CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga women's basketball team fell 64-43 Thursday night at The McKenzie Arena in Southern Conference action to Furman, dropping to 7-21 overall and 5-8 in league play. The Paladins improve to 16-11 overall and 9-4 against the SoCon.
 
"Their MO is to pack the paint against us and take a chance because we're not shooting the three consistently and we didn't," head coach Katie Burrows said following the game. "I felt like we were moving the ball well and getting really good looks, but the shots weren't falling."
 
The Mocs struggled to get on the board early but Furman made five of its first six attempts to lead 17-5 after the opening quarter.
 
However, Chattanooga responded with an 8-0 run behind a pair of 3-pointers from Dena Jarrells at the start of the second to close the gap to 17-13 early in the period. It wouldn't be enough with Furman responding with a run of its own to lead 34-15 at the half.
 
After a stagnant third quarter for both teams, the Mocs came on the final period, edging Furman 21-19 led by eight points from Karsen Murphy. Chattanooga scored seven points on three Furman miscues while only giving up three points on its own three turnovers in the final frame. The Mocs were near perfect at the line making 8-of-9 in the final quarter.
 
Murphy posted her second double-double of her career with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Jarrells, with a trio of 3-pointers, led UTC against the Paladins with 13 points. Addie Grace Porter was fierce on the boards with a career-best 13 and four on the offensive end. She added seven points to the mix while she and Jarrells, along with Amaria Pugh, each had two assists.
 
Chattanooga shot 21.1 percent (12-57) from the field with a 7-of-31 performance from the arc. At the line, UTC made 12-of-17.
 
Furman, led by 15 points from Sydney James, shot 33.3 percent (21-63) and outdueled UTC at the 3-point line making 13-of-27. James had five and added seven rebounds. Grace van Rij, also with seven rebounds, was the only other Paladin in double digits with 10 points.
 
League-leading scorer and rebounder Tierra Hodges was held to eight points and a team-high 11 boards while Tate Walters added eight points and nine rebounds. Niveya Henly dropped in eight points for Furman as well.
 
The Mocs face Wofford Saturday afternoon in a 1:30 p.m. tip-off at the Roundhouse. Prior to the game, UTC will honor its lone senior Pare Pene. Tickets are on sale at GoMocs.com. That ticket will get you a seat at the men's home finale as well, following the women's game.
 
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NOTES
The Mocs hosted a Cancer Awareness Game with the players wearing pops of pink and the coaching staff sporting a black T-shirt with a multi-colored ribbon representing all cancers.
 
Prior to the game, the Mocs paid tribute to Grace Keith, former head coach who laid the foundation in 1974 for women's basketball at UTC.