University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men vs. Wofford at McKenzie Arena
Time: 7 p.m.
Video/radio: ESPN+/96.1 FM
Likely lineups (with heights and scoring averages in parentheses)
UTC (12-17, 7-9 Southern Conference)
Projected starters: F Kevin Easley (6-6, 14.7); G David Jean-Baptiste (6-1, 9.3); G Jerry Johnson Jr. (6-1, 10.5); F Jonathan Scott (6-4, 5.9); F Ramon Vila (6-8, 10.2).
Key reserves: C Thomas Smallwood (7-0, 6.5); G Donovann Toatley (5-9, 11.3).
NO. 24 WOFFORD (24-4, 16-0)
Projected starters: F Keve Aluma (6-9, 7.0); G Nathan Hoover (6-4, 13.0); F Cameron Jackson (6-8, 14.8); G Fletcher Magee (6-4, 20.2); G Storm Murphy (5-11, 8.2).
Key reserves: G Tray Hollowell (6-2, 5.7); C Matt Pegram (6-11, 5.3).
MOCS REPORT
UTC is coming off another loss in which it led at some point in the second half. The Mocs have dropped seven of their past nine games and held second-half advantages in six of those defeats, including last Saturday's frustrating loss at Mercer that would have clinched a first-round bye in the upcoming SoCon tournament. With two games to play, UTC needs a win either against the Terriers tonight or against league power Furman on Saturday to seal that bye. Mercer and Samford are a game back of the fifth-place Mocs. UTC should get the services of leading scorer and rebounder Easley tonight after he missed the past two games with an ankle injury. His first point tonight will break Keith Parker's UTC freshman scoring record from 1977-78. In Easley's absence, freshman Justin Brown scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Johnson led the Mocs with 19 points in an 11-point loss at Wofford in January, a game the Mocs led by as many as eight in the second half.
TERRIERS REPORT
Wofford earned its first Associated Press national ranking this week and also entered the USA Today coaches poll at 25th. The Terriers, who are attempting to complete the first undefeated SoCon run since Davidson in 2007-08, are third in Division I with a plus-17.1 scoring margin this season, trailing only top-ranked Gonzaga and Duke. Magee is the league's active leading scorer (2,373 points) and its career leader in 3-pointers made (477), and he is just 27 3-pointers away from matching Oakland's Travis Bader's NCAA career record. The senior is also the league's top career free-throw shooter (91 percent) and 3-point shooter (43.5 percent).
KEY MATCHUP
Several league teams have pushed the Terriers over the second half of the SoCon schedule, but Magee, Murphy and the rest always have an answer. It's obvious special defensive attention will have to be paid to Magee, but if the Mocs are to pull off the upset, they can't give up second-chance points. Aluma and Jackson have combined for 154 offensive rebounds this season.