ELON, N.C. --- Keegan Bell (Hazel Green, Ala.) tied a career high with 23 points, while DeAntre Jefferson (Bloomington, Ill.) posted his first double-double of the season in leading the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to a 71-65 win over Elon in Alumni Gym Friday evening.  Chattanooga improves to 3-0 in the Southern Conference, 5-6 overall, while the Phoenix falls to 4-6, 0-3 in league play.

Jefferson had 10 points and 10 rebounds as the Mocs dominated the glass 48-31.  Bell also tied his season high of five rebounds.

Elon was led by Jack Isenbarger's 22 points off the bench.  He was the lone double-digit scorer for the Phoenix.  Isenbarger made 8-16 from the field and 6-11 from three-point range, but his teammates managed just 15 of 43 from the floor, 34.9 percent, and five for 22 (2.7%) from three-point range.

The Phoenix went up by five, 51-46, on a Ryley Beaumont basket in the paint with 12:15 left in the game.  The Mocs defense took over limiting Elon to just one field goal over the next nine minutes to take a 61-55 lead on a layup by Bell at 3:41.

Chris Long hit a three-pointer at 3:12 to break the Chattanooga defensive spell and make it a one-possession game, 61-58.  But that's as close as the Phoenix would get.

With 29 seconds remaining, Bell found Chris Early (Huntington, W. Va.) in the lane for an exclamation point dunk and subsequent free throw to give the Mocs a 69-62 lead.  Chattanooga made eight of 10 free throws in the final two minutes to cement the win and its first 3-0 start in SoCon play since 2007-08.

Omar Wattad (Johnson City, Tenn.) scored 16 points, 10 in the second half, along with a career high seven rebounds.  Early also had seven rebounds as the Mocs featured six players with five or more boards in controlling the glass.

The Mocs shot 43.4 percent (23-53) from the field, 52 percent (13-25) in the second half.  It overcame a slow shooting start by holding the Phoenix to 39 percent shooting (23-59), 37 percent (10-27) after intermission.

Elon led by as many as 10 in the first half taking a 26-16 lead on a Brett Ervin layup with 7:24 to go.  The Mocs answered with seven unanswered points to close to within three, 26-23, on two Bell free throws with 5:24 to play in the half.

Bell hit three-pointers in two late possessions pulling the Mocs to within one twice, while Wattad also sliced the margin to one with a jumper with a minute prior to the break, 34-33.  Ervin made one of two free throws with 53 seconds remaining in the half to give the Phoenix a 35-33 halftime lead.

Chattanooga was strong in the post scoring and rebounding.  Sixteen of its 24 points in the paint came in the second half as the Mocs held a 24-10 advantage in the physical area.  UTC also led in second chance points, 15-6, allowing Elon just seven offensive rebounds.

The Mocs are home on Tuesday, Dec. 21, for a Noon tipoff against Reinhardt.  UTC faculty and staff will be admitted free with valid ID and there are group rates for businesses to treat their employees to an early holiday gift.  Tickets can be purchased online at GoMocs.com ($4 with TRADITION promo code) or by calling 266-MOCS (6627).

Fans can access live video, audio and stats via Chattanooga All-Access on GoMocs.com.  The game will also be broadcast on the Mocs Sports Network on ESPN 105.1 FM in the Chattanooga area with the "Voice of the Mocs" Jim Reynolds.