UTC's Lance Stokes snags a rebound as VMI's Jarid Watson guards at McKenzie Arena in this 2014 file photo.Lance Stokes likened the expected environment at Hawkins Arena tonight for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's Southern Conference basketball game against Mercer to scenes in the famous Rocky movies.
"It was always him against a gang of people," Stokes said. "Clubber Lang, Apollo Creed -- everybody hated him. It's going to be everyone against us, but it's going to be fun."
UTC's Mocs (14-7, 7-1) can win a sixth consecutive game and improve to 4-0 on the road in conference play tonight in Macon, Ga. It won't be easy, as Mercer (11-10, 6-2) is planning a "Black-Out," having already announced the game as a sellout.
"It's going to be a tough game," UTC coach Will Wade said. "We're going to have to play very, very well to win. They're as good an offensive team as there is in our league. They have the best offense, but we have the best defense, so it's going to pit strength on strength and somebody will have to impose their will.
"It's a road game, so we'll have our road routine and will stick to that, but the game will match our strength against their strength."
Early in the season, winning away from McKenzie Arena was a problem for the Mocs. They lost their first four away games, including at Tennessee Tech when they blew a 16-point lead. They lost by nine at Kennesaw State. Those struggles have gone away, though, and as the season has progressed, so have the Mocs.
"It's fun to play at home, in front of your friends -- the home fans and the student section. That gets you going," Stokes said. "But there's also a lot to get you going on the road: Your backs are against the wall and it's just you and your brothers. Those types are equally exciting in their own right."
The Bears average 2,815 fans per home game, which ranks slightly behind UTC's 2,895. Yet in the 3,200-seat Hawkins Arena, that number represents almost 90 percent of capacity. A sold-out arena will sound very loud in the Bears' biggest home game to date.
How much do Mercer fans love their program? A caller on coach Bob Hoffman's show Tuesday evening asked how they were going to stop their losing streak -- which is at one game after a loss at Western Carolina last Thursday.
Mercer is 4-0 at home; the Mocs are 3-0 on the road. Something will have to give tonight.
"We just have to stick together," UTC's Justin Tuoyo said. "We'll go down there with 12 players, and the coaching staff will be with us. The crowd will be loud, but we just have to stick together the whole game."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.