JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – In some aspects, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team executed better in its second meeting this season with East Tennessee State University than in its first.
But the results the Mocs wanted weren’t there, and the end result was the same.
ETSU used a 14-2 first-half run to assume control and built a 21-point lead on its way to an 81-61 Southern Conference win Saturday in front of a sellout crowd of 6,149 at Freedom Hall. It was the Buccaneers’ 15th consecutive victory.
After back-to-back losses – both on the road – the Mocs (8-17, 2-10) return to competition Thursday with a 7 p.m. game against The Citadel (9-14, 4-7) at McKenzie Arena.
Rodney Chatman was the only UTC player who scored in double figures Saturday, with the 6-foot-1 sophomore point guard shooting 9-for-15 from the field for a career-high 26 points. A lot of those came on contested drives to the basket as the Bucs (21-5, 12-0) continued to allow the Mocs to get into the paint while taking away kick-out passes for 3-point shots, one of the things UTC has thrived on this season.