CHATTANOOGA, Tenn---UNC Greensboro used a 24-9 run to open the second to race past the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 62-49 in the Greensboro Coliseum on Thursday night. The loss drops the Mocs to 11-8, 3-3 in Southern Conference play, while the Spartans move to 4-15, 3-5 in the SoCon.
Ricky Taylor led the Mocs with 21 points including four three-pointers. He was the lone UTC player in double figures.
Mikko Koivisto score a team-high 15 points for the Spartans who were sparked by Ben Stywall. Stywall registered his ninth double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
The Mocs scored the game's first seven points in a 13-2 run capped by a DeAntre Jefferson basket at 14:08. A Taylor free throw at 9:17 extended the lead to 15, 24-8. He scored 13 of his 21 points in the first half helping the Mocs to the 16-point lead.
A scoreless drought of 5:21 by the Mocs allowed the Spartans back in the game as they scored eight unanswered points to make it 24-17 on two Brian Cole free throws at 4:36. Ty Patterson broke it with a steal and coast-to-coast drive making his layup despite the foul by Stywall to make it 26-17. Chattanooga took a 29-22 lead into the break.
UNCG started quick with the first six points of the second half to close it to one, 29-28. A Taylor three at 17:18 quieted the run and got the Mocs back on track with a 9-2 run of their own to make it eight again, 38-30 on an emphatic Patterson jam at 15:34.
The Spartans had another answer for the Mocs with a 16-0 run ended by Jefferson's layup at 6:49. The Mocs went without a field goal for 8:45 as UTC trailed 46-40 following the basket. It was all Spartans from there as they pulled away ending up with the 13-point final margin.
The teams were even on the glass with 39 apiece after UTC held a nine-board advantage at the break. Defensively the Mocs held UNCG to 34.4 percent shooting, but the Mocs matched that total as both teams made 21 of 61 attempts. Chattanooga was doomed by 23 turnovers on the night that the Spartans converted into 22 points.
Chattanooga plays the second of three games in five days on the road Saturday at Elon with a tip time of 7 p.m. From there, the Mocs travel to Wofford Monday night for a doubleheader with the Lady Mocs with the men scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Catch all of the Mocs' action on ESPN Radio 105.1 FM with the Voice of the Mocs, Jim Reynolds, providing play-by-play in his 30th season behind the microphone. Live stats, live video (selected games) and audio are also available on GoMocs.com.
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