Chattanooga Basketball Postgame Notes
Furman at Chattanooga
McKenzie Arena – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Wednesday – Dec. 30, 2020
TEAM
- UTC dropped its Southern Conference opener 77-73 to Furman in McKenzie Arena this afternoon … Mocs had their school-record nine-game winning streak snapped … fall to 9-1 overall and 0-1 in league play … Paladins improved to 7-3 and 1-0 in SoCon action.

- Mocs are 55-36 all-time against Furman … 30-11 at home … Furman has won eight in a row in the series. 

- UTC's 9-0 start was a school record, breaking the prior mark of 8-0 by the 1973-74 squad.

- Nine-game win streak snapped was the longest since nine in a row from Jan. 11-Feb. 8, 2016.

- Chattanooga is 24-20 opening Southern Conference play all-time, 14-7 when starting at home.

- The Paladins were picked first by the media and second among the coaches in the preseason SoCon polls.

- Mocs were 13-26 (50%) from three … best 3-pt. FG% this season … tied for second-most threes in a game this season … third game with 10+ this season … Furman came into the game leading the SoCon in 3-pt. FG% defense (26.8%) … 13 makes and 50% shooting are both season-highs allowed by the Paladins. 

- UTC was 8-9 from the FT line in the first half … did not shoot a FT in the second half.

- Mocs had 16 assists on 26 FGs … second-most assists this season … against only 10 turnovers.

- 77 points are a season-high allowed for UTC.

- Furman controlled the paint, outscoring Chattanooga 50-18 in the lane … 30-4 in the first half … most points allowed inside by the Mocs this season … Furman was 25-42 (59.5%) from inside the 3-point line.  

- Mocs were outrebounded 33-26 … largest deficit this season.

- UTC got a season-high 35 points off the bench … Jean-Baptiste (18), Hankton (17) … no starters reached double figures.

- Furman had the lead for 31 minutes of action, but it never got bigger than nine … never more than seven (43-26 – 17:12) in the second half … 10 lead changes, six in the last nine minutes, and four ties.

- UTC led 66-63 with 5:36 left to play. 

INDIVIDUAL
Josh Ayeni – Sr.-F
- Eight points and four boards.
- Tied a season-high for rebounds for the fourth time.
- Shot 3-5 from the field and 2-2 from the FT line.
 
A.J. Caldwell – Jr.-G
- Game-high five assists … fourth game with 5+ assists.  
- Added six points and three boards, a steal and a block.
- Shot 2-5 from three.
- 302 points in UTC career.
- Made 16 of last 29 (55.2%) 3-point FGs. 

KC Hankton – Jr.-F
- Career-high 17 points in 23 minutes off the bench.
- Shot 7-10 from the field, 3-5 from three.
- Added three boards and a steal.
- Second game in double-figures since becoming eligible on Dec. 16.
- 14-24 (58.3%) from the field and 7-13 (53.8%) from three in five games.

David Jean-Baptiste – Sr.-G
- 18 points in 25 minutes off the bench.
- Missed previous five games before taking his name out of the transfer portal.
- Shot 7-15 from the field, 2-6 form three and 2-2 from the FT line.
- Added three boards and three assists.
- All five games in double-figures this season.
- Third game leading the team in scoring.

Stefan Kenic – Sr.-F
- Seven points on 1-3 shooting, 1-1 from three and 4-4 from the FT line.
- Made 30 of last 32 FTs.

Malachi Smith – So.-G
- Eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
- Led the team in rebounding every game.
- Shot 3-12 from the field, 2-4 from three and 0-1 from the FT line.
- Came into the game ninth in the country and first in the league in rebounds (11.2/gm).
- Added three assists and a steal.