Defense has been the calling card of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball team throughout Jim Foster’s four seasons as head coach.
Only now, the offense is on par.
Through three games in Southern Conference play – against Mercer, Samford and East Tennessee State, the three teams ranked just behind UTC in the preseason – the Mocs have shot 52 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range while averaging 70.3 points per game. With only 54 points a game allowed on 33 percent shooting, the results have been three double-digit victories.
“We’re starting to have a better sense of who we are and how we need to play,” Foster said after Saturday’s win over ETSU. “We just need to be disciplined; we were a little out of kilter in the fourth quarter and took some jump shots off the dribble, which are the lowest-percentage shots you can take in the half court. We don’t want to take them early.”
Jasmine Joyner has averaged 17.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and six blocks per game in conference play, while Lakelyn Bouldin is shooting 54 percent from 3-point range and averaging 13 points per contest. As a team, the Mocs are moving the ball well, averaging 13.7 assists per game, and their shooting percentage would be even higher against ETSU had it not been for a fourth quarter in which they shot 4-for-15, which reduced their game rate to 42 percent (from 49 percent entering the period).