Chattanooga Basketball Postgame Notes
Chattanooga at Western Carolina
Ramsey Center - Cullowhee, N.C.
Wednesday – Feb. 3, 2021
TEAM
- The Chattanooga Mocs scored a 74-67 Southern Conference win at Western Carolina tonight … win moves Chattanooga to 13-5 overall, 4-5 in the SoCon … Catamounts fall to 8-10, 1-8 in league play.

- Start of a three-game road trip … Mocs are coming off an 11-day break due to COVID-19 postponements.

- Won 11 of last 14 road contests.

- 7-2 on the road this season … 15th time in school history with seven or more on the road wins in a season … second year in a row with seven.

- 10-0 this season when holding teams to less than 70 points … WCU is 0-6 scoring less than 70.

- Resilient group has trailed in the second half of all 11 DI wins … trailed by eight in the second half of this one – 45-37 with 14:26 left to play … 8-0 from there tied it at 45 with 12:37 left. 

- Mocs trailed 52-51 with 8:52 left before going on a 13-2 run to take control of the game.

- Turnovers were key … UTC forced 16, while giving up just nine … Mocs held a 21-8 advantage in points off turnovers. 

- Sixth SoCon game with 10 or fewer turnovers for the Mocs … second in a row with <10 …="" ironically,="" just="" the="" second="" win="" when="" giving="" up="" 10="" or="" fewer="" turnovers.="">

- Mocs were outrebounded 35-32, but led 10-8 on the offensive end and 8-2 in second-chance points.  

- UTC is 11-4 in games decided by 10 points or less this season. 

- Mocs were 32-66 (48.5%) from the field … best in a SoCon game this season … just 5-17 (29.4%) from three … 27-49 (55.1%) from inside the arc led to a dominating showing in the paint where UTC outscored WCU 48-30.

- 48 points in the paint ties a season-high (NKU – 12/5).  

- Mocs were 20-31 (64.5%) from the floor in the second half.

- UTC had 12 steals in the game … one off the season-high of 13 set at Tennessee Tech (11/30) in the second game of the season … most in a SoCon game since 14 in a 77-65 home win against Western Carolina on Feb. 4, 2017. 

SERIES NOTES
- 96th meeting, second most frequent opponent behind Samford (105).
- Record: 67-29 … tied for most wins against a SoCon team [The Citadel (67-19)].
- Road: 23-21
- SoCon Regular Season: 55-26 … 81 SoCon regular season games are most of any opponent … 55 triumphs in SoCon regular season play is second to The Citadel (63).
- Under Lamont Paris: 2-5
- Snapped a three-game slide in the series. 

INDIVIDUAL
Darius Banks – Sr.-G
- Tied a season-high with 18 points for the second game in a row.
- Shot 8-19 from the field, 2-4 from the FT line.
- was 16-16 from the FT line coming into the game.
- Double-figures in all five games since entering the lineup against Mercer on 1/13.
- Added six boards and three assists. 

A.J. Caldwell – Jr.-G
- Team-high seven rebounds.
- Third game leading the team in rebounds this season … seventh career.
- Added three points on 1-2 shooting from three.
- Also had two assists and a block.

KC Hankton – Jr.-F
- 11 points on 5-10 shooting, 1-2 from three.
- Third game in double-figures this season.
- Tied a collegiate career-high with three steals.
- Added three boards and an assist.

David Jean-Baptiste – Sr.-G
- 18 points on 8-14 shooting, 2-5 from three.
- 1,173 career points passes David Phillips (1997-00) for 17th on the Mocs' all-time list.
- 176 career 3-pt. FGs break a tie with Tim Parker (2000-03) for fourth on the Mocs' all-time list.
- Tied a career-high with four steals.
- 102 career steals make him the fourth Moc with 1,000 points, 300 rebounds, 200 assists & 100 steals … joins Casey Jones ('16), Casey Long ('07) and Willie White ('84).
- Added five rebounds.

Malachi Smith – So.-G
- Game-high 22 points.
- Third game with 20+ points.
- Led the team in scoring for the seventh time.
- Shot 9-14 from the field, 1-4 from three and 3-4 from the FT line.
- Tied a career-high with five steals.
- Team-high four assists.  
- Added five boards.