JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. --- Chattanooga women's basketball has the opportunity to create a significant divide between themselves and the rest of the Southern Conference this weekend, as a win in this Saturday's clash against in-state rival ETSU would give the Mocs a three-game lead over second place heading into the penultimate weekend of the regular season.
The Mocs (21-3, 9-0 SoCon) have had a season for the ages, both statistically as well as with the results that follow. However, the Buccaneers (16-8, 5-4 SoCon) will have an opportunity of their own to play spoiler on UTC's quest for perfection in league play, with ETSU holding an impressive 10-2 record at home this season.
Tipoff between the Mocs and the Bucs will be at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, with coverage of the game being provided by ESPN+ as well as WFLI 96.1 FM/100.3 FM/1070 AM. Live stats for the game can be found on UTC's schedule page on GoMocs.com.
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Opponent: ETSU
Date: Saturday, February 17, 2024
Time: 2:00 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 (21-3, 9-0 SoCon)
There is a plethora of different things one can highlight when talking about the 2023-24 Chattanooga women's basketball squad, but there is nothing that stands out for the Mocs quite like their undefeated SoCon record of 9-0. UTC is currently one of just 10 Division I teams that have yet to lose a conference game this season, sitting alongside elite company such as South Carolina and UConn. An additionally impressive feat for the Mocs has been their road record, where the Mocs are currently 8-0 on the year. Besides their efficient shooting stats, which rank first in the SoCon across multiple categories, the Mocs have produced numerous lockdown defensive performances this season, which have in turn seen UTC climb the ranks to currently sit as the sixth-best scoring defense in the entire NCAA (53.8 points allowed/game).
ABOUT ETSU (16-8, 5-4 SoCon)
UTC will be matched up against an equally as impressive defensive side in ETSU, who ranked 13th in the country when it comes to scoring defense by only allowing 55.0 points/game this season. Priding themselves on their defense, the Buccaneers currently sit amongst a tightly knit pack of teams in the middle of the Southern Conference standings. If the season were to end today, ETSU would head into the SoCon Tournament as the No. 3 seed, pairing up with the sixth-seeded Paladins of Furman. Much of ETSU's offense revolves around the play of leading scorer Nevaeh Brown, as she is currently the only Buc averaging double-digit points this season at 14.1 points/game.
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
The last time these two teams went toe to toe came on January 20 of this year, when the Bucs traveled to McKenzie Arena in what was a battle of the top two teams in the SoCon standings, both having yet to drop a game in league play. The Mocs ultimately squeaked out a win by the narrowest of margins, defeating East Tennessee State 52-50 behind a pair of Jada Guinn free throws to take the lead with just 1.3 seconds remaining in the game. Saturday's meeting marks the 93rd all-time meeting between UTC and ETSU, a series in which the Mocs lead 67-25. When playing in Johnson City, the Mocs are 27-14 all-time.
TOP NOTES
• Jada Guinn has been a pure bucket-getter for the Mocs this year, finishing in double-digits in 23 out of 24 games this season. Additionally, Guinn has eclipsed the 20-point mark eight times this season including scoring a career-high 30 at WCU.
• Guinn has won a total of five different Player of the Week honors this season. She is a four-time SoCon POTW and one-time TSWA POTW, including winning this past week's accolade from the SoCon.
• The Mocs have started 9-0 in SoCon action this year. They are one of just 10 teams left in the NCAA that have yet to lose a game in conference play.
• The duo of Guinn & Thompson has scored 776 of the Mocs' 1,552 points this year, with Guinn averaging 18.2 and Thompson averaging 14.8.
• Hannah Kohn (47 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.
• The Mocs currently have the sixth-best scoring defense in the entire NCAA, holding teams to an average of 53.8 points/game this season.
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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