The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team picked up the first win of the Dan Earl era Thursday night, overwhelming NAIA member Oakland City 93-49 at McKenzie Arena.
The Mocs (1-1) will travel to face Southeastern Conference program Ole Miss at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday. Their next home game is on Nov. 19, a Saturday afternoon contest against NCAA Division III program Covenant College from Lookout Mountain.
Three days after losing 85-78 at College of Charleston, the Mocs never trailed in their home opener, with Jake Stephens scoring on a hook shot on the game’s first possession. They led by as many as 46 points in the second half.
All 11 Mocs available Thursday scored against Oakland City, with UTC playing without guard Khristion Courseault and forwards KC Hankton and Grant Ledford. Nobody played more for UTC than freshman point guard Brody Robinson, who clocked 25 minutes.
Earl, who took over at UTC in late March after coaching the past seven seasons at fellow Southern Conference program Virginia Military Institute, used the same starting five as the opener: former VMI standout Stephens, A.J. Caldwell, Demetrius Davis, Jamal Johnson and Dalvin White.