UTC's Whitney Hood snags the ball in the game against Samford Wednesay at McKenzie Arena.Three points in the final six-plus minutes won't get it done against most anybody, certainly not a team like Samford that has shooters at every position.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball team was held to a free throw and a late layup during the final 6:23, which allowed Samford to pull out a 60-53 win Wednesday night at McKenzie Arena.
A thorn in UTC's side for years, including ever since they joined the Southern Conference in 2008, the Bulldogs' win was their first over the Lady Mocs UTC (10-12, 7-6) at the Roundhouse.
"We didn't knock down shots and they got a couple of rebounds that we needed to change the game around," said UTC's Whitney Hood, who led the Lady Mocs with 18 points.
Showing off an array of jumpers-3-pointers, pull-ups, step-backs-Samford guard Emily London scored a game-high 20 points. She hit four 3s and grabbed six rebounds, further demonstrating why she was the preseason player of the year.
"She's an unbelievable player, I know that," Lady Mocs coach Wes Moore said.
The Lady Mocs were 1-for-7 from the field and 1-for-2 from the line during their closing cold stretch. UTC finished 18-of-54 from the field (33.3 percent) and hit 10 of 17 free throws.
UTC had a season-low four turnovers-Samford (17-6, 10-4) had just six-but the Bulldogs out-rebounded UTC 37-32. Samford also hit nine 3-pointers and went 11-for-12 from the line.
"They're a very good shooting team, but it also came down to rebounding as well and we got out-rebounded," UTC point guard Tenisha Townsend said, "and they were knocking down shots."
The only thing that separated UTC and Samford at the end of the first half was a free throw. Both teams had 11 field goals, including five 3s, and both teams had 17 rebounds and 8 points in the paint.
Samford was 3-for-4 from the line and UTC was 2-for-4, which was the difference as the Bulldogs led 30-29 at the half.
It was basically more of the same in the second half until Samford closed the game on an 14-3 run.
"They made the hustle plays," Moore said. "They've got a veteran team, they fly around and we just didn't match that intensity."
A Kylie Lambert 3 put the Lady Mocs up 50-46 with 6:23 to play. Samford then scored six straight points to take the lead and UTC's only field goal the rest of the way was a Hood layup with 41 seconds remaining.
Kayla Christopher and Townsend scored 10 points each for UTC and Lambert added nine points and seven rebounds.
The Lady Mocs visit Wofford on Saturday.
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