CHATTANOOGA --- Chattanooga women's basketball returns to action and the Roundhouse for the first time in 2024 on Wednesday, as the Mocs welcome North Carolina Central to McKenzie Arena on January 3.
The Mocs (11-3, 0-0 SoCon) will be aiming to get back on track in the team's final non-conference game of the 2023-24 season, with UTC riding a two-game losing streak heading into their matchup with the Eagles (5-8, 0-0 MEAC).
Wednesday's game between UTC and NCCU will tip off at 7 p.m. ET at McKenzie Arena with live streaming available through ESPN+. Fans can also catch the game over the radio on 96.1 FM/100.3 FM/1070 AM or follow along via live stats on GoMocs.com.
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Date: Wednesday, January 2, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Follow the game live online on ESPN+, WFLI, The Varsity App or the GoMocs App. Links are available online at GoMocs.com.
ABOUT CHATTANOOGA (11-3, 0-0 SoCon)
The Mocs will close out their 2023-24 non-conference slate with their matchup against the Eagles, as the 11-3 Mocs carry a two-loss streak into Wednesday's game. On the surface, UTC is very much a "three-and-D" team with the Mocs ranking 27th in the nation in scoring defense (53.9) while also ranking 36th in the country in three-point percentage (.368). Chattanooga is led by Jada Guinn, who is averaging a team-high 17.6 points/game while also putting up an average of 6.4 rebounds/game. Guinn has logged double-doubles in each of her last two games for the Mocs, and the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, native has also put up 10+ points in all 14 games for UTC this season.
ABOUT NC CENTRAL (5-8, 0-0 MEAC)
North Carolina Central has had a slight rollercoaster of a season to date, with the Eagles holding a record of 5-8 so far through non-conference play. NCCU most recently suffered a NYE loss to Furman, snapping a two-game win streak for the Eagles. Some notable wins for the NC Central squad this year include W's over Western Carolina, UNC Asheville and UNC Wilmington. The Eagles also were able to secure a staggering 132-22 victory over Mid-Atlantic Christian earlier this season, breaking numerous team records in the process. Some names to watch for NCCU include forward Morgan Callahan, who is nearly averaging a double-double for the Eagles this season (10.9 points/game, 8.2 rebounds/game), as well as the team's leading scorer Kimeira Burks (14.2 points/game). Kyla Bryant is another name to watch, as she averages 13.8 points/game alongside a team-high 2.3 steals/game. Both Burks (First Team) and Callahan (Third Team) were honored as Preseason All-MEAC selections prior to the 2023-24 getting underway.
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Wednesday's game marks the very first time that the Chattanooga and NC Central women's basketball teams will meet on the hardwood.
TOP NOTES
• Both Raven Thompson and grad transfer Jada Guinn earned Preseason All-SoCon nods from the conference prior to the season.
• Guinn has won a total of three different Player of the Week honors this season. She is a two-time SoCon POTW and one-time TSWA POTW.
• Guinn has logged double-doubles in back-to-back games for the Mocs entering today's matchup. The grad student currently has as many double-doubles this season (3) as she had in her entire four-year career at Tennessee Tech (3).
• Thompson is coming off of a career-high 27-point performance in UTC's 64-60 loss to Richmond. It marked her 11th 20-point outing of her career and third of the season for the Mocs.
• The duo of Guinn and Thompson has scored a combined 436 of the Mocs' 900 points this year, with Guinn averaging 17.6 and Thompson averaging 14.5.
• Hannah Kohn (30 3PT made this season) has her sights set on earning a new UTC freshman record for three-pointers made in a season. The current freshman record is 64 set by Lakelyn Bouldin during her freshman year in 2016-17.
50 SEASONS OF CHATTANOOGA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The 2023 season for the Chattanooga women's basketball team marks a major landmark for the program and the university, as UTC women's basketball officially celebrates its 50th season of competition as a university sponsored athletic program. Following the adoption of the Title IX legislation back in 1972, UTC added women's basketball, tennis and volleyball programs to its roster of athletic teams, bringing on five decades of history and success for each of the teams. Chattanooga WBB will be putting on multiple promotions and content pieces throughout the 2023-24 season to celebrate the program's history, culminating in the team hosting its 50th Season Celebration and Reunion during the Mocs' February 3 matchup against Furman at McKenzie Arena.
FOLLOW CHATTANOOGA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
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