UTC Mocs logoThe University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team took control early and rolled to a convincing 76-47 over Butler at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Sophomore forward Jasmine Joyner led all players with 20 points and nine rebounds as the Mocs (2-1) outrebounded the Bulldogs 45-24 and shot 50 percent from the field. Keiana Gilbert scored 17 points and Chelsey Shumpert added 10.
Butler had only seven players available because of injuries, and UTC took advantage when Bulldogs primary post player Andriana Moore spent much of the second half on the bench after picking up her fourth personal foul with 16:21 remaining in the game.
"I thought we did a pretty good job moving the ball except for a couple of occasions," UTC coach Jim Foster said on the radio postgame show. "We had decent defense and got our transition game going."
With a comfortable lead early, Foster was able to get some new players into the game. Redshirt freshman Ansley Chilton saw her first action of the season, scoring eight points and getting five rebounds, and first-year players Sydney Vanlandingham and Anna Claire Noblit had significant minutes on the court.
"We will have depth, but you have to develop it, and it takes a a while. With the schedule that we're playing, not every game is an opportunity for every player as they progress and get to a point with their skills," Foster said.
Noblit scored six points on a pair of 3-pointers, but Foster was just as happy with some shots she didn't take in the win.
"Anna Claire came in and made a couple of shots," he said. "But what I liked about her was that (after) she made a couple of 3s, we kicked the ball around and reversed to her and she made the next pass.
"She played within the framework and got some other people some good opportunities."
Loryn Goodwin led Butler with 18 points, and Blaire Langlois had 10 for the short-handed Bulldogs. Sydney Buck hit three 3-pointers in the first half to keep the game relatively close, but she was held scoreless in the second half.
UTC is now 2-0 against the Big East after opening the season with a win over Villanova, but the road trip gets tougher Friday when the Mocs head to South Bend, Ind., to take on No. 3 Notre Dame, which defeated 15th-ranked Michigan State 71-63 on Wednesday.
Tip-off for the Mocs game against the Fighting Irish on Friday is scheduled for 5 p.m. Eastern.