Staff photo by Jenna Walker/Chattanooga Times Free Press
Elon’s Ryley Beaumont, left, and Chris Long struggle for possession of the ball against UTC’s Keegan Bell during their game Saturday at the McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga.The current Mocs played their part in UTC Legends Weekend and pulled out a win.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga beat Elon 85-76 in McKenzie Arena with about 50 former UTC players and coaches in attendance for a reunion.
“It was important on Legends Weekend to play our part,” said coach John Shulman, who mingled at a Friday night reception with former coaches Leon Ford, Murray Arnold and Mack McCarthy and players such as Chris Mims, Tom Losh and Rich Burns.
Juniors Chris Early and Omar Wattad played the starring roles Saturday. Early scored a career-high 21 points and Wattad loosened a sore back, which prevented him from starting Thursday, enough to score 19 in the Southern Conference win.
Keegan Bell and Ricky Taylor, who had the game-sealing dunk, each added 15 points for the Mocs (13-10, 8-2), who now lead the SoCon North Division by 3 1/2 games over Western Carolina.
“To make a statement to the rest of the league, you whip Elon’s tail,” Shulman said. “I don’t think we’re peaking. Our ceiling is much higher than we’re playing now.”
They’re playing just well enough to win.
The Mocs built a 17-point lead in the first half and led 40-25 at halftime. But Elon tied the game as late as 9:45 and was within two points with 4:45 to go.
Staff photo by Jenna Walker/Chattanooga Times Free Press
Jahmal Burroughs of UTC keeps the ball from Elon’s Drew Spradlin as other players look on during their game Saturday evening at the McKenzie Arena. UTC defeated Elon 85-76.“We make it interesting, I will say that,” said Shulman, whose team blew a 20-point lead and was down by seven in double-overtime before winning 111-110 over UNC Greensboro on Thursday. “It must be good for concessions because everybody stays at the game.”
Drew Spradlin led Elon’s second-half comeback with five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points. Chris Long added 17 points for the Phoenix (10-12, 4-7).
“I felt like we dug ourselves a pretty big hole in the first half, and Chattanooga was definitely the aggressor in the first half,” Elon coach Matt Matheny said. “It was a 15-point spread that could have been worse than that.
“But I’m encouraged by the way our players came out and started the second half.”
The Phoenix began the final 20 minutes with a 15-5 run. UTC inched ahead to a 58-45 lead, but Elon struck back with a 13-0 run to tie the score.
“Teams are going to give us punches back,” Early said. “We have to take those and keep fighting.”
Elon had two possessions to take the lead. It never did. UTC opened the margin to eight points, but Elon pulled back within 68-66 with 4:45 to play. Then Bell hit a 3-pointer and Wattad made a jump shot before Elon started fouling to extend the game.
With less than a minute to go, Taylor popped the ball away from Long, ran ahead and flushed it with two hands, his momentum swinging his legs under the basket and lifting the legends off their feet.
“Playing Elon is a pain every time you play them,” Shulman said. “We have to learn and mature. I don’t think we know how to handle a big lead.”
But they know how win by small ones.
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