CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Behind standout performances from Gianna Corbitt, who scored a career-high 30 points, and Caia Elisaldez, who posted her second double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-high 11 assists, Chattanooga took down Bellarmine 78-73 at the Roundhouse.

Corbitt was 76.9% (10-13) from the field and 71.4% (5-7) from the 3-point line. She also had five rebounds and four steals. Moving to Elisaldez, she has posted a double-double in each of Chattanooga's last two home games while setting new career highs in assists in both games.

Chattanooga (5-5) trailed by 14 points in the second quarter before storming all the way back for its second double-digit comeback win of the year. The Mocs avenge last year's close loss to Bellarmine and move to 1-1 all-time against the Knights.

The Mocs didn't get started the way they wanted to offensively, missing nine of their first 10 shot attempts. This allowed the away side to build an 8-2 lead at the first media timeout. A baseline out-of-bounds play that Ava Card finished while being fouled ended the drought for Chattanooga.

As the quarter progressed, an Izzy McPherson corner triple and an inside basket from Gianna Corbitt seconds before the first quarter ended were the only points Chattanooga scored as Bellarmine (2-9) led 18-9.

Bellarmine kept up the strong play early in the second quarter as it extended its lead to 14 points at 26-12 after a pair of 3-pointers on consecutive possessions. The Mocs responded with an 8-0 run get within six points, highlighted by two triples from McPherson to get some positive momentum for the first time.

For the remainder of the quarter, the Knights punched back, outscoring Chattanooga 7-3 to take a double-digit lead of 33-23 into halftime. Eight of Bellarmine's 10 made shots in the first half were 3-pointers.

Chattanooga started the third quarter looking like a new team. The Mocs scored eight points in less than 90 seconds with the help of two 3-pointers from Sarah Owona to get within three points. Later in the quarter, the 3-pointers kept raining down as Corbitt buried two to give her side the lead 38-35 at the 5:51 mark.

The rest of the quarter was a game of runs with Bellarmine going on an 8-0 run before Chattanooga responded with seven consecutive points. Elisaldez scored a layup as time expired with the Mocs trailing 48-47 going into the final quarter.

As it did in the third quarter, Chattanooga started the fourth quarter on top. Triples from Owona and Corbitt put the home side back ahead 53-48. The Mocs held the lead until the 6:39 mark when the Knights hit a 3-pointer themselves to go up 59-57.

As the game remained close throughout the quarter, Elisaldez knocked down four free throws in a span of 55 seconds to give Chattanooga a two-point lead. The next two possessions, Corbitt made two huge shots, a 3-pointer and an acrobatic layup as the shot clock expired off a sideline out-of-bounds play to put the Mocs up seven.

Bellarmine got back within two points with 1:09 remaining, however another layup from Corbitt followed by four clutch free throws from the sophomore ensured the home win for the Mocs.

In the win, Chattanooga scored its most points in the second half all year with 55 points. It was a complete flip flop from the first quarter where it scored a season-low nine points.  

Chattanooga shot 50% (28-56) from the field and 44% (11-25) from downtown. It's 11 triples are the most it has had in a game this season. To go along with Corbitt's and Elisaldez's standout performances, McPherson and Owona each scored nine points on three made 3-pointers.  

QUOTES:
Head Coach Deandra Schirmer
"I'm proud of how they responded, and the one thing I want this group to know is we're still figuring it out. It's a group project and we're nowhere near finished. And our rough draft if we turn it into the teacher, probably got a D, a C minus maybe, and we're trying to get an A to finish out the semester. So we're still working on it together and I think if we stay together, we can do some special things."

Caia Elisaldez, Jr., Guard
"I was going to do what it took for us to win, and I think Gianna and I both have talked about that so many times. The end at the end of the day, it doesn't matter who scores what, it doesn't matter who does what. It's the fact that we all come out with the wins."

UP NEXT: Chattanooga visits Tennessee State on Thursday night.

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