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CHATTANOOGA--- The Chattanooga Mocs host UNC Asheville Wednesday night with a chance to continue their historic start. The Mocs are 6-0 for the first time in their wildly successful DI history and for just the fourth time overall. In the 1970s, 7-0 beginnings were all the rage with three in a row in the 1973, 1974 and 1975 seasons. That includes the program-best 8-0 in 1973-74.
 
But this is present time and the Bulldogs provide a stiff test. This matchup is a return from last December's 68-64 win in Asheville (box score on pg. 5 of the game notes). Just one current Moc played significant minutes in that contest (A.J. Caldwell), while the Bulldogs roster features eight returnees including all five starters.
 
Caldwell has 30 points and 15 rebounds in his last two games shooting 68.8 percent. Stefan Kenić (23) and Malachi Smith (19) both registered new career highs last time out. UNCA is on a 3-game winning streak sweeping their opening Big South series with High Point by 80-67 and 90-84 (OT) finals.
 
Chattanooga is No. 25 in this week's CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 after receiving votes in the first and third installments. Gonzaga is the consensus No. 1 pick. Other Southern Conference notables include No. 3 Furman and No. 7 Mercer, while Western Carolina, UNC Greensboro and Samford are receiving votes.
 
The contest airs on ESPN+ along with WFLI 97.7 FM/1070 AM in Chattanooga as well as the TuneIn app. It's the first of three over the next week before the holiday break with road matchups Saturday at UAB and next Tuesday at Tennessee State.
 
Game 7: UNC Asheville (3-2) at Chattanooga (6-0)
Dec. 16 | Chattanooga | 7 p.m. | McKenzie Arena (10,995)
 
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
TV: ESPN+. Chris Goforth (PxP) & Todd Agne (Analysis)
 
RADIO: WFLI 97.7 FM/1070 AM. Jim Reynolds is in his 41st year as the "Voice of the Mocs". The audio broadcast is also available on the TuneIn app.   
 
SERIES INFO
8th meeting | Record: 7-0 | Home: 4-0 | Away: 3-0 | Neutral: 0-0
 
COACHES
Chattanooga: Lamont Paris (Wooster '96) | UTC: 48-56 (4th season) | Career: Same | vs. UNCA: 1-0
UNC Asheville: Mike Morrell (Milligan '05) | UNCA: 22-45 (3rd) | Career: Same | vs. UTC: 0-1
 
3 NOTES TO KNOW
- Fourth 6-0 start all-time. The other three were in consecutive campaigns in the early-to-mid '70s: 8-0: 1973-74 | 7-0: 1972-73, 1974-75. Last 6-game win streak? 9 in a row from Jan. 11-Feb. 8, 2016.
- Malachi Smith earned College Sports Madness National Mid-Major Player of the Week for his performance in the wins at Middle Tennessee, at Bellarmine and over North Georgia. Lamont Paris is hoopdirt.com's Division I Coach of the Week. Smith's three consecutive double-doubles is the 10th such stretch of the DI era. Z. Mason '14 holds the record with six from Dec. 19, 2013 through Jan. 9, 2014. Smith is averaging 18.3 ppg & 12.3 rpg during this run.
- Jamaal Walker's start last Saturday was the first by a Chattanooga native since...Dontay Hampton '13 against Elon on Jan. 24, 2013. Hampton is the last Chattanoogan to complete both a season and career on a Mocs roster (2012-13). He actually put five years in redshirting during the 2008-09 SoCon Championship run as a walk on before earning a scholarship. Walker redshirted last year as a preferred walk-on.
 
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