---

MOCS TIDBITS
• Chattanooga is one of 23 schools in the country to have both their men's and women's basketball programs competing in the NCAA Tournament. 
• UTC is one of eight schools that won both its men's and women's basketball conference tournaments.
• The Mocs are one of 12 programs who put their men's and women's basketball teams in the NCAA Tournament and had their football team in the postseason/bowl game.
• UTC and South Dakota State are the only two FCS Programs to have their football and men's and women's basketball teams all in the NCAA Tournament this season.  
 

---

SCOUTING THE MOCS (24-7, 12-2 SoCon)
ROSTER  |  SCHEDULE  |  STATS  |  STATS (html)
Chattanooga claimed its 20th Southern Conference title and 17th SoCon Tournament crown since 1984. The Mocs tied with Mercer for the regular season title and then defeated the Bears in the league tournament final. The Mocs are on an 11-game win streak, 10th longest in school history.

With 24 wins, the Mocs topped the 20-win mark for the 20th time in school history and for the fifth straight year. UTC became the 33rd school in NCAA history to top the 800-win mark and now have 818 program victories. At home, the Mocs have won 64 of their last 66 games with losses to South Florida in 2014-15 and UConn this year. Wins at home included Tennessee (#4 - 2014 / #20 - 2012) and Stanford (#7 - 2014) and three undefeated seasons at the Roundhouse. UTC is tough on its conference opponents as well. It's 52-game SoCon win streak was snapped on the road at Mercer but UTC still holds a home court SoCon win streak of 43 games. The Mocs' last loss at home against a conference foe was 2/14/11 against former SoCon member Appalachian State.

The Mocs are ranked first in the nation for blocked shots with 6.5 per game. UTC had a school record 14 against Wofford on Feb. 6 at the McKenzie Arena. Chattanooga is also ranked among the nation's best at second in fewest personal fouls per game with 11.4, behind only UConn. Opponents have a tough time hitting the 3-pointers against the Mocs. UTC has held its opponents to just 26 percent from long range, seventh best in the NCAA, and allow just 52.6 points per game.

Senior Alicia "Red" Payne was named the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year for a second straight season by the league coaches and then was selected the SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Player. She ranks ninth all-time at UTC for assists and has played in 129 games at UTC, the second most by any player. Junior Jasmine Joyner leads the nation in blocked shots with 125 on the year and 4.03 per game. She has matched her school record three times this year with eight. Her eight in the SoCon Tournament semifinal set a league tournament record. She leads the team in scoring (12.9) and has a SoCon-best 9.3 rebounds per game. Queen Alford came on strong during league play and became a staple in the starting lineup. She is third on the team in scoring with 11.1 points per game and has five games with 20 or more points this season. She leads the Mocs in 3-point field goal shooting with 34 and is second in the SoCon for 3-point field goal percentage making 39.1 percent of her attempts. Sophomore Keiana Gilbert is quietly in second on the team in scoring with 12.6 points per game and has 5.6 rebounds per game, also second. She has a team-best 47.2 field goal percentage and averages more than 36 minutes per game.
 

---

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE (26-7, 11-5 SEC)
ROSTER  |  SCHEDULE  |  STATS

The Bulldogs earned a No. 5 seed for the second-straight season and were selected to host the NCAA Tournament First and Second Rounds at Humphrey Coliseum for the first time in program history. MSU finished tied for second in the SEC, the best conference finish in program history, and knocked off Vanderbilt and Tennessee to reach the SEC Tournament championship game for the second time in program annals. The Bulldogs enter this weekend's tournament one win from matching last year's squad for the most wins in program history. Mississippi State was one of a nation's-best nine SEC teams to make the field, and one of four league teams tabbed to host. The Bulldogs earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids for the first time since the 2009 and 2010 seasons. This year's berth is State's eighth overall, with MSU compiling a 7-7 all-time record.

The Bulldogs average just over 70 points per game and outscore opponents by a 15.9 margin. MSU has a .402 field goal percentage and shoot better than 30 percent from long range. On the boards, the Bulldogs outrebound their opponents by a 5.4 margin and average 7.8 steals per game. Victoria Vivians is the only Mississippi State player in double figures with 17.2 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding with 5.9 per game. She has 72 3-pointers and 57 steals. Morgan Williams is second on the team in scoring with 9.9 points per game and has a team-high 166 assists.
 

---

CHATTANOOGA vs. MISSISSIPPI STATE
This will be the sixth meeting between the two teams. The Bulldogs have won two of three matchups in Starkville and the two teams split the difference in Chattanooga.

Mississippi State        2-3
12/5/81     A     L     67-70
01/5/83     H     W    72-62
12/17/85    A     W    62-54
01/04/87    H     L     46-79
12/03/93    A     L     87-103