UTC forward Lance Stokes lays the ball up during the Mocs' basketball practice and their Mocs Club Basketball Open House on Oct. 29 in Chattanooga.As the months have dwindled down to days before the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball team's first game of the 2014-15 season, the excitement surrounding coach Will Wade's second team has only grown.
It's been a while since there has been a buzz surrounding the program quite like this. The last time could have been leading into the 2005-06 season, as the Mocs were coming off a win over the University of Tennessee, a 20-win season and an NCAA tournament berth. But entering this season, which begins Friday when the Mocs host Hiwassee in a 5:30 tipoff, fans and students are interacting with the team, voicing their excitement for what could be another good run after an 18-win season in Wade's debut.
"I haven't seen it like this in years," said assistant coach Casey Long, the starting point guard on that 2005 NCAA tournament team. "A lot of it is because of how the team performed last year. Fans can now relate to the players a little bit better, because they see them out in the community and see them out around the campus, so they feel like they know the players better."
Senior Lance Stokes credits the success of the football program, which Saturday clinched its first playoff berth since 1984, as a contributing factor to the buzz.
It also helps that the basketball Mocs were the preseason No. 2 team in the Southern Conference, trailing only a Wofford team that they defeated twice last year.
"Because of football's rise to glory, students get excited about athletics in general," Stokes said. "We're hoping to have a packed house every night. We're more laser-focused going into the last week of practice and beginning to lock in, but we're trying to have good practices, because once we start, it doesn't really stop until late March."
Wade, who generally doesn't open practices, had an open session recently for the Mocs Club. Afterward those attending were given a tour of the updated arena areas and renovated locker rooms, and they left the practice part extremely pleased with what they had seen.
"Coach Wade has come in and done a good job," a member who preferred to remain nameless said. "We're given these opportunities to get to know the players better, and it gives us a chance to know the athletes know that we care.
"The program is definitely headed in the right direction. You can see that momentum building when the team is doing well."
There has been a spike in season-ticket sales. Those ticket-holders will be given the chance to see the Mocs start off the year with five nonconference home games, with the Dec. 2 date against Georgia as well as a pre-Christmas game against Alabama-Birmingham on the schedule. It's not a stretch to believe the Mocs could average as much, if not more than the 3,895 fans on average who attended their 14 home dates last season.
"We want the city of Chattanooga to appreciate how hard we play. Our goal is to own our home court," Wade said. "From day one, it's been our goal to make this a program that Chattanooga is excited about."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.