for UTC. Samford led for the majority of 37 minutes until Doaks, who had game highs of 23 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, gave the Mocs the lead for good, its first lead of the game.
There were six ties in the game that see-sawed most of the way with the Bulldogs taking a lead, only to see the Mocs tie the game, but not get over the hump.
Samford jumped out to a 19-12 lead with Josh Davis hitting three threes in the early going. The Mocs answered with seven unanswered points to tie the game at 19. The Chattanooga defense held the Bulldogs without a field goal for 6:22.
A couple of Davis threes gave the Bulldogs a spark as they headed into the locker rooms with a 33-27 lead. Davis made five of Samford's seven treys in the first half.
UTC came out of the gates fast to open the second half scoring six straight to tie the score at 33-all on a Nicchaeus Doaks free throw at 17:58. A Davis three-pointer at 15:46 gave the Bulldogs the lead at 38-35, a lead Samford would extend to six points (43-37).
A Khalil Hartwell three-point play tied the score at 45-all with 10:40 left in the game. Samford scored five points the next trip down the floor as Mocs forward Nicchaeus Doaks was called for a foul boxing out as a Davis three-pointer went through the net. Trey Montgomery's layup 12 seconds later gave the Bulldogs a 50-45 lead with 10:17 to play.
A Ty Patterson three-pointer cut the lead to two before Doaks sank two free throws at 8:58 to once again tie the score, this at 50-apiece.
The Bulldogs jumped back out by four, 54-50, on a Gaby Bermudez free throw, making the front end of a one-and-bonus, at 6:14. Doaks brought the Mocs back even with two free throws and a layup tying it again at 54, with 4:55 to play.
He missed the three-point play attempt and play went back and forth tied until Doaks gave the Mocs their first lead of the game, 56-54, with a layup at 3:04. The Bulldogs cut the lead to one, 56-55, on an Andy King free throw, but the Mocs would not be denied pulling away to the 66-56 win.
The last Samford field goal came at 7:34 in the second half as the Mocs out-scored the Bulldogs 16-3 down the stretch.
Hartwell scored 16 to join Doaks in double digits. Stephen McDowell added 13 points, while Kevin Goffney pulled down 10 boards. The Mocs won the battle of the boards 41-22 on the evening.
Davis ended up with seven treys leading the Bulldogs with 21 points, while King added 14 points, four rebounds and five assists. Curtis West had just two points, but the point guard led the Bulldogs with six rebounds and had eights assists with no turnovers.
Chattanooga shot 46.8 percent from the floor, 52.4 percent on 11-of-21 shooting in the second half. The Mocs 76.2 percent from the charity stripe, 14-of-17 (82.4%) in the second half.
The Mocs return home to start a four-game homestand Thursday night hosting Elon at 7 p.m. in the McKenzie Arena.
