The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team improved to 4-3 this season with Friday’s 109-59 home win over Tennessee Wesleyan, the first game of the Mocs’ Coke Zero Sugar Classic at McKenzie Arena.
Tennessee Wesleyan, an NAIA program from nearby Athens, considered the game an exhibition on its schedule, so the Bulldogs’ season mark remained 5-3.
The Mocs looked pretty lethargic at times over the first 20 minutes of game play, yet they built a 50-31 advantage entering the break before starting the second half on a 21-4 run and cruising from there. Their three-game winning streak has them above .500 for the first time since they were 1-0.
Jordan Frison had a team-high 17 points in just 18 minutes and was one of six Mocs who reached double figures in points. Billy Smith had 15 points and matched Frison with a trio of 3-pointers, while UTC got 12 points apiece from Makai Richards — who also had a career high with 11 rebounds — and Teddy Washington. Sean Cusano and Brennan Watkins had 10 points and four assists each.
Charles Neverdon’s 14 points led Tennessee Wesleyan, while Jay Reed added nine points and had team highs with five assists, four rebounds and two steals.