CHATTANOOGA --- The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team will face a familiar opponent as the squad takes on Mercer for the second time in less than three days in Southern Conference action on Monday night inside Hawkins Arena in Macon, Ga. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
 
Chattanooga (19-5, 9-2) defeated Mercer (13-11, 6-5 SoCon) on Saturday afternoon, 77-68, in front of a nationally-televised audience inside McKenzie Arena to pull a half-game up in first place in the SoCon standings following a Furman (9-3) loss. UTC shot a blistering 70.4% (19-of-27) from the field in the second half on Saturday to help pull away from a tough Bears team.
 
In the previous two matchups between UTC and Mercer, the two teams have combined for 21 lead chances and 20 ties. Saturday's contest saw 10 lead changes and eight ties while UTC led for 17:03 and Mercer for 16:04. The Mocs are looking for win No. 20 on Monday, which would mark the second 20-win season under head coach Lamont Paris and the 18^th in program history (DI era, since 1977-78).

The game at Mercer can be streamed LIVE on ESPN+ and can be accessed through the Watch ESPN platform. Fans can also listen LIVE on WFLI 96.1 FM/100.3 FM/1070 AM in Chattanooga as well as the Varsity Network app.

GAME BASICS
▪ Chattanooga (19-5, 9-2) vs. Mercer (13-11, 6-5)
▪ 7:00 p.m. ET | Hawkins Arena (3,500) | Macon, Ga.
▪ WATCH (ESPN+) | LISTEN (WFLI 96.1FM/100.3FM/1070AM) | STATS

RADIO NOTE: WFLI added 96.1 and 100.3 FM to their arsenal of stations. The previous agreement had the Mocs on 97.7 FM and 1070 AM which was a good base of operation. Starting this weekend, 96.1 takes the place of 97.7 while 100.3 is added. The change to 96.1 adds the audio reach by roughly 100,000 homes while 100.3 expands the overall coverage further north of the Tennessee River especially strengthening the signal in Hixson and Soddy-Daisy.
 
Mocs Sports Network is developed by Mocs Sports Properties, the Learfield-owned multimedia rights holder for Mocs athletics. MSN broadcasts every men's and women's basketball and football game as well as "Chat with the Mocs", a weekly coach's show covering all things Mocs.
 
Mocs Sports Network Stations: 96.1 FM, 100.3 FM & 1070 AM.

GAME NOTES
Chattanooga | Mercer (currently unavailable) | SoCon
 
SERIES HISTORY – 84^th Meeting
All-Time: 42-41 – Chattanooga
Last: 77-68, Chattanooga – Feb. 5, 2022 (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Home: 24-13 – Chattanooga
Away: 27-15 – Mercer
Neutral: 3-1 – Chattanooga

TIP-OFF
- Chattanooga enters the game with a 19-5 record and a 9-2 mark in SoCon play... half game up in first place in the SoCon standings (Furman, 9-3)... coming off a 77-68 home win over Mercer on Saturday... Chattanooga is slotted at No. 58 in the latest NET Rankings (2/5)... highest team in the SoCon... third highest in state of TN (Tennessee, 12 - Belmont, 41).
 
- Chattanooga and Mercer will meet for the second time in just two days... Saturday's contest the game featured 10 lead chances and eight ties... the last two meetings between the two teams have accumulated a combined 21 lead changes and 20 ties... Saturday's game saw UTC lead for 17:03 and Mercer for 16:04... the Mocs shot a blistering 70.4% in the second half to pull away.
 
- Mercer enters the matchup with a 13-11 overall record and a 6-5 record inside the league... the Bears loss to Chattanooga on Saturday marked its third loss in the last four games... fell to fourth place in the league standings... half game back of VMI (7-5)... Mercer's home and away splits are dramatic as they carry a 9-2 mark at home this season and a 3-8 tally on the road.

BY THE NUMBERS 
- Graduate big man Josh Ayeni scored a career-high 18 points on 8-of-10 (80.0%) shooting including a perfect 2-of-2 (100.0%) performance from beyond the arc in Saturday's win... started collegiate career in 2016-17 with St. Bonaventure... transferred to South Alabama after 2017-18 season... transferred to Chattanooga after the 2019-20 season… six points shy of 600 in his career.
 
- Chattanooga is looking for its 20th win of the season on Monday... one of 19 teams with 19 wins... entering Sunday, only four teams have accumulated 20+ wins (Auburn & Murray St. 22, So. Dakota State 21, Purdue 20)... would be 18th 20 win season for UTC in the Division I era (since 1977-78)... second under Lamont Paris (20-13 in 2019-20).
 
- On Saturday, Mercer led by four, 36-32, at halftime... Mocs blitzed the Bears 45-32 after the break... UTC is now 6-2 this season when trailing at halftime… shot 70.4 percent (19-27) in the second half... best this season... fourth time making 60 percent or better after intermission... best second-half shooting performance since 71.4 percent (20-28) on Jan. 13, 2021 helping erase a 19-point deficit after 18 minutes against... Mercer.

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