ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Two minutes into the second half of Sunday’s Southern Conference semifinal against Wofford, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior forward Silvio De Sousa blocked a Max Klesmit shot off the backboard.
Only it wasn’t a block as much as it was a swat. A pattycake perhaps. Klesmit tumbled to the floor while De Sousa gave him a lengthy menacing glare.
That glare was indicative of much more, though. Because of the team’s balance and depth on the offensive side of the court, the Mocs don’t always get credited as much for what they’ve been able to do defensively this season. Sure, advanced metrics suggest UTC is the best defensive team in the SoCon, but if there was any doubt remaining, the Mocs smashed it Sunday.
UTC built an 18-point halftime lead and cruised to a 79-56 victory against fourth-seeded Wofford to reach the championship game for the first time since 2016, with the Mocs moving closer to a sweep of the SoCon titles and the league’s automatic bid for the NCAA tournament.
The Mocs (26-7) will face second-seeded Furman (22-11) at 7 p.m. Monday at Harrah’s Cherokee Center. In Sunday’s second semifinal, the Paladins rallied to win 71-68 against third-seeded Samford (21-11).