CHATTANOOGA --- The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team looks to make it three-straight when it heads to league-leading Samford for a nationally televised Southern Conference matchup inside the Pete Hanna Center in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday night. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU (check local listings).
Chattanooga (11-7, 3-2 SoCon) is coming off an impressive 95-76 home win over a streaking Western Carolina team on Wednesday night to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since its six-game winning streak in mid-December. The Mocs snapped the Catamounts three-game win streak in what marked the 100th all-time meeting between the two programs.
Jake Stephens put on another historic performance after finishing with 35 points (13-18 FG, 2-4 3PT, 7-8 FT), 10 rebounds and five assists to help lift the Mocs to its third league win. It was his second-straight 35-point, 10-rebound game as he became the first player in NCAA Divsion I since 2019 (Nathan Knight, William & Mary), and just the fifth since 2010-11, to accomplish the feat in consecutive games.
Samford (11-7, 5-0 SoCon) rides a five-game win streak inside league play heading into Saturday and has played to an 8-2 mark at home this season. Dealing with injuries, the Bulldogs have had a roller coaster campaign, starting the year on a six-game win streak before dropping seven-straight and turning it around into five-straight wins.
Fans can watch the game LIVE on ESPNU through your cable provider (check local listings) and 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 (11-7, 3-2 SoCon) at Samford (11-7, 5-0 SoCon)
Saturday, Jan. 14 · 6 p.m. ET · Birmingham, Ala. · Pete Hanna Center (5,000)
ESPNU · Listen · Live Stats
GAME NOTES
Chattanooga · Samford · SoCon
SERIES INFO
108th Meeting · Record: 67-40 · Home: 42-12 · Away: 42-12 · Neutral: 2-0
Last Meeting: February 26, 2022 – W, 70-57 – McKenzie Arena (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
LAST TIME OUT
Chattanooga (11-7, 3-2 SoCon) earned consecutive wins for the first time since mid-December following a 95-76 triumph over a streaking Western Carolina team on Wednesday. The Mocs snapped the Catamounts three-game win streak in what marked the 100th meeting between the two schools. UTC shot a blistering 60.8% (31-of-51) from the floor to mark the highest FG percentage against a SoCon opponent since 2010 (Georgia Southern).
THREE'S KEY TO SUCCESS
After finishing Wednesday's contest 42.9% (9-of-21) from three, Chattanooga improved to 7-0 this season when shooting 40.0% or better from behind the arc. UTC ranks 17th in NCAA DI with a 38.8% three-point FG percentage.
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 improved to just 2-4 this season in Wednesday games after the 95-76 win over WCU.
STEPHENS MAGIC CONTINUES
Graduate transfer Jake Stephens continued his unbelievable 2022-23 campaign after posting 35 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Wednesday's win over WCU. The performance marked his second-straight 30-plus point, 10-plus rebound effort to become the first Moc to post consecutive 30/10 games since Chad Copeland in 1993-94. Stephens became the first player in NCAA Division I since 2019 (Nathan Knight, William & Mary) to post consecutive 35/10 games.
MAGIC NUMBER 80
Chattanooga moved to 10-0 this season in games where the offense scores 80 or more points following the 95-76 win over WCU. 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 2.3 blocks per game. He joins Purdue's Zach Edey as the only two players who are averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per contest. If the season were to end today, Stephens would be the first DI player to average 20ppg, 10rpg, 3apg & 2bpg since Tim Duncan (Wake Forest) in 1996-97, per OptaSTATS.
ONE OF THE NATION'S BEST FROM DEEP
Entering NCAA DI action on Thursday (1/12), Chattanooga ranks No. 1 in NCAA Division I behind a 12.0 three-pointers per game average. The Mocs currently hold a slight lead over the second-ranked team in Liberty (11.8).
EARL EFFECT FROM DEEP
Chattanooga (12.0 - 1st), Cornell (11.5- 3rd), and Penn State (11.1 - 4th) 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).
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