BOX | NOTES/QUOTES | PHOTOS

CHATTANOOGA (January 15, 2025) – Down 20 points in the first nine minutes of the game, the Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team responded with a stingy defensive effort and saw clutch moments down the stretch to earn an 83-81 overtime victory over Wofford in thrilling Southern Conference action inside McKenzie Arena on Wednesday night.
 
Chattanooga (11-7, 3-2 SoCon) fell behind 31-11 just 9:18 into the contest after Wofford (9-9, 3-2 SoCon) started with an efficient shooting attack. The Mocs cut into the deficit over the course of the first half to eventually trail by 12, 46-34, at the halftime break.
 
UTC used a fast effort to open the second half to help chip away at the double-digit deficit, eventually crawling all the way back to take a 56-54 lead on a Collin Mulholland layup with 11:13 remaining. Trailing 73-67 with 1:07 left, Bash Wieland hit back-to-back crucial threes with a defensive stop sandwiched between to tie the game 73-73 and send things into overtime.
 
The two teams traded points over the first four-plus minutes of the extra period and played its way to an 81-81 deadlock with just 26 seconds left on the board. With UTC holding possession for a potential final shot, Trey Bonham used a strong drive and shrugged off contact to finish at the rim to give UTC an 83-81 lead with 3.0 seconds before Wofford's game-winning, three-point attempt clinked off the front iron.
 
Wieland (20), Bonham (15) and Honor Huff (15) led the Mocs in scoring during the victory while Sean Cusano put in a gritty effort with 10 points in 10 minutes of action. Chattanooga knocked down 16 threes (16-of-33, 48.5%) and finished the game shooting north of 50.0% (29-of-55, 52.7%) for the fourth-straight game and seventh time in the last nine.

RECORDS/SERIES – Chattanooga 11-7, 3-2 · Wofford 9-9, 3-2 · 56th Meeting · UTC leads 34-22.
  
GAME FLOW/INSIDE THE BOX
1H 17:25 – Justin Bailey (WOF) hit back-to-back threes to give the Terriers a quick 8-0 lead.
1H 15:21 – Bailey (WOF) continued his hot shooting start with a step-back three to extend the lead, 15-3.
1H 14:34 – Honor Huff knocked down his first three-point attempt before Sean Cusano finished at the rim to pull the Mocs within nine, 17-8.
1H 13:26 – Collin Mulholland hit from deep to keep the difference at nine, 20-11.
1H 10:42 – A pair of Bailey (WOF) free throws gave Wofford a commanding 20-point edge, 31-11.
1H 5:30 – Huff hit his third three of the opening period and converted a four-point play to bring UTC closer, 37-25.
1H 3:55 – Makai Richards finished a layup off a nifty Huff assist to cut the deficit to single digits, 37-28.
1H 1:05 – Trey Bonham splashed a deep three as the shot clock was expiring to cut it to eight, 42-34, before Wofford scored four of the final six points in the half to grab a double-digit lead at the break.
HALF – Wofford 46, Chattanooga 34
2H 18:40 – A Bonham three and a Bash Wieland layup gave UTC a quick 5-0 run to begin the half and tightened things, 46-39.
2H 16:33 – The Bonham to Wieland connection came to light again as a Wieland corner pocket three off a Bonham assist cut it to five, 50-45.
2H 14:16 – Sean Cusano finished at the rim on a fastbreak layup through a foul to give UTC its first lead, 54-52.
2H 5:32 – A pair of Bonham free throws put UTC back in front, 65-64, coming down the stretch.
2H 0:17 – After trailing by six, Wieland hit consecutive threes with a defensive stop in between to tie the game 73-73 and force overtime.
END OF REG. – Chattanooga 73, Wofford 73
OT 2:43 – Huff's driving layup through contact put the Mocs in front after trailing by a point, 78-77.
OT 0:03 – Bonham provided the game winner with a drive and finish on the low block before a missed Wofford three-point attempt sealed the outcome.
FINAL – Chattanooga 83, Wofford 81

KEY NOTES | MORE
∙ Chattanooga improved to 8-2 at home this season after the win… now 493-151 (.765) all-time inside McKenzie Arena… with just six home games left, UTC has clinched a .500% or better home record… the Mocs have went .500% or better in all 43 seasons inside the Roundhouse.
 
∙ The 20-point comeback (31-11, 1^st 10:42) is the largest comeback since erasing a 17-point hole against Gardner-Webb last season… largest in a SoCon game since 19 against Mercer in an 83-80 win on January 13, 2021.
 
∙ UTC finished shooting 52.7% (29-55) from the floor as a whole… fourth-straight game shooting 50.0% or better… seventh time in the last nine games… the Mocs are now 26-2 under Dan Earl in games shooting 50.0% or better.

POSTGAME QUOTES | MORE
HC Dan Earl on thoughts after 83-81 OT win over Wofford.
"That one gave us a little extra anxiety and a higher blood pressure, but I'm super proud of these guys and their response after the first eight minutes, especially defensively. We need a little more sense of urgency out the gates and that's on me. Credit to Wofford, they played so hard. That was a good college basketball game and hard fought. I'm proud of our guys for responding."

Bash Wieland on the ultimate play of Garrison Keeslar.
"He's a game changer. He's a great dude, most importantly. He's someone everyone wants to play with. For our guys to see him being willing to go in the stands on a ball that probably couldn't be saved, that sets the tone. It makes us want to play even harder for a guy like that."

UP NEXT – Chattanooga at Furman – Saturday, Jan. 18 – 4 p.m. ET – ESPN+ – Greenville, S.C.

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