UTC’s Omar Wattad looks for an open player as UTK’s Renaldo Woolridge guards at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville.Surprise!
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team that Southern Conference coaches and media picked to finish third in the league’s North Division is undefeated against SoCon squads and in first place by two games.
The Mocs (9-8, 5-0) edged The Citadel 69-68 on Thursday in Charleston, S.C., as UTC guard Omar Wattad set a career high with 30 points. Bulldogs guard Zach Urbanus missed a 3-point shot as time expired.
Individually, none of the victories have surprised UTC coach John Shulman, but he really didn’t expect the five straight wins to open the 18-game conference season.
“Yes, I am surprised,” Shulman said. “We’re not great offensively, we’re not great defensively, but we’re battling. We have a bunch of hard-headed, strong-willed guys who want to win. We sort of find a way. Everybody is stepping up.