2022-23 Chattanooga Mocs Men's Basketball
Game 34 – vs. #6 Wofford (Semifinals)
March 5 – Harrah's Cherokee Center – Asheville, N.C.
Postgame Notes
 
GENERAL
- #7 Chattanooga fell 88-79 to #1 Furman in the 2023 Ingles Southern Conference Championship… UTC ends the season 18-17 overall… fourth-straight winnings season… Furman claims its first SoCon title since 1980 and improves to 27-7.
 
- The Mocs were in search of being the first SoCon team to win the tournament crown having to win four games in four days... the last?... Clemson in 1939.

- All-time record 1,405-1,132… 859-562 in Division I era (since 1977-78).
 
- All-time record in the Southern Conference Tournament… 63-34 overall… 5-5 all-time against Furman… previous meeting resulted in 64-63 (OT) win last season in the championship round on March 7 before tonight.
 
- Chattanooga appeared in its 20^th SoCon Tournament title game… 12-8 all-time in title games… UTC is now 3-1 in its last four title games after tonight's loss.
 
- Chattanooga has won 18 or more games in each of the past four seasons… eight of the past 10 seasons… Dan Earl has surpassed his previous single season high in wins (16) set in 2021-22.

- The 88 points allowed by Chattanooga was the most in the SoCon Tournament for the program sicne allowed 97 in a 97-90 loss to ETSU in 2003.
 
- The Mocs ended just 8-of-25 (32.0%) from behind the arc during the loss… the eight threes made ties the lowest since at Western Carolina on February 4… seven threes made was the season-low.
 
- Chattanooga and Furman tied the rebounding category at 34-34… both had five offensive rebounds and 29 defensive rebounds… the even margin of rebounding difference following the last matchup with Furman where the Paladins earned a +21 advantage.
 
- The Paladins created separation in pair of specialty stats… outscored UTC 13-6 in points off turnovers… 21-9 in points off the bench… the Mocs committed 10 turnovers to Furman's eight.
 
- Furman used an 18-0 run over a five-minute stretch to turn a 7-5 deficit into a 23-7 lead early on… UTC went 0-of-7 from the floor during the stretch… three turnovers.
 
- Chattanooga used a 15-0 run over a four-minute stretch to cut a 30-11 deficit into just a four-point disadvantage 30-26 (3:08)… UTC connected on 5-of-6 field goals during the stretch.

- Chattanooga entered the contest No. 176 in the latest NET Ranking… Furman checked in at No. 88… Paladins were slotted No. 9 in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25.
 
SERIES
All-Time Meetings: 97^th Meeting | Record: 57-40 | Home: 31-12 | Away: 19-26 | Neutral: 7-2
SoCon Tournament: 5-5
 
COACH
Dan Earl (Penn State '97), 1^st Season
Record: 18-17 (UTC) | 91-156 (8^th)

• Home: 61-52 | Away: 22-93 | Neutral: 8-11
• vs. Furman: 3-13 | Home: 2-6 | Away: 0-7 | Neutral: 1-1
• SoCon Tournament: 1-1

 
INDIVIDUAL
- Jake Stephens finished the contest with 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting… grabbed eight boards… finished all four games of the Southern Conference Tournament with 20 or more… 92 total points during tournament play is a UTC record… 31 FG's made is also a UTC tournament record… finished 31-of-55 (56.4%) from the field… named to Southern Conference All-Tournament First Team.
 
- Jamal Johnson added 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting… 4-of-8 from deep… added six rebounds and four assists… named to Southern Conference All-Tournament Second Team... surpassed 250 career three-pointers made... fell just three points shy of 1,200 in a career (485) at UTC.
 
- A.J. Caldwell finished his career with a double-double effort… 14 points and 10 rebounds… added game-high seven assists to nearly miss triple-double.