CHATTANOOGA --- The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team gets set for a midweek home contest as they welcome Western Carolina to McKenzie Arena for a key Southern Conference matchup on Wednesday night. Tip-off in the 100th meeting between the two schools is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Chattanooga (10-7, 2-2 SoCon) is coming off an 85-78 victory over VMI on Saturday afternoon, a game in which featured head coach Dan Earl and graduate transfer Jake Stephens matching up against their former program. The Mocs improved to a perfect 6-0 this season in Saturday games.
Stephens notched his 10th double-double of the season after finishing Saturday's game with 37 points and 15 rebounds. The 37 points marked the most in a game by a Moc since 2013 and the most against a DI opponent since 2011. The 10 double-doubles is currently tied for third most in NCAA DI.
Following his efforts, Stephens was tabbed the Southern Conference Player of the Week on Monday for the sixth time this season and 11th of his career. He joins former Davidson legend and current NBA superstar Stephen Curry as the only two players in SoCon history to win the award six or more times in a season.
Western Carolina (10-7, 3-1 SoCon) enters the game on Wednesday coming off a streak-snapping 71-60 victory on the road at ETSU on Saturday. The win for the Catamounts snapped a 15-game losing streak at ETSU which dated all the way back to 1996.
Fans can watch the game LIVE on ESPN+ through the Watch ESPN and ESPN App platforms or fans can also listen LIVE on WFLI 96.1 FM/100.3 FM/ 1070AM in Chattanooga as well as the Varsity Network app.
GAME INFO
Chattanooga (10-7, 2-2 SoCon) vs. W. Carolina (10-7, 3-1 SoCon)
Wednesday, Jan. 11 · 7 p.m. ET · Chattanooga, Tenn. · McKenzie Arena (10,995)
ESPN+ · Listen · Live Stats · Buy Tickets
GAME NOTES
Chattanooga · Western Carolina · SoCon
SERIES INFO
100th Meeting · Record: 69-30 · Home: 39-6 · Away: 23-22 · Neutral: 7-2
Last Meeting: February 9, 2022 – W, 65-47 – McKenzie Arena (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
LAST TIME OUT
Chattanooga (10-7, 2-2 SoCon) found itself back in the win column following an 85-78 victory on Saturday afternoon over Southern Conference foe VMI. Jake Stephens was dominant against his former team after posting his 10th double-double of the season behind a 37-point, 15-rebound performance. The 37 points scored were the most in a game by a Moc since 2013 and the most against a DI opponent since 2011.
CHATTANOOGA IN THE STAT RANKINGS (1/10)
CATEGORY # NCAA DI RANK
Three-Pointers Per Game 12.2 1st
Three-Point Attempts Per Game 31.5 1st
Three-Point Percentage 38.6 19th
Assists Per Game 16.8 24th
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio 1.33 45th
Dalvin White (A/TO Ratio) 4.09 1st
Jake Stephens (Points/Gm) 21.4 10th
Jake Stephens (Total Points) 363 4th
Jake Stephens (Reb./Gm) 10.5 9th
Jake Stephens (Double-Doubles) 10 3rd
THREE'S KEY TO SUCCESS
After finishing Saturday's contest 48.3% (14-of-29) from three, Chattanooga improved to 6-0 this season when shooting 40.0% or better from behind the arc. UTC ranks 19th in NCAA DI with a 38.6% three-point FG percentage.
ONE OF THE NATION'S BEST FROM DEEP
Entering NCAA DI action on Tuesday (1/10), Chattanooga ranks No. 1 in NCAA Division I behind a 12.2 three-pointers per game average. The Mocs currently hold nearly a half-shot lead over the second-ranked team in Liberty (11.8).
EARL EFFECT FROM DEEP
Chattanooga (12.2 - 1st), Cornell (11.5- 3rd), and Penn State (10.7 - 6th) rank among the nation's top three-point shooting teams. Cornell is led by Dan Earl's younger brother Brian while Penn State is Earl's alma mater (1997).
WORKING ON THE WEEKENDS
Following Chattanooga's 85-78 victory over VMI on Saturday, the Mocs improved to a perfect 6-0 this season when lacing it up on Saturdays. In addition, both SoCon victories this season came on Saturday. UTC heads into Wednesday's contest 1-4 in games played on Wednesday.
JOHNSON CATCHING FIRE
Graduate transfer Jamal Johnson has found his stroke from deep over a recent stretch of games. Johnson has connected on three or more threes in nine-straight games including consecutive 6-of-10 performances against Georgia and The Citadel. He scored a career-high 23 points at Georgia before adding 21 points in back-to-back games against The Citadel and Mercer to open the SoCon slate. He scored 19 at UNCG and 13 on Saturday against VMI.
MAGIC NUMBER 80
Chattanooga moved to 9-0 this season in games where the offense scores 80 or more points following the 85-78 win over VMI. The Mocs are just 1-7 in games scoring less than 80 points.
STEPHENS NAMED SOCON PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER
Jake Stephens was named the SoCon Player of the Month for December, the league office announced on Thursday. Stephens has now won the award twice this season (November/December) and has accumulated four career monthly honors, becoming just the fourth player to do so in SoCon history. He's the first since Fletcher Magee in 2018-19 to win it in back-to-back months.
STEPHENS IN NATIONAL COMPARISON
How does Jake Stephens' hot start compare to others around the country? Stephens is currently the only player in NCAA DI averaging at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. He joins Purdue's Zach Edey as the only two players who are averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per contest. His scoring average of 21.4 points per game ranks 10th in NCAA DI while his 363 total points is fourth most in Division I this season.
FOLLOW CHATTANOOGA BASKETBALL
Follow @GoMocsMBB on Twitter & on Instagram for the most up-to-date information and news regarding Chattanooga men's basketball.
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Buy officially licensed gear in our online store. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or on Twitter. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here.
