The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team woke up Saturday morning in Green Bay, Wis., with a chilly temperature in the air and snow on the ground.
Things didn't warm up much more once the Mocs got to the Kress Center.
The Mocs made only seven shots after the first quarter and turned the ball over 24 times in a season-opening 60-30 loss to the Green Bay Phoenix.
There's little time to rest, as the UTC players will be back on campus and practicing this afternoon in preparation for their next game, Monday at home against Central Florida. Due to some renovations being finished at McKenzie Arena, the game will be played at Maclellan Gym as part of a "Back to the Mac" night.
Senior Aryanna Gilbert played all 40 minutes Saturday and scored 10 points to lead the Mocs, all in the first 7:43 of the game. Sophomore Lakelyn Bouldin added eight points, but the third-leading scorer was freshman Brooke Burns, who scored four. The team shot 27 percent for the game.
"It's why you schedule people like this," UTC coach Jim Foster said on the postgame radio broadcast. "What the freshmen go through, they listen to what you say and they're not necessarily hearing what you say. I think we'll have a more attentive group about some of the things we have to do to get better."
Gilbert's last points came on a 3-pointer with 2:17 to play in the first quarter and cut the Green Bay lead to 16-12, but the Mocs did not score another field goal until a jump shot by Bouldin with 3:43 to play in the second quarter. By that time, the Phoenix led 32-16 in a period in which the Mocs had more turnovers (nine) than shots (seven).
The lead was 39-21 at halftime and the margin swelled to 26 points after three quarters, as the Mocs were 1-for-11 from the field, the lone make a 3-pointer by Bouldin with 6:47 remaining in the period.
Allie LeClaire had 13 points to lead Green Bay. Frankie Wurtz had nine points and eight rebounds, while point guard Jenn Wellnitz had nine points, eight assists and seven steals.
After Monday's game, the Mocs will play at Stetson on Wednesday and host Presbyterian on Saturday.
"We're not going to be a good team for a while. I think we have the pieces to be a good team, but it's not going to be an easy preseason," Foster said. "Every team we play is capable of beating us. I'll be anxious and interested in watching us tomorrow. We've had our first opportunity to have a vision of what Division I basketball is at a certain level, how it's played. Until now it's been all talk; this is reality.
"We'll find out a lot about ourselves this week."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.