STATS | NOTES | QUOTES | PHOTOS
 
ASHEVILLE, N.C.--- No. 1 seed Chattanooga Mocs got 13 points each from Tre' McLean and Greg Pryor and 12 from Eric Robertson using a balanced attack to down No. 2 seed ETSU 73-67 in the title game of the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship presented by General Shale Monday night. With the win, the Mocs claim the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship, it's 11th in school history.
 
The Mocs, who improved to 29-5 extending their school record for single-season wins, never trailed in the second half despite seeing the Bucs (23-11) trim their lead to one twice in the frame.
 
Dee Oldham's 3pt put Chattanooga firmly in control with 14:40 left to play, pushing the score to 48-37, but ETSU was about to make a run. Desonta Bradford got it started with a three-point play, and Deuce Bello followed with a triple to make it a five-point contest at 48-43.
 
A.J. Merriweather converted consecutive layups to make it a one-point game with just under 12 minutes to play, but Oldham answered with a pair of free throws.
 
Another Merriweather layup made it 50-49. But McLean and Chuck Ester had the answers. McLean hit a jumper followed by an Ester layup to make it a two-possession game again. The Bucs got it back to two points twice – the last time on a T.J. Cromer 3-pointer with 5:42 to go.
 
Chattanooga quickly stretched its lead back to eight. McLean drilled a three and then Pryor made three free throws to go up 65-57. The lead never dipped below five points again.
 
McLean and Pryor were all-tournament selections, with Pryor earning the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
 
Bradford finished with game highs of 14 points and six assists for ETSU, while Cromer had 13 and Ge'Lawn Guyn had 11. All three of them were all-tournament picks.
 
Chattanooga's 11th SoCon title is good for second in league history. The Mocs met ETSU in the title game for the sixth time, evening the title-game series at three games apiece.
 
With the win, UTC became the first school in league history to win the men's and women's basketball tournaments in the same season. There had been 16 previous occasions in which a school put both squads in their respective title games.
 
The Mocs learn their postseason fate on March 13, as the NCAA's Selection Sunday show will air on CBS at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.
 
Tournament Most Outstanding Player
Greg Pryor, Chattanooga
 
All-Tournament Team
First team
T.J. Cromer, ETSU
Ge'Lawn Guyn, ETSU
Tre' McLean, Chattanooga
Greg Pryor, Chattanooga
Mike Brown, Western Carolina
 
Second team
Desonta Bradford, ETSU
Devin Sibley, Furman
QJ Peterson, VMI
Torrion Brummitt, Western Carolina
Fletcher Magee, Wofford
 
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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 28 titles with 10 regular season, 10 tournament and eight division.
- 15 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
- 10 SoCon Tournament Crowns: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2009
- 10 SoCon Regular Season Championships: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
- 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).
- 2 SoCon Defensive Player of the Year: Z. Mason (2014), Justin Tuoyo (2015).
- 3 SoCon Coaches of the Year: Murray Arnold (1982, '83), Mack McCarthy (1986, '92, '93) and Will Wade (2014).
- 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).