To begin the process of making the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team as competitive as possible upon his arrival in May of 2013, coach Will Wade had to first strip down the mindsets of the players, then build them back up.
That led to an impressive 18-win season in Wade’s first year with the program, and that’s now jumped to a 22-9 record as the Mocs enter the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference tournament Saturday in Asheville, N.C. The Mocs are 27-7 in conference play under Wade, which is the best two-year start for a coach in league play in the history of the program.
The 40 wins in Wade’s first two years are tied with former coaches Ron Shumate, Mack McCarthy and Jeff Lebo for most in a coach’s first two seasons.
Wade has accomplished plenty, and now the next step is earning his first win in the conference tournament, having lost his only game last season to Georgia Southern. That will come Saturday at 6 against the winner of tonight’s game between The Citadel and Furman
“These games are won in the offseason,” Wade said. “It’s not like we just show up and get this mindset. Everybody’s going to show up and be excited this week; if not, you’re … a bad basketball player. Everybody is excited.
“Coach is going to watch a little extra film, but the reality is that the team that wins this tournament, a lot of that prep and the reason they won was established in July, August and September. You’ve got to win those times, and our guys believe because of how hard they work in the offseason.”
Those tough offseason practices gave way to tough regular-season practices after a two-point loss to Western Carolina on Feb. 7 in Cullowhee, N.C. The interior battles, the fights for rebounds and loose balls have started to show themselves in the Mocs’ play. The pride in their defense has shown in the fact that, during the team’s six-game win streak, opponents have shot 37 percent from the field, with only Mercer topping the 40 percent plateau. The team is confident in itself entering the conference tournament and confident in the process, a term Wade uses often.
“We’ve seen every team in the conference. We’ve played everybody. We’ve lost a couple, but we’ve seen the best shots and the worst shots,” junior forward Casey Jones said. “Knowing what we have in that locker room, I have faith in our players and faith in the coaching staff, and I feel we have a good chance if we play the best that we could.”
Wade always has been one to attack. His offense uses a series of weaves in hopes of using the players’ athletic ability to attack gaps when opportunities arise. The defense is using a lot of half-court pressure, a style that is aided by the fact that, if an opponent beats a Moc off the dribble, center Justin Tuoyo and his 6-foot-10 frame are the last line of defense to clean up mistakes.
“Good things don’t come to those who wait,” Wade said. ‘Whoever said that is full of it. Good things come to those who go take it. You can’t wait for anything; if you want something, attack it. You can’t wait for the opportunity to come to you, you’ve got to go make it. Winning close games is established with that.
“I love my guys; sometimes it’s tough love, but that’s how you win close games and that’s how you win tournament. Once you flip the mindset of your team, you’ve got to fight for it daily and make sure there’s no slippage in that, but the hardest part is getting that flipped, and then you have to stay disciplined or it can get away from you quick.”
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.