NOTES | QUOTES | PHOTOS

CHATTANOOGA (Jan. 13, 2024) – Following one of the most explosive offensive outputs in program history, the Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team went cold from the floor which ultimately led to a 70-54 defeat to Southern Conference-foe UNCG on Saturday evening inside McKenzie Arena.
 
Following the loss, Chattanooga moves to 10-7 overall and evens its league record at 2-2. UNCG improves to 12-5 overall and 3-1 inside league play after the win.
 
"A ton of credit to UNCG, they played extremely well as you could see. That was kind of a grown man's game and they played with a tremendous toughness," said head coach Dan Earl after the game.
 
"I did not think we were nearly tough enough, both rebounding loose balls defensively, but also when adversity hit. They just put it on us, and we have a lot to learn and grow from."

HOW IT HAPPENED
UNCG opened the game with an early 11-5 lead after back-to-back triples created the six-point separation at the first media timeout (15:08). Chattanooga came storming back behind the efforts of Trey Bonham after the senior guard knocked down four triples to give UTC a 23-19 (10:06) lead.
 
The Spartans answered quickly with 11 unanswered points while holding the Mocs scoreless for over three minutes to jump back in front, 31-23, at the 6:50 mark of the opening half. UTC would score the half's final five points to cut into its deficit that reached as many as 12, ultimately ending the half trailing 37-30.
 
UNCG extended its lead with a red-hot start to the second half, knocking down a pair of triples on three attempts while converting a fastbreak layup to build a 45-32 advantage and forcing UTC into a timeout with 17:11 left in the game. The lead for the visitors remained comfortable over the next three-plus minutes as it grew to 16, 53-37, at the 13:50 mark.
 
Chattanooga fought back and shortened its deficit to 11, 60-49 (7:11), before UNCG halted the comeback effort with a 7-2 run over the next three-plus minutes, building its edge back to 16, 67-51 (3:52). The Spartans would eventually close things out down the stretch and make its trek home with a 70-54 victory.

RECORDS/SERIES – Chattanooga 10-7, 2-2 SoCon · UNCG 12-5, 3-1 SoCon · Series: UNCG now leads the all-time series 28-27.

THREE KEY NOTES | MORE
1. Chattanooga extended its three-point streak of six or more in a game to 52-straight after finishing with seven made triples… the 52-straight game streak of 6+ 3PT FG's is the longest active such streak in NCAA DI… 10^th longest in NCAA DI history.
 
2. Chattanooga shot just 30.9% (17-of-55) from the field during the loss… the 17 made FG's is the lowest since knocking down 17 against Western Carolina on January 12, 2022… lowest FG% since 30.8% (20-of-65) against Tennessee Tech on November 30, 2020.
 
3. Chattanooga shot just 7-of-34 (20.6%) from three in the loss… outside of Trey Bonham's 6-of-12 3PT FG performance, the team combined to go 1-of-22 (0.05%).

QUOTABLE | MORE
HC Dan Earl on how you can match that level of physicality.
"I think a large part of it is just understanding that that is the college game of basketball and just having some pride. We set some screens as well, and they kind of just blew up those screens and went right through them. They screen us and we just run into the screen somehow. We have to just take more pride and just be physically tougher. I have to do a better job at making them understand how tough college basketball is and how physically tough and mature you have to be. We'll work at that, certainly. A decent amount of it is just individual pride."
 
G Trey Bonham on improving the team's physicality moving forward.
"It starts within. It's not looking at others and saying it was his fault that I did this. It starts with looking in the mirror and saying, how can I get better? What did I do wrong? I think that's a big thing, just looking in the mirror first and just noticing what your critiques are and then fixing them."

NEXT UP – at Mercer – Wednesday, Jan. 17 – 7 p.m. ET – Macon, Ga. – ESPN+
 
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