There was a different vibe surrounding the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s men’s basketball practice Tuesday afternoon.
It would be common for a team that ended the regular season by losing nine of its last 11 games to be lethargic. Yet there was a renewed energy on the court with players running crisp drills and cutting up with each other.
A little March Madness will cure a lot of hoop-related ailments.
The Mocs, like so many college teams this time of year, can turn their season narrative around in just a few days as they begin play in the Southern Conference tournament Saturday. Fifth-seeded UTC (12-19, 7-11) plays No. 4 East Tennessee State University (23-8, 13-5) at 2:30 p.m. in Asheville’s U.S. Cellular Center as an underdog for sure, but one that enters competition fully aware of the opportunity that awaits.
“It’s the most intense time of the season, you know,” sophomore forward Ramon Vila said. “It all comes down to us. We can make a one-game run or go to the end. It’s up to us.”