STATS | NOTES | QUOTES | PHOTOS | ABOUT CHATTANOOGA BASKETBALL
 
CHATTANOOGA---It came down to a pair of layups in the Chattanooga Mocs 70-69 loss to VMI in McKenzie Arena. The Keydets' Austin Vereen made his with seven seconds remaining, while Rodney Chatman's contested attempt at the buzzer was just off the mark.
 
It was a game that featured 14 lead changes and six ties throughout. Kind of appropriate for it to have come down to a final shot.
 
James Lewis, Jr., and Joshua Phillips led the Mocs with 15 points each. Makinde London added 12, while Nat Dixon finished with 10. Bubba Parham had a game-high 26 for VMI with Garrett Gilkerson chipping in 17 points and 10 rebounds.
 
After trailing by as many as 10 in the first half, Chattanooga got off to a quick start in the second. Phillips three-point play with 18:24 left put the good guys up five, 42-37. The Mocs went without a field goal for nearly four minutes when Phillips snapped the string with a layup at 14:48, and a two-point deficit, 47-45.
 
Neither team led or trailed by more than four the rest of the way. It was 62-60 Mocs when Gilkeson hit his career-best fifth three pointer for a one-point lead, 63-62. Phillips answered 22 seconds later with a dunk and the lead 64-63, with 4:13 to go.
 
The script flipped back to the Keydets. Back-to-back baskets by Parham and Vereen put the visitors up three, 67-64, as the clicked ticked under two minutes. It was Lewis' turn with a layup off a nice feed from Makale Foreman making it a one-point affair.
 
One defensive stop led to a tying free throw from London. Another stop, two free throws from Chatman for a 69-67 advantage. The defense earned another stop, but Tyler Creammer grabbed the offensive board and was fouled with 17 ticks left. He missed the first, but the second was true. Mocs ball up 69-68.
 
Nat Dixon in-bounded to Chatman. The Keydets sprung a trap and as he pulled away from the clutching for the ball and passed to mid-court, he was called for a travel with a little than 13 seconds to go. The Keydets got the ball to Parham, he drove to the elbow and elevated.
 
The defense was in good position forcing an awkward shot. But at the last second, Parham saw a streaking Vereen for the lay-in. Chatman got the ball, brought it up the right side and made his move to the basket. His effort off the glass caught rim, but no twine under duress from a Keydet defender.
 
"Disappointed in the loss, particularly how it went down," Coach Lamont Paris shared. "We had opportunities to make plays and some of them didn't have to be great plays, just solid plays. We failed on that mission.
 
"We didn't play particularly well by our standards, but it wasn't terrible. We just didn't manage the last minute well enough. It's discipline. All five guys have to be disciplined. We had a great look at the end and just didn't finish."
 
ON THE RECORD
Chattanooga: 7-15, 1-8 in the SoCon – VMI: 7-13/2-7
 
THE SERIES
Meeting: 55th
Overall: 42-13
In Chattanooga: 21-4
SoCon Regular Season: 37-11
Last 10: 8-2
 
3 NOTES TO KNOW
View complete notes package from tonight at the notes link above. Three to know…

• Chattanooga was -12 at the 3pt line shooting 25 percent (6-24) compared to 55.6 percent (10-18) for VMI, a season high for an opponent.
• Dixon extended his double-digit scoring streak to 12 games. He's reached double figures in 20 of 22 this year.
• 68.2 percent free throw shooting (15-22)…2-8 when shooting less than 70 percent, 1-8 vs. DI opposition.

 
QUOTABLE
Access thoughts on tonight's game at the quotes link above.
 
"They were active. They did a good job of presenting themselves to the passer so they were open to be successful. They got rushed a couple times and ending up traveling. They were very active and we look to get the ball in there to them. All things considered, early in the game they were packing the paint. It wasn't easy to get it in there but when we did, it was successful." – Paris on the interior play offensively.
 
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Check out the full box score at the link above. Here are three notable numbers…

• The Keydets trio of Parham, Vereen and Keith Smith entered the contest a combined 39.6 percent from 3pt range on the year. The remainder of the roster was at 24.3 percent. The trio made 27.3 percent tonight on three of 11 shooting. The rest were 7-7 including Gilkeson making all five of his from long range.
• UTC was +1 in turnover margin tonight with 13 miscues to VMI's 14. But 10 of the Mocs' 13 came in the second half.
• Lewis and Phillips combined to shoot 92.9 percent (13-14) from the field and 100 percent (4-4) at the free throw line. The rest of the team was 11 of 36 (30.6%) from the floor and 61.1 percent (11-18) from the charity stripe.

 
SOCON SCOREBOARD
at Furman 100, Western Carolina 66
The Citadel 76, at Mercer 74
ETSU at Wofford, 7 p.m.
UNCG at Samford, 8 p.m.
 
COMING UP
The Mocs end the current three-game homestand Monday night with a visit from UNCG at 7 p.m. T-shirts supporting UTC legend Terrell Owens' candidacy for the Pro Football Hall of Fame are being handed out before the game. It broadcasts on ESPN3.
 
For the complete schedule, go here on GoMocs.com.
 
TICKETS ON SALE
Tickets are on sale – single-game and mini-plans – at all the usual places. To buy tickets, you can:
 

• Visit the Gate 1 Ticket Office at McKenzie Arena during business hours.
• Call the McKenzie Arena Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627) during business hours.
• Go online via GoMocs.com: Single-Game | Mini-Plan
• Group tickets are available by calling (423) 425-5470.

 
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