Mocs men hurt by poor rebounding in loss to Western Carolina

Western Carolina forward Marc Gosselin (12) fouls UTC center Joshua Phillips (2) during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Western Carolina forward Marc Gosselin (12) fouls UTC center Joshua Phillips (2) during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

By Gene Henley January 5, 2018 4 min read

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Mocs hurt by poor rebounding in loss to Western Carolina

UTC forward Makinde London (22) drives for the goal ahead of teammate center Joshua Phillips (2) and Western Carolina forward Mike Amius (23) and guard Deriece Parks (13) during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Western Carolina forward Mike Amius grabs a rebound contested by UTC guard Jonathan Bryant II during Thursday night's SoCon matchup at McKenzie Arena. Amius finished with 27 points and eight rebounds to lead the Catamounts to a 75-63 victory.

Western Carolina guard Devin Peterson rebounds over UTC guard Nat Dixon during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

UTC forward Makinde London (22) shoots around Western Carolina guard Maurice Smith (0) during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Western Carolina forward Adam Sledd (44) rebounds over teammates guard Haboubacar Mutombo (11), forward Onno Steger (33) and UTC forward Makinde London (22) during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

UTC guard Rodney Chatman shoots over Western Carolina guard Desmond Johnson during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

UTC men's basketball coach Lamont Paris watches from the sideline during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

UTC guard Nat Dixon (5) shoots over Western Carolina forward Mike Amius (23) during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

UTC men's basketball coach Lamont Paris shouts from the sideline during the Mocs home basketball game against Western Carolina at McKenzie Arena on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Western Carolina knew the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team’s biggest weakness.

And Thursday night, the Catamounts did everything they could to exploit it.

Led by 27 points and eight rebounds from Mike Amius, they pounded the paint for 44 points while leading for more than 35 minutes at McKenzie Arena. In the process, they handed the Mocs their third consecutive loss, 75-63, as UTC fell to to 0-2 in Southern Conference play.

The Mocs (6-9) host East Tennessee State in the second game of a three-game homestand at 5 p.m. Saturday. It will also be the second game of a doubleheader that day, with the women hosting Western Carolina at 2.

The Western Carolina men (6-8, 2-0) had 21 second-chance points on 17 offensive rebounds while also taking advantage of 15 UTC turnovers and turning them into 19 points.