STATS | NOTES | QUOTES
 
CULLOWHEE, N.C.---The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball opened the Southern Conference schedule with a 64-48 win at Western Carolina Saturday afternoon. Justin Tuoyo had a season-high seven blocks as the Mocs held the Catamounts to the fewest points by an opponent this season.
 
Tuoyo added 15 points and eight boards, both tying for game-high honors. Greg Pryor matched his 15 points, while Johnathan Burroughs-Cook chipped in 13. Haboubacar Mutombo led Western with 15 as well.
 
It was a slow start for the Mocs making just one of their first 10 shots. Devin Peterson's three-pointer made it a nine-point game, 14-5, with 10:34 left in the first half. Chattanooga went nearly eight minutes without scoring before Casey Jones' three-point play with 10 minutes to go in the half.
 
That sparked an 11-0 run that gave the visitors the lead for good, 19-16, on two Tuoyo free throws. The lead grew to eight at the half, 32-24, on a Makinde London three. Eight was as close as it would get the rest of the way.
 
Burroughs-Cook scored all 13 of his points in the second half finishing strong at the basket. The Mocs shot 77.8 percent at the free throw stripe making 14 of 18.
 
"Getting to the free throw line really helped and shooting well from the three gave us a little separation," Coach Matt McCall explained. "I thought the second half difference was Rodney Chatman and Nat Dixon defensively. I thought those two guys were terrific and really gave us a boost. The plays those two made in the second half gave our team some energy that you need in a game like this."
 
STAT OF THE GAME
UTC came into the game shooting a SoCon-best, 17th nationally, 49.7 percent from the field, while Western ranked second in the league limiting opponents to 41.1 percent. The Mocs shot 43.1 percent (22-51) today. Click the stats link above for all the numbers from the contest.
 
QUOTABLE
"Composure will always be there. We know that every road game and trip we make is our last one. So you don't want to lose somewhere that it's your last time being there. You want to win every time you're out there." – Senior Justin Tuoyo. For more thoughts from coach and student-athletes, click the quotes link above.
 
NOTABLE
The win is the 28th in the 2016 calendar year for the program. The 28-7 mark is second only to 1983's 29-3. For further breakdown on stats and facts from today's game, click notes link above.
 
NEXT UP
Monday, Jan. 2 at UNCG. Tipoff is at 7 p.m., airing on ESPN3 as well as locally on the airwaves on Real 96.1 FM in Chattanooga. Links to live stats, video (WatchESPN) and audio (Mocs Sports Network) are on GoMocs.com's men's basketball schedule page.
 
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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).