2023-24 Chattanooga Mocs Men's Basketball
Game 1 – vs. Covenant
November 6 – McKenzie Arena – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Postgame Notes
 
GENERAL
- Chattanooga posted an 89-44 victory over NCAA DIII member Covenant in the 2023-24 season opener on Monday night inside McKenzie Arena… 2,946 on hand in the Roundhouse.
 
- Chattanooga begins the season 1-0 after the victory… Covenant remains at 0-0 as the contest was a designated exhibition for the Scots… it was a wire-to-wire victory in which UTC held the lead for 39:36… largest lead was 45, which ended as the final.
 
- The Mocs are now 9-3 in season-opening games over the last 12 dating back to 2012-13… third time defeating Covenant in a season opener… November 9, 2007 (W, 120-59) & November 8, 2013 (W, 119-56).

- All-time record 1,406-1,132… 860-562 in Division I era (since 1977-78)… 477-145 (.770) all-time inside McKenzie Arena.
 
- The Mocs outscored the Scots by a wide 42-18 margin in the paint while finishing the contest shooting 77.4% (24-of-31) from inside the arc… held Covenant to a 25.8% (16-of-62) mark from the floor in total… 16.1% (5-of-16) from three… fourth time allowed less than 20.0% from deep under Earl.
 
- Chattanooga recorded 52 rebounds with 36 on defense and 16 on offense… earned a 52-27 (+25) margin… second-largest margin under Earl (+28 vs. Johnson 12/10/22).
 
- Chattanooga struggled from three-point land after ending with an 8-of-28 (28.6%) mark during the win… the 28.6% is tied for the fourth lowest 3PT% since the start of last season… eight threes made is tied for second lowest in the same span.
 
- Chattanooga led 42-20 at halftime over Covenant… sixth time under Earl with a 20+ advantage at the break… team finished 16-of-28 (57.1%) from the floor… held the Scots to a 7-of-31 (22.6%) mark from the field including a 2-of-17 (11.8%) tally from deep.
 
SERIES
All-Time Meetings: 5^th Meeting | Record: 5-0 | Home: 5-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0
 
COACH
Dan Earl (Penn State '97), 2^nd Season
Record: 19-17 (UTC) | 92-156 (9^th)

• Home: 62-52 | Away: 22-93 | Neutral: 8-11
• vs. Covenant: 2-0 | Home: 2-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0
• Season Openers: 4-5

INDIVIDUAL
- Jan Zidek finished with a game-high 25 points while adding six rebounds, an assist and a block… went 11-of-13 from the floor including 3-of-4 from deep… 11 made FG's ties a career high… made 11 at Loyola Marymount back on 1/20/22 with Pepperdine… eighth career 20+ scoring effort.

- Sam Alexis stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, a career-high 13 rebounds, five blocks and four assists… just the ninth different player in NCAA DI since the start of the 2021-22 season to reach those totals in each category… 13 rebounds surpasses career total set twice last season.

- Myles Che (seven points), Noah Melson (eight points), T.J. Kolbe & Ryan Lopez all made collegiate debuts tonight… Honor Huff (nine points) made UTC debut and first appearance since 2021-22 after sitting out last season due to SoCon transfer rules… Rudy Fitzgibbons III also saw action for the first time since 2021-22 after sitting out due to injury last year… Fitzgibbons III added seven points.

- Honor Huff finished with nine points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals… finished a team and game-high +41 in the +/- category… largest + for a Moc in a game since David Jean-Baptiste against Tennessee Wesleyan on 12/12/2021.