CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team posted a 93-88 comeback win over Wofford in McKenzie Arena Sunday afternoon. The Lady Mocs overcame a 14-point second half deficit to post their 26th straight win over the visiting Terriers.
Junior Whitney Hood (Meridian, Miss.) scored a McKenzie Arena record 40 points to lead Chattanooga (5-8, 2-2 SoCon) to the win. It was a career-high for Hood who is leading the SoCon and ranks in the top-15 nationally with 22.7 points-per-game. It was also just the third 40-point game in school history and the first since Regina Kirk had a school-record 45 against North Alabama on Dec. 18, 1987.
Despite being outscored 36-28 in the paint, the Lady Mocs killed Wofford (5-6, 1-2 SoCon) on the offensive glass. UTC grabbed 25 offensive rebounds, including nine from Hood who recorded her fourth double-double of the year with 12 boards overall. Chattanooga outscored Wofford 36-7 in second chance points.
Wofford came out on fire, scoring the first nine points of the game. The Terriers led by as many as 13 in the early minutes and went up 26-14 on a 3-pointer from Logan Morris at the 13:07 mark. Wofford was 11-15 from the field and 4-4 from behind the line at that point.
Every time Chattanooga tried to start a run, the Terriers made a big basket. Chattanooga cut the lead to 32-22 on a pair of foul shots from Hood, but Wofford scored the next eight points, including back-to-back three pointers from Rachel Brittenham and Maddie Helms. Helms' connection gave the Terriers their biggest lead at 40-22 with 6:15 left in the first.
Wofford made eight of its first nine shots from behind the three-point line on the way to shooting a torrid 21-for-31 (66.7%) from the field and 9-of-11 (81.8%) from long range in the first period. Junior Tenisha Townsend (Antioch, Tenn.) hit a three at the buzzer to close the gap to 52-41 at intermission. It was the most points the Lady Mocs had allowed in the first half this season and tied for the most allowed in any half all year.
Chattanooga was not able to key its defense on any one player. Wofford had nine score at least three points in the first half and no Terrier hit double figures. Hood kept the lady Mocs in the game with 16 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.
Despite only shooting 34.4% (11-for-32) from the field, Chattanooga was only down 11 at the break. UTC kept attacking inside and drew two quick fouls on Wofford's Mahagony Williams to start the second half, sending the Terriers' best post defender to the bench with four fouls. That opened up the inside for Hood who finished with 24 points after intermission.
Townsend hit a three to pull the Lady Mocs to within eight, 56-48 at the 18:32 mark. Wofford scored three straight baskets inside to go back up 62-48. They took another 14-point lead - 66-52 - moments later when Jessica Escorza laid one in at 15:54.
Chattanooga then went on an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to cut the lead to 66-60. Townsend capped the spurt with an elbow jumper with 14:19 left.
Helms swished another three for the Terriers to go up nine - 71-62 - with 12:57 left. The Lady Mocs put together another 8-0 run, again ending with a layup from Townsend to cut the lead to 71-70 with 9:52 left.
Sophomore Kylie Lambert (Athens, Tenn.) gave UTC its first lead of the game - 74-73 - when she nailed a three pointer with 7:29 on the clock. The game went back and forth over the next four minutes as Wofford rebuilt a four point-lead, 85-81, on an April Moorhouse jumper at the 3:26 mark.
Hood then took over inside, scoring five straight points to give Chattanooga an 86-85 advantage they would not let slip away. Her foul shot on a three-point play was her 40th and final point of the game.
The adjustments made by Lady Mocs Head Coach Wes Moore at halftime held Wofford to just 3-13 shooting from behind the arc in the final 20 minutes. Chattanooga also put up 52 points in the second, its highest total in a half this season. Moore is now five wins away from 500 for his career and 300 in his 13-year tenure at UTC.
Hood's 40 points came on 15-of-32 shooting and 10-of-13 from the free throw line. She set a school record for field goal attempts, the second-most shots in a game in Southern Conference history. Her 40 points were the most in the league this season and the most ever by a Lady Moc in a conference game.
Townsend and sophomore Kayla Christopher (Oliver Springs, Tenn.) both added 16 points each. Christopher had four assists and two steals while Townsend added three assists and three steals. Lambert also reached double-figures with 13 points and seven boards.
Wofford was led by Moorhouse's 17 points. The Terriers got 37 points off the bench, compared to just three from the UTC reserves. Helms added 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from behind the arc while Brittenham chipped in 14.
The Lady Mocs will be back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 4, when they host Furman for the 200th UTC women's basketball game in the McKenzie Arena. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m. (EST). Tickets are available on GoMocs.com or by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627). If you can't make it to the game, catch all of the action on the Mocs Sports Network's flagship station, ESPN Radio 105.1 FM or on All Access on GoMocs.com.
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