Chattanooga Basketball Postgame Notes
Chattanooga at Samford
Pete Hannah Center – Birmingham, Ala.
Wednesday – Jan. 20, 2021
TEAM
- The Chattanooga Mocs scored a 70-64 Southern Conference road win at Samford tonight … Mocs improved to 12-4 overall and 3-4 in SoCon action … Bulldogs dropped to 6-8 and 2-5 in SoCon play.

- UTC sweeps the season series with the Bulldogs.

- 6-2 on the road this season...10-3 over the last 12 away games.

- Mocs led 25-22 at the break … Samford's 22 points are a season-low allowed for the Mocs in the first half … Bulldogs were 8-28 (28.6%) from the field, 2-11 (18.2%) from three and eight turnovers. 

- Bulldogs came out hot in the second half, hitting their first six shots … took a 34-32 lead on Preston Parks jumper at the 15:58 mark … part of a 12-0 run that eventually saw Samford lead 38-32 at the 14:31 mark.       

- UTC responded with a quick 8-0 run over the next 2:25 to retake a 40-38 lead … A.J. Caldwell hit two threes in that spurt. 

- Four ties and eight lead changes in the final 10 minutes of play. 

- Samford shot 17-27 (63.0%) from the field and 5-9 (55.6%) from three in the second half … still had 12 turnovers.

- Resilient group has trailed in the second half of all 10 DI wins.

- Both teams finished the game 7-20 (35%) from three point range.

- UTC was 17-23 (73.9%) from the FT line … came into the game No. 9 in the nation at 79.6% … Samford was 7/10 (70.0%) from the line … UTC is 11-0 when shooting more FTs than opponent this season.  

- Chattanooga forced 20 turnovers in the game while only giving up 14 … held a 25-12 advantage in points off turnovers.

- UTC won the battle on the boards 35-32 … Mocs only ad eight offensive rebounds, but only gave up four to the Bulldogs … held a 13-5 lead in second-chance points … 6-1 when outrebounding opponent this season.  

- Mocs have won nine straight games against Alabama schools including four in a row in the state. Last loss was 80-76 in OT at Samford on Feb. 16, 2019.

SERIES NOTES
- 105th meeting.
- Overall record: 66-39.
- Away: 23-27.
- SoCon Regular Season: 19-7.
- 7-2 under Lamont Paris. 
- Won seven of last eight in the series.
- 23 wins at Samford is second-most at one opponent in school history behind 30 at The Citadel.

INDIVIDUAL
Darius Banks – Sr.-G
- Season-high 12 points
- Shot 3-8 shooting, 6-6 from the FT line.
- Added five boards, two assists and a steal.
- Recorded UTC's only block of the game.
- 10+ points in all three games this season.  

A.J. Caldwell – Jr.-G
- Fifth game in double-figures with 10 points off the bench.
- Shot 3-5 from the field, 2-4 from three and 2-2 from the FT line.
- Team-high three assists.
- Three rebounds.

David Jean-Baptiste
- 12 points on 5-13 shooting, 2-5 from three.
- Added two boards, two assists and two steals.
- 1,142 career points passes Alphonso Pugh (2003-06) for 19^th on the Mocs' all-time scoring list. 
- Three steals from 100 … that would make him just the fourth Moc with 1,000 points, 300 rebounds, 200 assists & 100 steals joining Casey Jones '16 (1,321/662/215/115). Casey Long '07 (1,043/499/366/163) and Willie White '84 (1,969/499/284/193).
- Five 3pt FGs shy of becoming the fourth Moc to his 175 in a career. His 170 currently ranks fifth behind Tim Parker '03 (174) in fourth.

Malachi Smith – So.-G
- Game-highs 16 points and nine boards.
- Shot 5-12 from the field, 1-2 from three and 5-6 from the FT line.
- Added two assists and two steals.
- Fifth game leading the team in scoring.
- 15^th game leading the team in rebounding.
- 14^th game in double-figures … sixth in a row.