2021-22 Chattanooga Mocs Men's Basketball
Game 29 – VMI
Feb. 19 – McKenzie Arena – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Postgame Notes
 
GENERAL
- The Chattanooga Mocs roared back from a 12-point second half deficit to take a lead, but could not hold off VMI in an 80-75 loss late Saturday afternoon in the Roundhouse…Mocs are now 22-7, 12-4 in the Southern Conference…the Keydets move to 16-12, 9-7 in the league.
- Legends Weekend in Chattanooga bringing home all eras of Mocs basketball…heading into today's contest, the program boasted 32 all-time titles: 12 regular season (11 SoCon/1 SIAA in 1923), eight division (all SoCon) & 12 tournament crowns (11 SoCon/1 Dixie in 1932).
- Chattanooga's lead is one two in the SoCon race…12-4 compared to 11-5 for Furman…magic number to clinch at least a share of a record-tying 12th SoCon regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the SoCon Tournament is one (either a UTC win or Furman loss)…Keydets are third followed by Samford at 8-7...UNCG, Mercer and Wofford are tied in fifth at 8-8 in the battle for a top 6 seed and opening round bye in Asheville.
- Today's Legends Weekend focus was the 25th Anniversary of the 1997 NCAA Sweet 16 team…it's also the 45th for the 1977 NCAA Division II National Champs…the program has 16 NCAA Tournament Trips (11 DI/5 DII)…all five in DII were at large berths while the 11 DI came through SoCon Tourney wins…a 12th in 2022 would tie the league record held by Davidson in 74 seasons compared to 45 for the good guys.
- 63rd all-time meeting, one of four SoCon programs beaten 40+ times in the regular season…more on the series below.
- Allowed a season-high (by an opponent) 14 3pt made to the Keydets…shot 43.8 percent with 32 attempts from long range…most 3s made by an opponent since 16 (31 att.) at The Citadel last season (Jan. 9, 2021)…most allowed in the Roundhouse since Western Carolina made 14 of 25 (56.0%) in a 105-96 Mocs loss on Jan. 31, 2019.
- 80 points are the most allowed in regulation in the Roundhouse since Mercer last season in an 83-80 Mocs win on Jan. 13, 2021.
- +5 rebound margin (37-32)…8-6 advantage in second chance points as the two teams gave up just 15 offensive boards with nine for UTC and six for VMI.
- 43.3 percent shooting (29-67)…recovered from a cold opening 20 (36.4%, 12-33) to fire in 50 percent (17-34) in the second…VMI made 48.3 percent for the game (29-60), but 51.7 percent (15-29) after intermission.
- 14-2 when scoring 75 or more points…8-5 when scoring less…18-1 when opponents score less than 70.
- No. 61 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings…Keydets were No. 149 at tipoff.
- No. 56 on ESPN's College Basketball Power Index (BPI)…VMI was No. 136.
- No. 68 on KenPom with VMI coming in at 152.
- 1,381-1,114 in season No. 103…45th campaign as a DI program with an 835-545 ledger.
- 453-276 in 45th SoCon campaign…246-82 in the Roundhouse in league play…180-185 on the road.
- 23-16 all-time in Game 29…last 29th matchup was an 85-80 loss to Mercer on Feb. 22, 2020.
- 12-13 all-time on Feb. 19…last was the 91-68 runaway win at The Citadel in 2020…6-3 in the SoCon on this date…6-5 at home…1st time facing VMI on Feb. 19.
 
SERIES
All-Time Meetings: 63 | Record: 47-16 | Home: 23-5 | Away: 20-9 | Neutral: 4-2

• 42-14 in regular season SoCon play…22-5 in Chattanooga.
• .821 winning percentage at home vs. Keydets…one of nine teams beaten in at least 75 percent of their visits to the Scenic City (min. 20 games played): Western Carolina (86.7%, 39-6), The Citadel (86.4%, 38-6), Tennessee Wesleyan (82.2%, 37-8), Maryville (82.0%, 21-4), Samford (77.4%, 41-12), Marshall (77.3%, 17-5), Oglethorpe (76.2%, 16-5) and App State (75.0%, 28-7).
• 42 regular season conference wins against VMI ranks fourth behind The Citadel (66), Western Carolina (58) and Furman (51).
• Two schools have only met as members of the Southern Conference.

 
COACH
Lamont Paris (College of Wooster '96)
Record: 82-71

• Home: 46-23 | Away: 32-42 | Neutral: 4-6
• SoCon Regular Season: 41-45 | Home: 23-19 | Road: 18-26
• vs. VMI: 5-4 | Home: 2-2 | Away: 3-2 | Neutral: 0-0

 
INDIVIDUAL
- 28 points and 10 rebounds for Malachi Smith…second double-double of the season with both being 20-10 nights…17 20-point efforts this season is five off Gerald Wilkins' DI era record of 22 in the 1984-85 campaign.
- Smith topped the 1,000-point mark with his 13th point…36th Mocs to score 1,000 in school history…passed Ashley Champion '04 (1,005) and Greg Andrews '71 (1,003) into 34th place at 1,015…28 behind Casey Long '07 (1,043)…his 1,000th came in his 54th game which ties Keith Nelson '92 for second-fastest route in the DI era behind Derrick Kirce '91 who did it in 52…13th Moc to score 1,000 points in two seasons…seventh to do it in first two years with Kirce holding that record at 1,113.
- Smith is four points shy of 600 for the season…he would be the seventh all-time to tally 600 in a campaign in program history joining William Gordon (700, 1976-77), Gerald Wilkins (672, 1984-85), Wayne Golden (657, 1976-77), Golden (635, 1974-75), Stephen McDowell (633, 2008-09) and Chad Copeland (604, 1993-94).
- Five assists for Darius Banks…fourth time this season with five or more.
- Grant Ledford came off the bench to add nine points…3-5 FG, 3-4 from three…team-high +3 in 25:12…fourth game with three or more 3pt made this season.
- 18 points for David Jean-Baptiste…8-18 shooting: 6-9 on 2pt attempts, 2-9 from three…22 multi-trey nights this season (27 games)…16 points (1,684) from 1,700 for his career…4th all-time in scoring at UTC.
- 280 career 3pt made for DJB building on his school record…20 shy of becoming 8th SoCon student-athlete with 300 made in a career.