If you’re looking for a bright spot from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women’s basketball team’s 62-45 loss to Eastern Kentucky on Friday afternoon, good luck.
In their visit to McKenzie Arena, the Colonels didn’t do anything special to challenge UTC, but their defensive style allowed the Mocs to settle on offense. UTC fired away outside the arc, usually with bad shots. The Mocs also turned the ball over, a recurring problem this season for a team that is now 2-4 but was going for its third win in four games.
That complacency then bled over to the defensive end of the court, where the Mocs were consistently outhustled, sometimes in key rebounding situations, as loose balls went to the Colonels instead of UTC.
The Mocs won’t have to wait long for a chance to bounce back – they’re set to play Sunday and Monday in Atlanta at the Georgia State Classic, facing Georgia Southern first and then the host Panthers – but third-year head coach Katie Burrows’ team is reeling.
Tuesday’s comeback victory at Austin Peay seemed to be a feel-good win, but Burrows called it “lucky” after Friday’s game. Falling behind by 20 twice in a game while turning it over 23 times, which was the case against Eastern Kentucky, isn’t a recipe for long-term success in any sport. With Friday’s miscues factored in, the Mocs have averaged 20.5 turnovers per game.