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CHATTANOOGA--- A battle of unbeatens unfolds Saturday in Birmingham as the Chattanooga Mocs and UAB Blazers meet with identical 7-0 records in the early going. Both programs are on historic runs and are tied for the national lead in winning percentage with Xavier (7-0) heading into the weekend.
 
UAB set its record start at ETSU last Saturday before getting its seventh Wednesday against Southern. The Mocs own 7-0 mark is the first of the DI era (44th season) and just fourth overall. The previous three came in a three-year span over the 1972-73, 1973-74 and 1974-75 campaigns. The record 8-0 beginning was turned in 1973-74.
 
The Mocs are led by sophomore point guard Malachi Smith. He's posting 15.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. Newcomer KC Hankton had 16 in his first action in Wednesday's win over UNC Asheville, while Stefan Kenić is adding 13.0 points per contest. Michael Ertel leads four averaging double digits for the Blazers with 14.0 ppg.
 
Chattanooga is on a 7-game winning streak. Last streak of that length was nine in a row from Jan. 11-Feb. 8, 2016. That was entirely in Southern Conference play. The last regular season non-conference winning stretch of seven games or longer? Eight-game run from Dec. 29, 1986 through Dec. 7, 1987.
 
The Mocs have won five in a row on the road and seven of the last eight dating back to last season. It's the ninth time the program has won five or more in a row away from the Scenic City and first since five from Feb. 12-Nov. 21, 2015. The record is seven from Jan. 20, 1992-Nov. 27, 1992.
 
The contest is on CUSA.tv along with WFLI 97.7 FM/1070 AM in Chattanooga as well as the TuneIn app.
 
Game 8: Chattanooga (7-0) at UAB (7-0)
Dec. 19 | 3 p.m. | Bartow Arena (8,508)
 
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
TV: CUSA.tv. David Crane (PxP) & Murry Bartow (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
UAB: 17th meeting | Record: 3-13 | Home: 3-1 | Away: 0-9 | Neutral: 0-1
CUSA: 21st | 7-13 (3-9 away) | 1-0 in 2020-21 | 3-2 under Lamont Paris | Won last 3 including 2 on the road
 
COACHES
Chattanooga: Lamont Paris (Wooster '96) | UTC: 49-56 (4th season) | Career: Same | vs. UAB: 0-1
UAB: Andy Kennedy (UAB '90) | UAB: 7-0 (1st) | Career: 273-169 (14th) | vs. UTC: 0-0
 
3 NOTES TO KNOW
- Chattanooga and UAB are tied with Xavier as the only 7-0 squads in the country (thru 12/17). There are six at 6-0 and 47 total unbeatens. There are three more schools with seven wins: Saint Mary's (7-1), Abilene Christian (7-1) and Liberty (7-3).
- The Mocs trailed by three inside 15 seconds to play in Wednesday's win before turning two free throws, a steal/layup & steal/two more free throws into a three-point victory. The last time winning a game trailing by three or more that late? The 87-85 double OT triumph over UNC Greensboro on Jan. 29, 2018. The Spartans led by seven with 34 seconds remaining in OT before a three by Rodney Chatman with 12 seconds to go sent it into the winning period.
- Malachi Smith has five double-doubles in seven games. The school record for a season is 15 by Z. Mason '14 in 2013-14. He's tied with Terry Taylor (Austin Peay) for the national lead. Smith is second nationally and first in the Southern Conference in defensive rebounding (9/9/gm), while ranking 11th in the country and second in the league in rebounding (11.1/gm).
 
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