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CHATTANOOGA---The Chattanooga Mocs concluded their 3-game home stand a perfect 3-0 after Sunday's 83-65 Southern Conference win over VMI. Now the squad pivots to a 3-game road trip starting Wednesday night at Georgia State.
 
While the offense flashed during the 3-game win streak, defense was the fuel. They allowed 72.0 points per game over the first seven contests, but shaved that by nearly 10 points in the Roundhouse. It started with 62 from Hiwassee before a season-low 60 in a convincing win over Tennessee Tech. Then, a Keydets squad that tallied 82 at Kentucky was held to 65.
 
"It's been very important," Coach Lamont Paris mentioned about the defensive role in the recent surge. "I've always felt that if you play reasonably well on offense, at all; if you play good defense, you have the chance to win the game. The defense has been good over that stretch in getting teams out of what they want to do.
 
"We've competed better on the ball and helped each other better off the ball."
 
Along with the improved defensive play, you can't discount the offense. It was a different squad over the last three. Here's a quick breakdown of the vastly improved numbers.
 

Games	FGM-A	%	3ptM-A	%	PPG
1st 7	162-414	39.1	47-150	31.3	66.7
Last 3	93-191	48.7	35-90	38.9	83.0

 
Freshman forward Kevin Easley certainly sees the symmetry.
 
"We're on a good winning streak right now and our confidence is great too," he shared. "We have to defend at a high level in the next few games against some good offenses. We're excited to see what happens."
 
Easley is coming off one of the best performances in school history by a freshman. His 26 points Sunday are the most by a freshman since Randy Harris tallied 26 in a 90-75 win over Davidson on Feb. 4, 1980. It's tied for the second-highest total by a freshman in the DI era. (31-Keith Parker at Western Carolina, 2/11/78; 26-Keith Parker vs. Davidson, 1/14/78; 26-Randy Harris vs. Davidson, 2/4/80).
 
There was also vital play from the starting wings: David Jean-Baptiste, Jerry Johnson, Jr., and Jonathan Scott. They combined for 16 assists and zero turnovers [Johnson (6), Jean-Baptiste (5) & Scott (5)] with both freshmen point guards (Maurice Commander & Donovann Toatley) sidelined for the VMI contest.

Georgia State is 6-3 on the year. The Panthers are coming off a 22-point comeback win at Alabama in their last game on Dec. 4, an 83-80 final. They also own victories over Georgia (91-67), ETSU (74-68) and Mercer (62-60). This is their first home game in nearly a month with the last being the Nov. 13 win over the Bears.
 
The contest airs on ESPN+ as well locally on the radio at 96.1 FM.
 
Games No. 11: Chattanooga (5-5) at Georgia State (6-3)
Site: Atlanta, Ga. | Georgia State Sports Arena (3,854)
Time (EST): 7 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+: Sam Crenshaw (PxP) & Rodney Turner (Analysis).
Listen: There are three places where you can find "Voice of the Mocs" Jim Reynolds' call. In Chattanooga, listen on 96.1 FM on the dial. Away from the Scenic City, catch it either on GoMocs.com or the TuneIn app. Links to video, audio and live stats are provided on the men's basketball schedule page.
Tickets: Tickets for home events can be purchased on GoMocs.com or by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627).
Clear Bag Policy: Click the link above for our "Clear Bag Policy" for ALL home events.
 
PROBABLE STARTERS
F – 1 – Jonathan Scott: 5.3 ppg | 3.7 rpg
F – 34 – Kevin Easley: 15.9 ppg | 6.0 rpg
C – 33 – Thomas Smallwood: 8.2 ppg | 7.0 rpg
G – 4 – Maurice Commander: 6.7 ppg | 2.1 apg
G – 2 – Jerry Johnson, Jr.: 11.5 ppg | 3.6 rpg
 
SERIES VS. GEORGIA STATE
Chattanooga leads 24-2 | Home: 11-2 | Away: 11-0 | N/A: 2-0
Last 10 Meetings:

Date	Site	Result	Score
1971-72	H	W	108-85
1972-73	A	W	75-67
1972-73	H	W	75-67
1973-74	H	W	112-92
1973-74	A	W	78-64
1974-75	A	W	98-80
1974-75	H	W	94-74
12/9/1989	H	W	72-62
12/30/2010	H	L	76-81
12/23/2017	H	L	48-71

 
 
NOTABLE

• Looking for fourth straight win. Last 4-game win streak was a five-game stretch in January 2017.
• David Jean-Baptiste's numbers during the 3-game win streak: 16.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 55.6 FG percentage (20-36) and 35.7 percent 3pt shooting (5-14). He has more points (48/33), rebounds (13/9) and assists (10/3) over the three wins than in the previous seven games combined.
• To emphasize the shooting point a bit further, Chattanooga opened the season making 6.0 3pt per game at a 27.8-percent clip (30-108) over the first five. That included a season-best 52.4 percent (11-21) in the win at Charlotte. Last five? 10.4 made per contest at 39.4 percent (52-132).

 
QUOTABLE
"It should give us a lot of confidence in a lot of different ways; from a shooting standpoint and from an overall offensive productivity standpoint. It has to work wonders for your individual confidence as well, and we did things shorthanded Sunday. We did some good things defensively in the second half against a good individual player in (Bubba) Parham, so hopefully it does wonders with our confidence on both sides of the ball." – Lamont Paris on the overall solid play opening Southern Conference action with a win.
 
DRIVE FOR 25
The Mocs Club began its "Drive for 25" campaign on #GivingTuesday this past week. The campaign aims to raise $25,000 in scholarship funds for UTC student-athletes to which an anonymous donor has generously agreed to match.
 
There is also a "Drive for 25" raffle. For each gift at the below giving levels, donors will automatically be entered into drawing for the Mocs Club Raffle:

• $250 and above donors: Official UTC gear (2 winners)
• $500 and above donors: Signed Terrell Owens football (2 winners)
• $1,000 and above donors: 2 courtside seats to a mutually agreed upon home basketball game (2 winners)
• $2,500 and above donors: Official UTC Helmet (1 winner)
• $5,000 and above donors: Accompany the UTC Men's Basketball team to one mutually agreed upon away game

 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Dec. 16 at Ole Miss, 6 p.m. (SEC Network)
Dec. 18 at UT Martin, 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 21 vs. Bryan, Noon
 
GOMOCS.COM IN A WORD FEATURE SERIES
David Jean-Baptiste – Engaged
Thomas Smallwood – Dad
Rod Johnson – Mayor
Kevin Easley – Goofy
Justin Brown – Waffle
Jerry Johnson, Jr. – Buckets
Jonathan Scott – Energy
Keigan Kerby – Hair
Duane Moss – Dwight
 
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