1. Can't score on the bench: Foul trouble, foul trouble, foul trouble. It was obviously frustrating for the UTC coaching staff as well as the players who were victimized by it. I thought some of the fouls were a little ticky-tack, and I also thought that Kellen Dunham did a lot of acting and looking at the refs, which eventually led to some calls as well, but even so, 12 fouls in the first half and 14 more in the second aren't helping anything. On the road, the Mocs will have to learn to play smarter defensively, because they're not going to get the calls, especially with their pressure when they're away from McKenzie.
2. Chaos is going to work: When the Mocs weren't either (A) fouling or (B) being called for fouls -- and there was a difference Tuesday -- Chaos was definitely working against the Bulldogs. Butler looked rushed early in the first half, and it caused some quick possessions and hurried shots. There were so many different looks, too; it looked as though the Mocs pressured off a missed shot once, then dropped back to a 2-3 zone defense. It caused some confusion for the Bulldogs, which led to a Duke Ethridge steal.
3.Where's the rim? Oh, there it is: The shooting struggles are well-documented. I spoke of the "165 rule" of shooting in my last blog; well, the Mocs were 127 shooting (34 percent from the field, 30 percent from 3-point range; 63 from the free-throw line) against the Bulldogs, and 121 (33, 13, 75, respectively) in the second half. Some of that could be attributed to tired legs from the four-day road trips with games against physical teams like Butler and Wisconsin, but to win games, you have to find ways to grind out victories. And speaking of the grind...
4. It only continues: The Mocs basically get two days to get their legs back under them. If a reprieve from big, physical competition is what they are hoping for, they're not going to get it against a Tennessee Tech frontline that averages 6-foot-9, 235 pounds. Dwan Caldwell and Charles Jackson, who start for the Golden Eagles, won't be making things any easier on the interior for starting post Justin Tuoyo and forwards Chuck Ester, Duke Ethridge and Lance Stokes.
5. Tuoyo could be SoCon D-POY: The award for the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year might not have to leave Chattanooga this season. A year after departed senior Z. Mason was honored, Justin Tuoyo has had a similar impact for the Mocs. It was thought that the 6-foot-10, 220-pound redshirt sophomore wouldn't have the same number of opportunities for blocked shots because of his size, but Tuoyo has eight blocks in three games, while averaging nine points and 7.3 rebounds. His impact has come against some impressive front lines in Wisconsin and Butler, and the upcoming Tech game will be no different.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.