MOCS SET FOR AFTERNOON MATCHUP AT FURMAN SATURDAY IN DOUBLEHEADER

The Mocs women's basketball team will remain on the road to take on Furman Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference action. Both teams opened the season with wins. The game is set to tip at 3 p.m. following the UTC men's team against the Paladins in a 12:30 p.m. tilt. Both games will air on ESPN3.

 

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GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Where: Timmons Arena - Greenville, S.C.
When: 3:00 p.m.
 
MEDIA INFORMATION
Video: Available at ESPN3
Audio: 96.1 FM The Legend | GoMocs.com | iHeart Radio app available on smart devices
Live Scoring: Women's Basketball Schedule page at GoMocs.com
 
TICKETS
Online at FurmanPaladins.com
 
 

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SCOUTING CHATTANOOGA (10-5)          
The Mocs closed out the non-conference slate with a 9-5 mark and opened Southern Conference action with a win at Wofford. UTC posted a 9-5 overall record over the first 14 games that included four Top 25 opponents, including top-ranked UConn, and went 2-1 in the Preseason WNIT. The Mocs, with five wins over its last six games, rank second in the league behind Mercer (11-5). UTC is eighth in the league standings for scoring with 53.4 points per game with opponents scoring just 54.7 points per game. The Mocs are shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 29.4 from beyond the arc. On the boards, UTC is pulling down 35.4 rebounds per game and average 10.9 assists.
 
Jasmine Joyner is second on the team in scoring with 11.3 points and has 8.3 rebounds per game and has 55 blocked shots on the year, second most in the NCAA. Keiana Gilbert is the only other UTC player in double figures with a team-high 11.4 points per game. She averages 5.3 rebounds and is shooting 43.6 percent. Moses Johnson is second on the team in rebounding with 6.5 per game and averages 6.2 points. Queen Alford scored a season-high 20 points in the Mocs' win over Wofford and is third on the team in scoring with 7.4 ppg while Alicia Payne has a team-best 53 assists, a 1.8 assist-turnover ratio and is fourth on the team with 6.5 points per game.
 
Head Coach Jim Foster now has 851 career wins in his 38^th season as a head coach. He has more than 200 wins at each of his previous three schools – only the second coach in NCAA history to achieve that mark – and has 68 wins in his third season with the Mocs.
 
SCOUTING FURMAN (8-8)
The Paladins opened the season with a loss to a familiar foe, falling 69-51 to Davidson at home. After winning the next four - all at home - Furman has posted a 4-7 overall record. In its last outing, the Paladins defeated league rival ETSU 81-77 in a contest that went down to the wire. Furman averages 63.3 points per game and has allowed 63.7 ppg. On the boards, they are outrebounded 37.2-42.3 (-5.1) by their opponents. From the field, the Paladins are shooting 39.7 percent  and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Holli Wilkins, daughter of former UTC great Gerald Wilkins, leads the team with 12.9 points and has 4.1 rebounds per game. Whitney Bunn is second on the team in scoring with 12.6 points per game with 28 3-pointers and 86 assists. Cierra Carter has a team-best 7.8 rebounds per game and is third on the team in scoring with 11.2 points per game.
 
CHATTANOOGA vs. FURMAN
The Mocs and Paladins have met 70 times since Furman joined the league in 1985. Chattanooga holds a 49-21 advantage against the Paladins and have won 29 of the last 30 meetings while riding an eight-game win streak. In Greenville, Chattanooga is 21-11 against Furman.

Overall Record            Chattanooga leads 49-21
Home Record                   22-9
Away Record                   21-11
Neutral Record                  6-1
Overtime Record               0-1

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INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Joyner Second in the Nation • Jasmine Joyner has 55 blocked shots this season, averaging 3.4 per game, and is second in the NCAA after leading the nation for several weeks.

Joyner Breaks School Record • Junior Jasmine Joyner matched her McKenzie Arena record for blocked shots with seven against UT Martin to reach 221 for her career tying her with Alex Anderson (2003-08) for the Chattanooga record. Against UConn, Joyner's first block of the game gave her the school record. Last year she broke the SoCon record for blocked shots in a season with 132 and set the school single game record with eight at Notre Dame. She moved to fourth in the SoCon on the career list with 243. The record is 339 set by Davidson's Sophia Aleksandravicius (2009-13).

Jasmine Joyner named CSM SoCon Player of the Week • Junior Jasmine Joyner averaged 17 points and 8.7 rebounds the week of Nov. 23-29 to earn College Sports Madness Player of the Week honors for the SoCon. She scored a career-high 31 points against UTM Saturday, recording her third double-double of the year with 15 rebounds and added seven blocked shots to tie the UTC career record for rejections.

Keiana Gilbert tabbed CSM SoCon Player of the Week • Sophomore Keiana Gilbert was selected the College Sports Madness Southern Conference Player of the Week for her performance on the court. She dropped in 19 points in UTC's season opener against McNeese State and had six rebounds.

Joyner Records Trio of Double-Doubles • Junior Jasmine Joyner recorded her 11th career double-double and third of the season with a career-high 31 points and 15 rebounds against UT Martin.

Johnson Hits Career Marks with Double-Doubles • Just three days after reaching her career-high for rebounds, junior Moses Johnson recorded career-bests against Belmont in scoring (15) and rebounding (12) and a season-best for assists (3). It was also her first career double-double. She followed that with her second straight double-double against ECU scoring a career-high 16 points. In her fourth start this year at UNCW, she reached a new career-best with 14 rebounds.

Career-Records Beyond the Arc • Four Mocs have career-highs from beyond the 3-point line this season. Centers Jasmine Joyner and Ansley Chilton have each dropped in three from beyond the arc while Anna Claire Noblit showed off her skills to spark a come-from-behind win for the Mocs with three against Arkansas State. Joyner had three against Southern Miss while Chilton hit 3-of-4 against the Lady Vols. Alicia Payne hit for three at Stanford draining her third at the buzzer.
 

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TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Hands Off • Chattanooga is ranked second in the nation for fewest fouls per game with 11.6 per game. Penn leads the nation committing just 10.8 per game. 

Defending the Line • The Mocs jumped from 25th in the nation to second for 3-point field goal defense after denying Wofford from beyond the arc in their last outing. Chattanooga has held opponents to an average 23.8 percent from long range.

Mocs in the RPI • Chattanooga's schedule this season has been tough and that is reflected in its RPI rating. The Mocs are 30th as of Jan. 4. UTC's strength of schedule is ranked 21st while opponents UConn, Tennessee and Stanford's SOS rank is 6-1-4 respectively.

Reaching a Milestone • Chattanooga reached its 800th program win on December 13 with a 62-53 win at home against Belmont. The Mocs became the 33rd program in the NCAA to reach the 800-win plateau. The Mocs rank 30th all-time for winning percentage winning 63.5 percent of its games through the 2014-15 season.

Winning Program • Over the last five years, the Mocs have posted an overall record of 126-36 (.778), ranking them tied with Hampton for 14th in the NCAA for winning percentage over that time and 19th for wins.
Hot at Home • UTC won its first five home games this year extending its home-court win streak to 17 games before falling to UConn at the end of November. UTC has won 59 of its last 61 games in the Roundhouse (97%). Those wins include two versus Tennessee (#4 - 2014/#20 - 2012) and #7 Stanford (2014).

Mocs Block Party • The Mocs lead the Southern Conference in blocked shots per game and are ranked 22nd in the NCAA with 5.6 per game as a team. Oregon State has an NCAA-best 7.4 per game.

Taking Care of the Rock • The Mocs have been known for their turnovers this season, committing 156 through its first nine games, averaging 17.3 times per game. However, against Belmont, UTC gave the ball away just four times! That matches a game-low against Samford on 2/2/11.

Long-Range Bombers • The Mocs have made at least one 3-pointer in 513 consecutive games dating back to December 1999. Chattanooga reached the 500-game mark against Butler in its second game this year.

Mocs 2-1 in Preseason WNIT • The Mocs went 2-1 in the Preseason WNIT for the second time. UTC opened the season with a win over McNeese State then fell at Indiana in the second round. In the consolation bracket, Chattanooga got the win over Southern Miss in overtime.

Mocs Get Overtime Win • The Mocs had to use another five minutes to get past Southern Mississippi in the consolation bracket of the Presason WNIT. It was the Mocs first OT game of the year, winning 53-48. UTC is 22-21 all-time in overtime.

Home Openers • When opening the season at home, the Mocs are 14-4 and have won each of the last five with a win over McNeese State at home this year. In all openers the Mocs are 32-10.

42 Seasons • UTC begins its 42nd season of play as a varsity sport and has had just five coaches in it's history. The Mocs are 800-424 over that time, averaging just under 20 wins per season.

Foster Fastest to 50 wins • Through 57 games, Jim Foster earned his 50th win at the UTC helm. He reached the 50-win mark at UTC faster than any other in school history.

Foster in it for the Long Haul • Jim Foster is in his third season season at the helm of the Mocs and is in his 38th season of coaching. Foster began his career at St. Joe's, moved on to Vanderbilt and had his latest stint at Ohio State. He starts the season as the 11th winningest coach in NCAA history (all levels) with 841 victories. He is just the 11th coach in NCAA history to reach 800 wins. He is also the ONLY coach to advance four different teams to the NCAA Tournament and have four different teams ranked in the AP Poll and Preseason Poll.

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THE COMPETITION
Four Mocs Opponents Ranked Among the Best • Chattanooga has faced three opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 with one more to go. The Mocs are 0-3 so far with losses to No. 1 UConn at home, #4 Tennessee in Knoxville after a furious comeback fell short and #21 South Florida in Tampa. Chattanooga will travel west to take on the Cardinal on December 28. Stanford is ranked 15th.

Southern Conference Win Streak • The Mocs have lost just one game in three years against the Southern Conference. After falling to Elon on the road in overtime in January 2013, the Mocs have won 48 consecutive games against the Southern Conference and has the longest active win streak in the nation. The record is 124 set by Texas, Southwest from 1981-1990. When including postseason games, UTC has won 57 consecutive games against the league, seventh best all-time.

Doubleheaders on the Slate • The Chattanooga men's and women's teams will take part in six doubleheaders. The first will be on the road at Furman on January 9. The next five will be at home with one more in January and the last four in February.

Tournament Champions • UTC defeated East Carolina 72-61 in Game One of the UNCW Seahawk Christmas Classic. The Mocs followed that with a 61-33 win over the host Seahawks in the finale.

SoCon Tournament • The Southern Conference Tournament will be held in Asheville, N.C., March 5-8. All rounds will be played in the U.S. Cellular Center this year.