CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga Mocs (2-4) could not muster a rebound when they needed it most, falling 76-74 in overtime to visiting Gardner-Webb (3-5) in the final game of the Hoosier Classic Chattanooga Bracket. Tashan Newsome had a putback with 2.4 seconds left that proved to be the game-winner for the Bulldogs.

Ricky Taylor (Brownsville, Tenn.) gave UTC a 74-73 lead with 1:24 to play in the extra period on two free throws. Newsome was fouled 22 seconds later after an offensive board off a Max Landis missed three-pointer. He hit one of two to tie it at 74-all.

The Mocs worked the clock but Keegan Bell's (Huntsville, Ala.) jumper was off the mark giving the Bulldogs the ball with 40 seconds left. Landis again missed from deep, but Newsome once again made a play.

He rebounded the miss on the left block and his layup with 2.4 to go gave Gardner-Webb the 76-74 lead. The Mocs struggled to get the ball inbounds, but Chris Early (Huntington, W.Va.) found Bell who streaked to half-court heaving the desperation three. The ball landed on the front of the rim, bounded a bit before falling away, handing the Bulldogs the 76-74 win.

Bell led the Mocs for the second straight night with 17 points and five assists. Taylor notched his second career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Drazen Zlovaric (Novi Sad, Serbia) added 14 points and five rebounds.

Mike Byron was the star of the night for Gardner-Webb. The big man had 18 points and 13 boards with seven coming on the offensive end. Landis chipped in 17 points with seven (8 att.) coming at the free throw line as the Mocs defense slowed him from floor allowing just four of 15 shooting to the freshman.

Despite the loss, UTC is the champion of the Hoosier Classic Chattanooga Bracket. All three teams split as Savannah State topped the Bulldogs yesterday. The tiebreaker is total points allowed including games at Indiana and Butler. The Mocs allowed 274 over the four games, eight better than Savannah State (282) and 13 less than Gardner-Webb (287).

The Bulldogs built an 11-point lead in the second half, 54-43, on a Jason Dawson three-pointer at 13:20. The Mocs held GWU without a field goal for nearly seven minutes as a 14-0 run gave them the lead, 57-54 at 7:11.

Laron Buggs ended the run with two free throws at 7:02. Byron ended the drought with two of the Bulldogs 17 second chance points to retake the lead, 58-57, at 6:34.

Zlovaric gave the Mocs a 66-64 lead with a layup at 2:01, but that's the last points in regulation for UTC. Two Landis free throws with 16 ticks left sent the game into overtime.

GWU grabbed 48 rebounds on the afternoon to 44 for the Mocs. Eighteen of the 48 came on the offensive end. UTC limited the Bulldogs to 37.5 percent shooting, 31.4 percent in the second stanza, but managed to shoot just 36.9 percent itself, including a 32 percent (8-25) performance from three-point range.

Chattanooga begins Southern Conference play this Thursday (Dec. 1) at Georgia Southern at 7 p.m. Check GoMocs.com for links to live video, audio and stats.

HOOSIER CLASSIC CHATTANOOGA BRACKET
Champions:
Chattanooga Mocs

Most Outstanding Player:
Max Landis, Gardner-Webb

All-Tournament Team:
Chattanooga: Keegan Bell
Gardner-Webb: Mike Byron
Savannah State: Rashad Hassan