CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Chattanooga Mocs ended a three-game road swing on Saturday at Western Carolina, defeating the Catamounts 61-52. The win marks the ninth in a row for Chattanooga, the most consecutive games it has won since winning 12 consecutive in the 2023-24 season. 

Caia Elisaldez scored 22 points to lead the Mocs offensively. She was 77.8% (7-9) from the field and knocked down both triples she took. The junior guard also dished out five assists and grabbed four rebounds.

Izzy McPherson was the other Moc in double figures with 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists. She knocked down three of Chattanooga's eight 3-pointers on the day. Ava Card tallied nine points and seven rebounds while Gianna Corbitt posted seven points and 11 rebounds. Corbitt has had 10 or more rebounds in five straight games.

As a team, Chattanooga dominated the glass, outrebounding Western Carolina 45-26. This includes 17 offensive rebounds that led to 13 second-chance points. Offensively, the Mocs were 41.5% (22-53) from the field while the Catamounts were 34% (18-53). 

Records
Chattanooga: 13-5, 5-0 SoCon
Western Carolina: 3-17, 0-6 SoCon

Despite the morning start, Chattanooga did not come out sleepy as it made its first six shots. Four of those were 3-pointers, made by Card, McPherson, Elisaldez, and Corbitt as the Mocs led 17-2. The Catamounts eventually answered with a pair of triples to make it 19-9.  Sarah Owona had the final basket of the period as Chattanooga led 23-12.

Western Carolina scored the first five points of the second quarter to get back within six points. However, the Mocs responded with a 9-0 run started by an inside basket from Elisaldez, and capped off by a McPherson 3-pointer to make it 32-17. An Owona triple would put the Mocs ahead by 17 with 2:02 remaining before the Catamounts scored the final four points of the quarter to cut the Chattanooga lead to 37-24 at the break.

At the start of the third quarter, Chattanooga kept Western Carolina from scoring for over four minutes as it moved ahead 43-24 on a bucket from Card. However, the Catamounts ended the quarter on a 10-3 run, including four made foul shots by Ally Hollifield in the final 22 seconds, to put the score at 46-34.

In the fourth quarter, Western Carolina applied some game pressure to Chattanooga as it scratched away at the lead until a 3-pointer by Grace Pack cut the lead to five points. McPherson nailed a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession, then buried a triple at the end of the shot clock to put Chattanooga back up 10, and put a dagger in the Catamounts. 

Chattanooga did what it had to in the final two minutes to close out the win. A 3-pointer by Hollyfield for Western Carolina with nine seconds left was the final basket of the game. It put the home side at 52 points, ending a run of five consecutive games and four consecutive SoCon games that the Mocs had held opponents under 50 points. 

Chattanooga moves to 89-13 all-time against Western Carolina and 40-6 in Cullowhee. The Mocs have won seven in a row in the series.

Quote
Head Coach Deandra Schirmer
On Western Carolina being better than what its record say it is
"We knew that coming in. They're very well coached. They play very hard. You know they have a smaller lineup. I do think that, you know, you can't break at once when they have players like they do, which they're competitors, you know, and so they're coming out and they're competing every single time. So a lot of credit for that."

UP NEXT: Chattanooga returns to its home court on Friday, January 30 to take on Mercer. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. from McKenzie Arena.   

FOLLOW CHATTANOOGA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
For the latest news and information on Chattanooga Mocs Basketball, visit the official website of Mocs Athletics at GoMocs.com. Fans can also follow the Mocs on social media at @GoMocsWBK (X), @GoMocsWBK (Instagram) and ChattanoogaWomensBasketball (Facebook).