CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga women's basketball team will head to Nashville Wednesday for a mid-week tilt at Belmont for the Bruins season-opener.
 
Chattanooga opened the season Monday night with a 65-39 win over Young Harris at the Roundhouse. The win was the first for Shawn Poppie in his head coaching debut.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Mocs at Belmont
Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Site: Nashville, Tenn. | Curb Event Center
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and on WFLI 97.7 FM and The Varsity App. Links for video, audio and Live Stats can be found at GoMocs.com on the women's basketball schedule page.
 
CHATTANOOGA vs. BELMONT
Chattanooga and Belmont have met 17 times since the first contest between the two programs took place in 1977. The Mocs lost both meetings that season. Over the next six games (1978-81) UTC won five times. It would be nearly 30 years before the next contest. With a three-game win streak under its belt, the Mocs went on to win the next six. However, the Bruins have taken the last three. UTC holds an 11-7 overall record against Belmont and is 5-3 in Nashville.
 
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
The two programs faced off last year in Chattanooga with Belmont earning the 88-70 season-opener. After falling behind in the first half, the Mocs rallied in the third quarter, early into the fourth to pull to within six points. Chattanooga outscored the Bruins 22-15 in the third with a pair of 7-2 runs and an 11-0 sprint that stretched into the fourth quarter. The Mocs shot a scorching 77.8 percent from the field in the frame making 7-of-9 with Brooke Hampel and Abbey Cornelius combining for 15 of the Mocs' points in the period. Belmont came back in the fourth to outscore UTC 20-14 and clinch the victory. Cornelius and Hampel each led the way for the Mocs with 16 points and Sigrun Olafsdottir chipped in 11. UTC shot 45.8 percent from the field while Belmont was 34-70 (48.6%). The Bruins edged the Mocs on the boards 36-34 and scored 24 points off 15 UTC turnovers.
 
LIVING UP TO HER BILLING
Graduate transfer Yazz Wazeerud-Din graduated from Stetson following a successful career with the Hatters. Last season she led her team in scoring and moved on to Chattanooga to do the same thing. She scored a game-high 20 points in the opening game against Young Harris.
 
THE DAWN OF THE SHAWN POPPIE ERA
Shawn Poppie is in his first season as a head coach after spending the past 13 years as an assistant/associate head coach at four different schools. He started at his alma mater then moved on to USC Upstate for two seasons. From there he assisted Jackie Carson at SoCon foe Furman for three seasons. He spent the last six with Kenny Brooks at Viginia Tech, three as an assistant and the last three as associate head coach. Poppie is the Mocs seventh head coach.
 
CORNELIUS EARNS PRESEASON HONORS
Abbey Cornelius was named to the Southern Conference Coaches all-conference team. She is a two-time all-conference player and led the Mocs in scoring last season. The Mocs were picked to finish fifth by both the head coaches and media.
 
PULLING FROM THE TRANSFER PORTAL
Shawn Poppie's first assignment as a head coach is to complete the roster. He returned eight players from the previous season and had one incoming freshman. He searched the transfer portal, finding Yazz Wazeerud-Din from Stetson, Takia Davis from USC Upstate and Lamiah Walker from Austin Peay. Wazeerud-Din was the Hatters' leading scorer last season and all three have ties to the Scenic City. Wazeerud-Din and Davis are from nearby in Georgia and Walker is a Signal Mountain graduate.
 
SIGNING NEWCOMERS
Brooklyn Crouch was already prepared to come to Chattanooga, having signed her papers in November. She was joined by Raven Thompson and Frode Flos van der Schans as the three freshmen on the squad.
 
RETURNING TO THE LINEUP
Graduate Abbey Cornelius will begin her fifth season on the Mocs roster. The All-Conference performer led the Mocs in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots last season. She is one of eight returning players to the line up. The Mocs bring back 80 percent of its scoring and 75 percent of its rebounding.
 
REACHING MILESTONES AND MOVING AHEAD
The Mocs tip-off their 49th season this week. Last year, UTC claimed it's 900th program win, just the 39th team in NCAA history to reach that milestone.
 
LONG-RANGE BOMBERS
The Mocs have made at least one 3-pointer in 710 consecutive games dating back to December 1999. That's more nearly 23 years! Chattanooga reached the 700-consecutive game mark at Wofford on January 27, 2022 in Spartanburg, S.C. According to current unofficial research, this is the second-longest streak in the nation behind Iowa State who has more than 850 dating back to 1995.
 
HOME GAMES
The Mocs host 13 home games this season, opening at home on Monday, Nov. 7 vs. Young Harris. Other home matchups feature Austin Peay, Tennessee State, Kennesaw State and King in November. UTC will host Jacksonville State as its lone December home contest.
 
DOUBLE DIPS ON THE SCHEDULE
The Mocs first double-dip of the season will be a non-tradtional matchup. The Mocs football team will host Samford on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 1:30 p.m. Once that game is over, hustle over to the Roundhouse for the women's basketball matchup against Austin Peay at 7:00 p.m. Other double-headers will be on Nov. 26 vs. King and Feb. 18 against Wofford. Double-headers will be spread out this season due to construction as only one visitor locker room is available.
 
REGULAR SEASON TITLES
The Mocs have won 22 regular season SoCon titles finishing in the SoCon's first three-way tie last year. Sharon Fanning won the first three beginning in 1984. Craig Parrott won two in his tenure. Wes Moore led the Mocs to 12 in 15 years. Jim Foster won the regular season in four of his five seasons at Chattanooga and Katie Burrows claimed her first in her third year.