The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball teams are hosting another doubleheader Sunday in McKenzie Arena, and this time the men go first - at 1:30 p.m. against NAIA Division I member Cumberland University. The UTC women take on Ohio University at 4. Two canned food items for the Chattanooga Area Food Bank and payment for one ticket will get you a second ticket free, and the tickets are good for both games. The UTC men are 8-5 under coach Lamont Paris and coming off back-to-back four-point wins, while the Phoenix - playing this game as an exhibition - are 9-5. The Mocs have won nine or more games before New Year's Day just four times previously in program history, but since moving up to NCAA Division I they are 39-4 in first games back after Christmas break - 31-1 in the Roundhouse - according to a UTC release. Matt Ryan and David Jean-Baptiste lead them with 14.6 and 13.2 points a game, with Ramon Vila at 9.8. Katie Burrows' female Mocs hope to earn their second win in 14 games this season, but the Bobcats are 6-4 and ranked ninth and 13th in two mid-major national polls. They have four players averaging double-figure points a game: Amani Burke (14.6), Cierra Hooks (14.5), Erica Johnson (12.1, plus 6.9 rebounds) and Gabby Burris (11.0). UTC's leaders are Lakelyn Bouldin (11.6) and Eboni Williams (9.5, 7.3 rebounds).
* The Covenant College men ended a three-week break Saturday night with a 93-85 overtime loss at Belhaven, which tied the score at 75 in the final seconds of the second half and then scored the first six points of the extra period. Brosnan Cooks had 42 points and six assists for Belhaven (3-5), and Trai James had 14 points and 12 assists. For the Scots (5-3), who led by nine in the second half, Chris Barnette had 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and Will Crumly had 16 points (passing 1,000 for his Covenant career) and eight rebounds. Zack Allen and Daevon Platt added 11 and 10 points.
Compiled by Ron Bush. Contact him at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.