2025-26 Chattanooga Basketball
Postgame Notes & Quotes
Game 24 vs. Mercer – February 5, 2026
 
Site: McKenzie Arena (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Game Duration: 2:13
Officials: Anthony Jordan, Hunter Allen, Chuck McCoy,
Attendance: 3,183
 
Quick Records
Chattanooga: 10-14, 4-7 SoCon
Mercer: 15-9, 7-4 SoCon

Series History
Meeting: 92nd | UTC leads 50-42 (H: 28-13; A: 18-28; N: 4-1)
*UTC now leads 15-8 in SoCon regular season meetings
 
Dan Earl, Head Coach
Overall (11th): 151-191
at Chattanooga (4th): 78-52, 38-27 SoCon
vs. Mercer: 11-11 (H: 7-3; A: 3-7; N: 1-1)
 
Historical Records
All-Time Program Record: 1,463-1,167
Division I Era (since 1977-78): 918-598
All-Time SoCon Record: 492-302
All-Time McKenzie Arena Record: 505-157
 
Team/Coach Notes

• Chattanooga improves to 10-14 overall and 4-7 in SoCon play after the win… snapped a four-game skid (first in SoCon play since 2018-19)… Mercer drops to 15-9 and 7-4 after the loss.
• Chattanooga has won six-straight over Mercer inside McKenzie Arena… three-straight overall… Bears last win in the Roundhouse came on 2/22/2020 (W, 85-80).
• 50^th all-time win over Mercer… now 50-42 in the series' history… 28-13 mark at home… 15-8 in SoCon regular season play.
• Dan Earl's 130^th game at Chattanooga… now 78-52 (.600) overall… 65^th SoCon game at UTC… 38-27 (.585).
• First win of the season on Thursday… UTC now has wins on all seven days of the week.

 
Game/Player Notes

• Chattanooga shot 54.3% (25-46) from the field… season-best FG% against DI opponent… season low FGA (46)… 45.5% (10-22) from 3FG… sixth time in last eight games with 10+ 3FGM.
• Held Mercer to 31.0% (18-58) shooting… 25.0% (6-24) from 3FG… held Bears to 29.2% (7-24) FG mark in the second half including 18.2% (2-11) from 3FG
• Mercer finished 33-43 (76.7%) from the FT line… 33 FTM is second-most by a Mocs opponent in program history (34; @Kennesaw State, 11/29/2014)… the 43 FTA is third-most by an opponent.
• Just the fifth time in UTC program history seeing 40+ FTA by an opponent… last was 40 at Tennessee on 11/11/2016… UTC is 4-1 in those five games… record FTA by an opponent is 45 (@Georgia, 11/13/15; W, 92-90 OT).
• Six lead changes and 12 ties in the game… UTC led for just 12:37… Mercer for 20:42… seven-straight games UTC's opponent led for 20+ minutes.
• Five different Mocs reached double figures in scoring… Tate Darner finished with a season and career-high 18 points… Darner also led the team in minutes (35) and +/- (+16).
• Houston Holland made second career start… scored career-high 12 points… went 4-of-5 from 3FG… added three boards… local walk-on product from Silverdale Baptist in Chattanooga.

 
Postgame Quotes
Dan Earl, Head Coach
Opening statement:
"Super proud of our guys. We needed this win. As you can tell, we've been going through it recently. You look at a stat sheet, and there should be virtually no way you win this game in that they took 43 free throws. We had 17 turnovers. They had 16 offensive rebounds. We only had three. But I thought we fought, you know? The home crowd who has continued to be awesome, we really appreciate that. But they saw that we fought today, and we need to continue to do that."
 
On the valuable play of local walk-on Houston Holland:
"Proud of this guy, Houston, Holland, as well. Local product...Silverdale's finest. I thought he played outstanding. I have to teach him to act like he's been there before. He had a smile from ear to ear each time he made a shot, and I'm yelling at him get back on defense, like dying, but he played extremely hard, extremely well. He's given us great minutes. So proud of him as well."
 
Houston Holland, So.-G
On the team coming together for the win:
"I'd say we all bought in. We are competing better each day in practice right now. And there's some guys that we need more from, and some guys that we're just asking a lot from and that takes a toll on the mental side. Collectively, we have built that relationship early in the season and then hopefully, later on, you continue to build, stay strong and just not give up when you get punched in the mouth for three games or four games in a row. Then we got this one, which was a big one at home."