STATS | NOTES | QUOTES | PHOTOS
 
DES MOINES---The No. 12 seed Chattanooga Mocs concluded their season with a 99-74 loss to fifth-seed Indiana in the first round of the NCAA East Regional at Wells Fargo Arena. The Mocs finish with a school-best 29-6 record.
 
"I want to make sure our players understand that this one game doesn't define our season," coach Matt McCall stated. "What they have accomplished this year…because they had a terrific year. We just ran into, by far, hands down, the best team that we've played all year. No question the most talented team we've played all year, and credit goes to Coach Crean and Indiana on how well they played tonight."
 
The Hoosiers opened the second half hitting their first five shots extending a nine-point halftime lead to 17, 60-43, on Nick Zeisloft's jumper at 16:44. The margin never reached single digits again.
 
Back-to-back baskets by Eric Robertson and Justin Tuoyo, the latter a rim-rattling slam with 7:40 to go, cut to 74-61, but IU went back on the offensive.
 
Max Bielfeldt's layup with 4:49 to go capped a 15-4 run pushing the lead to 24, 89-65.
 
"We had some one-shot possessions and they went on a run," senior Dee Oldham shared. "They got out and got quick, easy baskets. We committed turnovers that turned into points.
 
"When they got it going, it was hard for us to dig out of that hole."
 
Duke Ethridge led the Mocs with 14 points. Tuoyo added 12, while Oldham chipped in 10 points and a team-high five boards.
 
Yogi Ferrell paced the Hoosiers with a game-high 20 points and 10 assists. OG Anunoby scored with Troy Williams netting 12 points and eight rebounds.
 
IU shot 64.9 percent (37-57) for the game. The Mocs shot 47.5 percent (28-59), but managed just 17.6 percent (3-17) behind the arc.
 
IU took an early 15-9 lead in the opening six minutes of the game. UTC managed to cut the lead to three with 8:34 to go in the half after an Oldham layup, followed with an Ethridge basket on the ensuing possession.
 
A 16-4 spurt pushed Indiana to a 12-point lead, 46-34, with the clock winding down toward the break. Tre' McLean ran the clock to the wire before lofting a deep three to send the Mocs into intermission with some momentum down 46-37.
 
"Our bench…that's been the heart and soul of our team all year," McLean said. "When we've been down, or the starters have been in foul trouble, Duke, Dee and Burroughs (Cook) stepped up in a lot of games, and they did today.
 
"Those guys played excellent and they kept us in it during the first half."
 
Even in defeat, the Mocs could look back over a special season with pride.
 
"It's been one to enjoy, and I wouldn't trade it for the world," Oldham added. "March Madness is everything they say it is. All the work you put in to get this point, it's definitely worth doing."
 
Chattanooga captured its 11th regular season and 11th tournament title in Southern Conference play this year.
 
"This has been a historic season for the program," junior Greg Pryor concluded. "We brought the school back to this point in the season and won 29 games. That's a lot of games and a great year for any basketball team.
 
"We now have to come back next year and not be satisfied with what we did this year. We need to do what we did to get here, plus more."
 
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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: 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 Player 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).