NOTES | QUOTES | PHOTOS

CHATTANOOGA (Jan. 11, 2024) – The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team used a blistering scoring effort and another quick start to help throw things in cruise control during a historic 109-61 rout over VMI in Southern Conference action on Thursday night inside McKenzie Arena.
 
Following its second-straight win, Chattanooga improves to 10-6 overall and 2-1 inside SoCon play. The 48-point win is the largest margin of victory over an NCAA DI opponent in program history (42, vs. Samford, 12/18/21). VMI drops to 3-13 overall and 0-3 in the league after the defeat.
 
"Overall, I was really happy with our guys and how they performed tonight," said head coach Dan Earl after the game.
 
"We had eight guys in double figures, I think that shows we're sharing the ball. We had 22 assists and just six turnovers, which also shows that. I thought we were focused and played the game the right way overall."

HOW IT HAPPENED
Fueled by the former VMI duo of Trey Bonham and Honor Huff, Chattanooga raced out of the gates with an 18-3 run just six minutes in at the even 14:00 mark of the first half. Bonham and Huff combined for 10 points with the help of a pair of triples and three Bonham steals during the span.
 
The lead grew to as much as 20, 26-6 (11:36), over the next two-plus minutes as the Mocs started the game 10-of-17 (58.8%) from the floor including a 6-of-10 (60.0%) mark from deep. The sixth three came from Randy Brady (12:27) and marked the 51^st-straight game that UTC made six or more triples, tying for the 10^th-longest such streak in NCAA DI history.
 
Chattanooga doubled up VMI at the under eight-minute media timeout, 32-16 (7:50), as seven different Mocs contributed to the point total in the early going. The Mocs would end up holding a 52-30 lead at the break, notching the most first half points against a DI opponent since January 12, 2020 (52, The Citadel).
 
UTC scored 10 of the first 15 points in the second half to extend its advantage to 27, 62-35, with 15:26 left in the contest. The lead continued to grow over the next flurry of action as Demetrius Davis knocked down a three at the 10:30 mark created a 37-point separation, 80-43.
 
The largest lead of the game for the hosts came while surpassing the century mark as a Rudy Fitzgibbons III triple with 3:45 remaining made it a 102-50 difference and marked the second time this season scoring 100 or more. The Mocs continued to hold its dominance in the game's final minutes and capped off the eventual 109-61 final.

RECORDS/SERIES – Chattanooga 10-6, 2-1 SoCon · VMI 3-13, 0-3 SoCon · Series: UTC leads the all-time series 51-16.

THREE KEY NOTES | MORE
1. The +48 margin of victory is the largest MOV over DI opponent in program history… bested previous record of +42 set in an 88-46 win against Samford on 12/18/1981… 109 points is T5th for best scoring total against DI opponent… most against a DI since scoring 125 (program record) against The Citadel on 2/1/2016.
 
2. Chattanooga extended its active NCAA Division I-leading streak of six or more 3PT FG's made in a game… streak is now at 51-straight games… the 51-straight game mark ties the 10^th-longest such streak in NCAA DI history.
 
3. Chattanooga held a 52-30 lead at the half… the 52 points were the most in the first half against a DI opponent since 52 against The Citadel 1/22/20… the squad forced 12 turnovers (nine steals) and shot 58.3% (21-of-36) from the field in the first 20 minutes.

QUOTABLE | MORE
F Randy Brady on the team's fast start to the game.
"Yeah that's definitely been on our minds, starting off fast. We've been changing up the rotation and subbing guys in and out faster just to have more energy, and I think that helped us a lot tonight." 
 
HC Dan Earl on if the game plan involved using Sam Alexis' size.
"He played really well. Obviously with the 15 rebounds, that's huge, and then as you mentioned he had 14 points as well. We were trying to get the ball inside a little bit, and it's one of those things where you think you may have an advantage there, but you don't want to force it or have him thinking that every time I get it, I just have look to score. I thought he did a pretty good job passing the ball, he had four assists and no turnovers which is really good. As a big, you have to just play slow and see and if he's one-on-one attack or if he's not kick it out and I thought he had a very good game overall."

NEXT UP – vs. UNCG – Saturday, Jan. 13 – 7:05 p.m. ET – McKenzie Arena – CBS Sports Network (check local listings) – BUY TICKETS
 
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