GAME NOTES | MEDIA CENTER | TENNESSEE WESLEYAN
 
CHATTANOOGA---The Chattanooga Mocs take on Tennessee Wesleyan Wednesday for a rare Noon start. It's the start of three games in a week to close out the pre-holiday slate. UTC travels to Vanderbilt Saturday before returning home for a matchup with Jacksonville State next Wednesday.
 
The Noon tipoff accommodates more than 400 special fans as it is Hamilton County Education Day. Schools from all around Chattanooga will be on hand to cheer for the Mocs.
 
It's the start of a big week for the home team. The squad is off to a 7-2 start against a challenging schedule. These next three games close out the non-conference portion with the squad opening Southern Conference play December 31 at Western Carolina.
 
"Obviously getting off to a 7-2 start with the schedule we had I think is impressive," Coach Matt McCall noted. "It's been a very difficult schedule capped off with a great win at home over one of the better teams we've played all year in Marshall. We've had a chance to catch our breath a little with finals week with some good practices to lead into these final three games before the holiday break.
 
"We have three games over the next week and need to finish the right way starting at Noon Wednesday with Tennessee Wesleyan. Then we have a huge challenge on the road Saturday with an SEC team (Vanderbilt) before finishing off at home the next Wednesday against a very good Jacksonville State team."
 
Senior wing Tre' McLean picked up SoCon Player of the Week honors today. He scored a career-high 35 points leading the comeback 96-85 win over former arch-rival Marshall. McLean, who also had a career-best five steals, is the first Moc to claim Player of the Week honors since Casey Jones on February 17, 2014.
 
The Bulldogs are an NAIA school competing out of the Appalachian Athletic Conference. They're 8-3 and feature three Chattanooga natives – Tre Tiller (Central H.S.), Q.D. Cox (Boyd Buchanan) and Todd Lansden (Arts & Sceinces) – on their roster. TWU has won eight of their last nine.
 
The game airs online on the SoCon Digital Network and over the airwaves at Real 96.1 FM in Chattanooga. Links to tickets, live stats, video and audio (Mocs Sports Network) are on GoMocs.com's men's basketball schedule page. Click the link above for game notes for both programs when available.
 
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or on Twitter. Find out how to join the UTC Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here.
 
ABOUT CHATTANOOGA BASKETBALL
- The Mocs are by far the most successful program in the Southern Conference since joining the league in 1977-78. The team has won 30 titles with 11 regular season, 11 tournament and eight division.
- 16 NCAA Tournament Appearances (11 DI): 1961 (DII), 1973 (DII), 1975 (DII), 1976 (DII Runner-up), 1977 (DII National Champs), 1981, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997 (Sweet 16), 2005, 2009, 2016
- 11 SoCon Tournament Crowns: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2009, 2016
- 11 SoCon Regular Season Championships: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2016
- 8 Division Titles: 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011
- The 1997 team went to the NCAA Sweet 16 with wins over Georgia and Illinois.
- 5 SoCon Players of the Year: Willie White (1981-82), Keith Nelson (1991-92), Tim Brooks (1992-93), Chad Copeland (1993-94) and Johnny Taylor (1996-97).
- 3 SoCon Defensive Players of the Year: Z. Mason (2014), Justin Tuoyo (2015, 2016).
- 4 SoCon Coaches of the Year: Murray Arnold (1982, '83), Mack McCarthy (1986, '92, '93), Will Wade (2014) and Matt McCall (2016).
- 9 NBA Draft Picks: Walter "Moose" McGary (1973 & '74), William Gordon (1977), Wayne Golden (1977), Russ Schoene (1982), Nick Morken (1982), Willie White (1984), Gerald Wilkins (1985, 13 seasons) and Johnny Taylor (1997 1st Round).