STATS | NOTES | QUOTES | PHOTOS
 
ASHEVILLE---The Chattanooga Mocs made it interesting before dispatching Samford 85-82 in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Championships presented by Ingles. The Mocs led by as many as 18 in the second half before giving up the lead late then collecting the win.
 
Jamal Johnson was near perfect making six-of-seven threes scoring 25 points. Jake Stephens added 21 in the winning effort, while Dalvin White and A.J. Caldwell contributed 12 and 11, respectively. Jermaine Marshall led the Bulldogs with a game-high 27.
 
The Mocs face the winner of UNC Greensboro-Wofford in a SoCon Sunday Semifinal in Harrah's Cherokee Center. Game time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., on ESPN+ ending a day that starts with the women's basketball team playing fir its 19th SoCon Tournament Crown at Noon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Where to begin? It's gotta be the end. The Mocs led by as many as 18 in the second half before the Bulldogs whittled it away to less than nothing. Marshall gave his teammates a 79-78 lead with scores on three straight possessions. That turned a 77-72 UTC lead in a 79-78 deficit with 1:42 remaining on a three to end the stretch.
 
It reached two, 80-78, when Logan Dye made one of two free throw attempts inside a minute. Johnson got free in the corner in front of his own bench with 36 ticks on the clock drilling his sixth three of the night. That lead, the Mocs did not relinquish. Not that there wasn't a modicum of drama.
 
Stephens hit two free throws off a defensive stop before A.J. Staton-McCray's layup with 7.2 to go got it back to one, 83-82. White took the in-bounds pass and was immediately fouled making two more for the final margin of 85-82.
 
It still was nervy. Bubba Parham missed the first of two free throws with 2.7 to play before his forced miss in hopes of an offensive rebound missed iron and the ball went to the Mocs. Caldwell threw it deep to Johnson who dribbled out the clock for the win.
 
Chattanooga methodically built its advantage. It see-sawed a bit early in the first half before the Mocs took control with a 42-37 halftime lead. The second half was an early sprint.
 
UTC opened on a 13-0 run delighting the mostly Mocs crowd in Asheville as Caldwell's triple at 16:52 put the good guys up 55-37. Samford chipped away getting it back under 10 for the first time at 9:39 courtesy of a Jaden Campbell three.
 
The Mocs held them off getting it built back to a 10-point advantage four times before a frantic Samford effort in the final minutes set up the final two minutes theater.
 
RECORDS/SERIES
Chattanooga (17-16) | Samford (21-11)
Series: Chattanooga leads 68-42 all-time / Chattanooga leads 4-0 in SoCon Tournament Meetings
 
NOTES TO KNOW

• 4-0 against Samford in the SoCon Tournament scoring 80 or more three times. Two of the wins – 2009 semifinals & 2016 quarterfinals – were en route to SoCon titles.
• The Mocs are off to a hot start from the field in Asheville. In the two wins, they're averaging 88.5 points per game shooting 55.1 percent (60-109) overall and 47.2 percent (25-53) from 3pt range.
• +10 on the boards tonight (36-26) with no rebounder grabbing more than Demetrius Davis' six. Stephens, Caldwell, Johnson and Randy Brady recorded five apiece.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The Mocs led for 28:42 of playing time with six lead changes and just three ties in what was inevitably a close game.
• Samford was +10 in points off turnovers (9-19). 10 of the 19 came in the second half seemingly all in the final eight minutes.
• 4th game this season with six threes for Johnson. He made three or more 17 times including all three meetings with Samford. He was a game-high +13 playing 31:32.

 
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