Chattanooga Basketball Postgame Notes
Lander at Chattanooga
McKenzie Arena – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Wednesday – Nov. 25, 2020

TEAM
- Mocs scored a 99-63 win over Lander to open the 2020-21 season at McKenzie Arena today.  This was a regular season game for UTC, but counted as an exhibition game for the NCAA Division II Bearcats.

- Lander is coached by former Moc Omar Wattad (2012-13), who is in his first season.

- UTC improved to 54-48 all-time in season openers … 39-9 at home … 23-0 when opening the season at home in the DI era (since 1977-78) … won last 29 times when opening at home overall ... last loss when opening the season at home was Dec. 1, 1959, 98-58 to Tennessee Tech. It was the first season with scholarships for the program.

- Nov. 25 start date is latest season opener since Nov. 25, 1995 (25 years). That was an 86-61 win over USC-Aiken.

- It's been 263 days between games. That's the most for the program since 2001 going 267 days (Mar. 1-Nov. 22).

- The Mocs are 107-1 in the Division I era (beginning in 1977-78) against non-DI competition. The lone loss came on Dec. 16, 1999 to Southern Poly, 73-69.

- First meeting with Lander. 11-0 all-time against the Peach Belt Conference (started in 1990) with the last meeting coming Nov. 23, 1996 against USC Aiken (110-61).

- UTC led wire-to-wire … last wire-to-wire win was 71-64 at VMI on 2-26-2020. 

- Four players led the Mocs in double-figures, including David Jean-Baptiste (19), Malachi Smith (18), Stefan Kenic (11) and Josh Ayeni (10). 

- All 10 players that played, scored at least five points.

- The Mocs shot 48.1 percent from 3pt range this afternoon making 13 of 21 which was fitting considering the opposing head coach. Omar Wattad '12, in his first season leading the Bearcats, ranks third all-time in Chattanooga history with 168 3pt made.

INDIVIDUAL
Josh Ayeni – Sr.-F
- 10 points on 3-3 shooting, 1-1 from three and 3-4 from the FT line in his first game as a Moc.

A.J. Caldwell – Jr.-G
- Tied a career-high with eight rebounds.
- Added nine points.
- Tied for game-high with five assists.
- Shot 4-8 from the field, 1-3 from three.

David Jean-Baptiste – Sr.-G
- Game-high 19 points on 7-19 shooting, 3-8 from three and 2-4 from the FT line.
- Led team in scoring for 19^th time.
- Added four boards and two steals.

Stefan Kenic – Sr.-F
- 11 points on 4-5 shooting, 3-3 from three.
- Added five boards.
- Best game from three since going 5-5 against Samford on Jan. 11, 2020.

Malachi Smith – So.-G
- 18 points on 7-13 shooting, 2-3 from three and 2-3 from the FT line in first game at UTC.
- First career double-double with game-high 10 boards.
- Also a career-high in scoring.
- Tied for game-highs with five assists and two steals.