Elon rallies past No. 2 seed UTC, 60-57

Slidshow: Elon 60, UTC 57

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — The 2007-08 season is going to need several scrapbooks to chronicle all that the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team endured.

The final page can now be printed.

A year of sailing through injuries, suspensions, blowout losses and nail-biting wins ended Saturday night for the Mocs with a 60-57 loss to Elon in a Southern Conference tournament quarterfinal.

“We had good times, bad times, injuries, laughs, fights, arguments and smiles,” junior Keyron Sheard said. “It’s been a good season with a disappointing end.”

Players untucked their jerseys. Marcus Watts put his collar in his mouth like a bit. Matt Gwynne stood with his hands clasped on his head. Nicchaeus Doaks tugged at his shorts, watching Elon celebrating at midcourt.

The Mocs crumbled in the final minute. A 27-foot 3-point attemptt from Stephen McDowell couldn’t put the pieces back together to force overtime.

“It was unfortunate, you know, on my part — a few free throws here and there and a box-out and the game might go the other way,” said Watts, a senior who missed two free throws with 40 seconds to go and UTC holding a one-point lead.

“It’s different when you’re a senior and your college career is on the line,” he said. “This one hurt. This one is going to sting for a while.”

The sting might last until the Mocs play in the 2009 Southern Conference tournament, which will be held in Chattanooga.

“(Former Mocs) Casey (Long) and (Ricky) Hood always told me that this year and next was going to be our league,” said Doaks, who led UTC with 12 points Saturday night. “It should have been our league this year and will be next year.”

The Mocs (18-13) could have extended their stay at least one more day. They broke a trend of being undefeated when leading or tied with five minutes to play.

They missed 12 of 30 free throws and 16 of 21 3-point attempts, never pulling away from the Phoenix, who will face the College of Charleston in the semifinals.

“We were two missed box-outs from winning the game after not playing very good,” UTC coach John Shulman said. “It comes down to two missed box-outs and missed free throws.”

Those missed chances for rebounds came at the most inopportune time for UTC. Ola Atoyebi, who led Elon with 13 points, grabbed the first with 58 seconds left and put back the miss to pull Elon within 57-56.

Watts spun in the lane on UTC’s next possession and was fouled. His first free throw barely touched the front of the rim. The second bounced out.

Atoyebi grabbed a missed shot on Elon’s trip down the floor and converted it for a one-point lead — Elon’s first of the second half — with 19 seconds to go.

Mocs point guard Kevin Bridgewaters penetrated and passed out to Kevin Goffney, who had to reach for the ball, throwing his timing off just enough for a 3-point attempt to miss its mark.

“They grabbed his arm, so it wasn’t a pop-pass where I could catch and shoot,” Goffney said. “I still thought it was good.”

Elon’s Brett James grabbed the rebound and converted his free shots. McDowell made eye contact with Shulman before the final play and nodded his head. He was confident UTC and Elon would play another five minutes.

The Phoenix celebrated. The Mocs were silent. They were shocked, stunned and silent.

“I hurt for our players, I hurt for our staff and I hurt for our fans,” Shulman said. “Up three with a minute to play, we box out, we shoot free throws and we move on.”

Instead, they move on to next season.