2022-23 Chattanooga Mocs Men's Basketball
Game 33 – vs. #2 Samford (Quarterfinals)
March 4 – Harrah's Cherokee Center – Asheville, N.C.
Postgame Notes
 
GENERAL
- #7 Chattanooga advances to the Southern Conference semifinal round after an 85-82 victory over #2 Samford on Saturday… 26^th all-time semifinal appearance… UTC improves to 17-16 overall this season… Samford drops to 21-11.
 
- All-time record 1,403-1,132… 857-562 in Division I era (since 1977-78).
 
- All-time record in the Southern Conference Tournament… 62-33 overall… 4-0 all-time against Samford… previous meeting resulted in 89-79 win in the First Round in 2018.
 
- After tonight's 85-point effort and yesterday's 92-point output, it marks the first time since 2009 in which Chattanooga scored 80+ two or more times in the Southern Conference Tournament.
 
- Chattanooga is now 26-18 all-time in the quarterfinal round… 2-0 against Samford… previous meeting was a 59-54 win on March 5, 2016.
 
- Chattanooga finished the game 15-of-28 (53.6%) from three… fourth game this season with 15 or more… UTC moves to 12-1 this season when shooting 40.0% or better from deep… second best 3PT FG% of the season against a DI opponent (53.8% at TTU).
 
- UTC was led by Jamal Johnson (25) and Jake Stephens (21) in the scoring category… duo combined to shoot 13-of-20 (65.0%) from the floor… 9-of-12 (75.0%) from three.
 
- The Mocs earned a 36-26 (+10) advantage in total rebounds… combined +22 in the last two games… best +/- two-game stretch since +32 (16/16) against MTSU and Belmont in December.
 
- UTC led the contest for 28:42… Samford for 8:17… six lead changes and three ties.
 
- Chattanooga turned the ball over 16 times which led to 19 Samford points… most turnovers in a win since December 15 at MTSU.
 
- UTC used a quick 13-0 run (16-0 in total) out of the halftime break to build a 55-37 lead… largest lead of the game for either team… run was capped off by an A.J. Caldwell three in the corner.
 
- The Mocs held Samford to a 2-of-11 (18.2%) start from the field in the second half… created a 17-6 advantage which allowed for the 18-point lead.
 
- Chattanooga held the lead at the half in all three meetings… 45-31 in the first… 38-37 in the second… 42-37 tonight… UTC entered the game just 12-5 when leading at the half.
 
- The Mocs went on a 7-0 run to break a 29-29 tie from the 5:53 to 2:41 mark of the opening half… held Samford to an 0-of-4 mark from the field in addition to forcing a turnover during the span.
 
- The Mocs have hit a combined 24 threes during the first half in the three matchups against Samford… 7-of-17 (41.2%) in the first meeting… 8-of-17 (47.1%) in the second… 9-of-16 (56.3%) in the third… combined 24-of-50 (48.0%).
 
- Chattanooga scored 64% (27) of its first half 42-point total from behind the arc… just 14% (6) came from inside the paint.
 
SERIES
All-Time Meetings: 110^th Meeting | Record: 68-42 | Home: 42-13 | Away: 23-29 | Neutral: 4-0
SoCon Tournament: 4-0
 
COACH
Dan Earl (Penn State '97), 1^st Season
Record: 17-16 (UTC) | 90-155 (8^th)

• Home: 61-52 | Away: 22-93 | Neutral: 7-10
• vs. Samford: 4-15 | Home: 3-5 | Away: 0-8 | Neutral: 2-2
• SoCon Tournament: 2-2

 
INDIVIDUAL
- Jamal Johnson finished with a team-high 25 points on 7-of-10 shooting… 6-of-7 from three… connected on go-ahead three with 0:36 left… first six or more three performance from a Moc in the SoCon Tournament since Rashun Coleman in 1999… 6-of-7 (85.7%) ties program record at SoCon Tournament… LeVert Threats (6-of-7) in 1992.
 
- Jake Stephens posted 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting… went 3-of-5 from deep… 6-of-9 from the charity stripe… knocked down two crucial free throws with 0:14 left to give UTC 83-80 lead… added five rebounds and four assists.
 
- Dalvin White added 12 points… went perfect from the free-throw line at 4-of-4… added three assists and three boards.