STATS | NOTES | QUOTES | ABOUT CHATTANOOGA BASKETBALL
 
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.---The Chattanooga Mocs saw an early see-saw contest get away from them in a 96-70 loss at ETSU. Donovann Toatley led the visitors with 19 points which was matched by Bucs wing Tray Boyd.
 
ETSU made 13 of their first 17 shots, but the Mocs hung tough. Thomas Smallwood's pick-and-pop three-pointer gave his squad a one-point advantage, 14-13. Boyd and David Jean-Baptiste traded baskets to keep the Gig City lads up 16-15 with 13:22 left in the first half.
 
A 16-0 run got ETSU back in front, 31-16 before Kevin Easley's 3pt stopped the spurt. Ramon Vila grabbed two offensive rebounds in the sequence as Easley bucket stopped an 0-5 skid. The Mocs battled back to cut it to eight, 41-33, on Smallwood's layup at 3:23. The Bucs closed the half on an 11-1 run to take a 52-34 advantage into the break.
 
"That's something we've got to learn," Coach Lamont Paris. "Eight points in the basketball world is nothing at that point. But we didn't finish the half the right way and had a much higher hill to climb."
 
It was an 18-point game before the mid-way point in the second half after buckets from Toatley and Jerry Johnson, Jr., gave the visitors hope. The Bucs 15-2 spurt from there put it out of reach. It was capped by a Tray Boyd and-1 with 9:31 remaining.
 
Easley and Vila joined Toatley in double figures with 15 and 12, respectively. Vila added a team-high six rebounds along two blocks and two steals. Bo Hodges registered 15 for the Bucs, while Daivien Williams added 11 and Lucas N'Guessan 10.
 
ETSU's team shooting percentages were second only to Ole Miss from the field and also the 3pt arc this year. It turned in 61.0 percent (36-59) overall and 50.0 percent (9-18) from long range.
 
Chattanooga returns to the friendly confines of the Roundhouse for three in a two at home. It starts with a Saturday, Jan. 12, visit from Samford. That's followed by Mercer (Jan. 17) and The Citadel (Jan. 19). Tickets are available on GoMocs.com or by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627).
 
RECORDS
Chattanooga 7-10/2-2 | ETSU 13-4/3-1
 
3 NOTES TO KNOW
Check out the full complement of notes at the link above.

• Chattanooga and ETSU boast two of the most successful programs in SoCon history…since the Mocs joined the league in 1977-78, their 30 total titles (11 Reg Season/11 Tournament/8 Division) are by far the most in the league ahead of Davidson (22-2/12/8) and the Bucs (15-4/7/4)…both rank in the top 5 all-time with UTC second to Davidson (35-11/12/12) and ETSU tied for fourth (15-4/4/7) with North Carolina behind West Virginia (19-9/10/0).
• 86th meeting in the series (47-39)…trails Samford (97) and Western Carolina (92) on most frequent opponent list.
• 70 or more points in 10 straight averaging 77.3 ppg...recorded 66.7 ppg over first seven.

 
3 STATS TO KNOW
Check out the full stats at the link above.

• 42.4 percent shooting today snapped 50 percent or better 4-game streak...30.4 percent from 3pt range (7-23) is the lowest number since 16.7 (6-36) against SE Missouri on Nov. 17.
• Toatley (13) and Vila (10) scored 23 of the Mocs 36 second-half points.
• Turnover margin was a mere -1 with 13 for the Mocs and 12 by the ETSU…however, the Bucs we +10 in points off turnovers (22-12).

 
QUOTABLE
Check out all of what we heard at the quotes link above.
"They're a tough, physical, and athletic team. You have to match that with aggression and if you don't, you'll get swallowed up. I thought we didn't do a good job of that today." – Coach Lamont Paris on ETSU's play.
 
"I like that. I literally started playing last month and have only had the chance to play at home once. We're excited to get back in front of our fans. This stretch coming up is important. We're not satisfied being 2-2. We've lost to two of the best teams in the league so we know where we have to improve. We played a lot of close games last year, and I think we'll have those same types of games so we have to be prepared." – Sophomore forward Ramon Vila.
 
SOCON SCOREBOARD
UNCG 71, at VMI 68
at Western Carolina 76, Samford 69
at Furman 101, The Citadel 85
Mercer at Wofford, 7 p.m. (late)
 
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Saturday, Jan. 12: Samford, 4:30 p.m. (DH-Women vs. ETSU, 2 p.m.)
Thursday, Jan. 17: Mercer, 8 p.m. (DH-Women vs. Wofford, 5:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Jan. 19: The Citadel, 4:30 p.m. (DH-Women vs. Furman, 2 p.m.)
 
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
Ramon Vila – Everyman  
 
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