GAME NOTES | VIRTUAL BLUE OUT | ABOUT CHATTANOOGA BASKETBALL
 
CHATTANOOGA---The whirlwind home stand concludes Wednesday with a visit from Western Carolina. The Mocs won the first two getting past The Citadel 70-66 (Sat.) and escaping ETSU 53-51 on Monday.
 
Chattanooga has won five straight heading into the Catamounts contest. That's propelled the squad into a tie for fourth with ETSU, but it is a bunched up top of the league table with just two games separating the top five. UNC Greensboro, which hosts the Mocs Saturday evening, leads at 10-3 followed by Wofford (9-5) and Furman (7-4). Due to COVID postponements and cancellations, winning percentage sets the seeding so every game is critical.
 
The Mocs (9-0) and Western Carolina (7-2) were two of the hotter teams in non-conference play. But stumbled out of the gate with the Scenic City crew righting the ship early on. The Cats are led by Mason Faulkner's 15.9 points per game. Xavier Cork leads the SoCon in shooting at 66.5 percent.
 
Chattanooga is paced by David Jean-Baptiste (16.6 ppg) and Malachi Smith (16.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg). Darius Banks adds 12.0 points per contest since joining the squad nine games ago, while Stefan Kenić posts 11.7.
 
Watch on ESPN+ or listen on WFLI 97.7 FM/1070 AM in Chattanooga as well as the TuneIn app.
 
Game 23: Chattanooga (17-5/5-5) vs. Western Carolina (9-12/2-10)
Feb. 17 | 7 p.m. | McKenzie Arena (10,995)
 
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Week 1: Henry Dickerson, Trail Blazer (Podcast)
Week 2: Johnny Taylor, Taylor Made
 
TICKETS
Tickets are still available and can be purchased here or by calling (423) 266-MOCS (6627). Limited supply remains. Student tickets are free (as always) but reservation is required here. All tickets are general admission this season with social distancing required between seat blocks.
 
The games air on ESPN+ or over the airwaves in Chattanooga via WFLI 97.7 FM and 1070 AM. Links for video, audio and live stats for each contest is located on the men's basketball schedule page.
 
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
TV: ESPN+. Chris Gofoth (PxP) & Todd Agne (analyst)
 
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.          
 
vs. WESTERN CAROLINA
97th meeting | Record: 67-29 | Home: 37-6 | Away: 23-21 | Neutral: 7-2 | SoCon Regular Season: 54-26
Last Meeting: STORY | STATS | NOTES | QUOTES
- 37 home wins in the series ranks tied for second all-time (Citadel) behind Samford (41). Looking to snap 3-game losing skid to the Cats in McKenzie.
- 97th meeting, second most frequent opponent behind Samford (105).
- 67 series wins is second most against all opponents behind The Citadel (68-19).
- 82nd Southern Conference regular season showdown is most of any opponent ahead of The Citadel (80) and Furman (79).
- 55 triumphs in SoCon regular season play is second to The Citadel (64).
 
COACHES
Chattanooga: Lamont Paris (Wooster '96) | UTC: 59-61 (4th season) | Career: Same | vs. WCU: 2-5
WCU: Mark Prosser (Marist '02) | WCU: 35-48 (3rd) | Career: 39-68 (4th) | vs. UTC: 3-2
 
3 NOTES TO KNOW
- 1st 5-game winning streak in league play since Jan. 5-21, 2017. Last time with 6? 9 from Jan. 11-Feb. 8, 2016. It ended at Western Carolina. The Mocs won 18 of 20 en route to 11th SoCon Tourney Championship.
- The last four wins included great starts. The Mocs out-scored opponents by 54 (107-53) over the first 13 minutes. That's an average of 26.8-13.3.
- 2nd most frequent opponent in school history with this the 97th meeting (Samford 105).
 
3 STATS TO KNOW
- Malachi Smith looks to become the first Moc to lead the team in total points, rebounds and assists in a season. There have been 23 topping the points and rebounds charts; most recently Kevin Easley in 2019. Four student-athletes recorded the most points and assists in the same campaign with 1993 SoCon Player of the Year Tim Brooks being the last to accomplish it.
- Cats (75.5%) & Mocs (75.4%) are 1-2 in the SoCon in defensive rebound percentage. Last six wins, the Mocs allowed just 46 second chance points (7.7/gm). In the most recent two losses, 35, nearly 25 percent of the opposition's output.
- Shooting 79.6 percent (156-196) in SoCon play, best in the league. There have been seven different streaks of 10 or more FTM in a row this season led by 20 by David Jean-Baptiste (12/5, Northern Ky.-1/16, Wofford).
 
NEXT 3 OPPONENTS
Feb. 20: at UNC Greensboro, 5 p.m. | Current Record: 15-6/10-3 | Next Opp: at VMI (Feb. 17)
Feb. 24: at Mercer, 7 p.m. | Current Record: 12-8/5-7 | Next Opp: at ETSU (Feb. 17)
Feb. 27: VMI, 7 p.m. | Current Record: 11-10/6-6 | Next Opp: UNCG (Feb. 17)
 
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