CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- It was a defensive battle as the Chattanooga Mocs (4-5/2-0) out-lasted visiting Western Carolina (4-6/0-2) 67-65 Saturday afternoon in McKenzie Arena.  Both teams limited their opponent to less than 40 percent shooting from the field.

Keegan Bell (Hazel Green, Ala.) keyed the Mocs' effort with 13 points and six assists.  Chris Early (Huntington, W. Va.) and Ricky Taylor (Brownsville, Tenn.) added 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Chattanooga had a solid effort on the glass out-boarding the Catamounts 50-40 led by DeAntre Jefferson (Bloomington, Ill.) who tied his career high of 11.  Jefferson and Jeremy Saffore (Nashville, Tenn.) combined for 18 rebounds at the five position, 14 on the defensive end, while Early added seven boards.

Mike Williams and Keaton Cole combined for 38 points for Western Carolina.  Williams had a game-high 21, while Cole tossed in 17.  The duo scored 30 of the 38 after intermission including six of their eight three-pointers.  Williams and Cole shot 8-21 from three-point range, while the rest of the Catamounts made one of 11.

The Mocs managed to shoot a paltry 36.0 percent (18-50) from the floor and just 29.4 percent (5-17) from beyond the arc.  But they followed  head coach John Shulman's three keys to success by holding WCU to just 32.3 percent from the field, 36.4 percent (12-33) inside the arc, while also winning the battle of the boards and getting to the free throw line more make 26 of 37 (70.3%) compared to 14 of 26 (53.8%) for the Catamounts.

It was a slow start for both teams.  Chattanooga led by as many as nine (21-12) in the opening half despite limiting WCU to just under 16 percent shooting (15.2%/5-33).  The Mocs committed 13 first half turnovers to even the slate and took a 23-16 lead into the second half.

After an Early dunk put UTC up seven, 25-18, at 18:39, the Catamounts went on a 12-1 run capped by a Williams free throw to take a four-point lead, 30-26, at 16:04 as Cole (6) and Williams (4) scored 10 during that span.

Down 38-37, the Mocs scored nine unanswered points to surge to an eight-point lead, 46-38, with 8:30 remaining on an Early three.  That trey came one possession after Troy Cage (Baton Rouge, La.) knocked down a three of his own from the right corner as momentum was heavily on UTC's side.

The Cole and Williams show responded with eight points in a 10-2 Catamounts push.  Trey Sumler tied the game at 48-all with 5:50 to play with two free throws.

Taylor took over for the Mocs.  He scored on a three-point play at 4:53 to give UTC the lead, 51-48.  After a Williams free throw, Taylor added two free throws of his own to make it a four-point game, 53-49.  The two teams continued to battle as Western closed to a two-point deficit four times in the final minutes only to see Chattanooga answer.

UTC made 14 of 16 free throws (87.5%) down the stretch including six-for-six from Taylor.  The key play came at 1:23 as Jefferson made an outstanding pass to Bell for a layup and four-point cushion. 

Early hit two free throws with 41 seconds left to make it a seven-point margin, 61-54.  Cole and Sumler scored on three-point plays, while Preston Ross hit a three to keep it close, but the Mocs were clutch from the charity stripe.

Taylor hit four straight sandwiching Ross' three while Williams hit a meaningless three-pointer at the buzzer to make it a two-point Chattanooga win.

The Mocs are off until next Saturday when it hosts OVC-power Murray State on Nov. 11.  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.