UTC guard Lakelyn Bouldin dribbles around Furman's Tyah Hunter during a SoCon game at McKenzie Arena on Jan. 19.March Madness has arrived, and though the stakes aren't as high as in some years for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's basketball teams, there is still plenty on the line as each completes its regular season Saturday.
The UTC men, despite a disappointing second half of the Southern Conference season, can secure the fifth seed in next week's conference tournament with a win Saturday at home against Furman at 2. UTC (12-18, 7-10) has a one-game lead over Mercer and Samford and can finish no worse than sixth, which gives the Mocs a first-round bye.
UTC will finish sixth if it loses and either Mercer or Samford - or both - win Saturday. Mercer owns the tiebreaker over Samford, which hosts 24th-ranked and SoCon unbeaten Wofford, so the Bulldogs can get a first-round bye only if they pull off a huge upset and the Bears lose at home against second-place UNC Greensboro.
The Mocs have a legitimate shot to finish fifth even if they lose, considering the tough competition Mercer and Samford have to deal with, and though UTC coach Lamont Paris would prefer his team earn it by winning Saturday, he said just being in this position says something about his young team.
"I know there is some sort of equation that puts us out there to be a fifth-place finisher in the league," Paris said after Thursday night's home loss to Wofford. "I think that is significant and I told the guys that I have never fought for fifth place and one day, hopefully, we get to the finish where we are disappointed in that, but right now I am excited for fifth place.
"That's the reality of it. I think that would be a significant improvement from having the sixth-least experienced team in the country at the beginning of the season and all of the turnover and everything that has happened."
Furman (23-6, 12-5) also has seeding on the line. A win clinches the No. 3 seed in the tournament for the Paladins over East Tennessee State. Wofford and UNCG are set as the first and second seeds, respectively.
The Mocs have lost eight of their past 10 games and have played the past three without leading scorer and rebounder Kevin Easley. Paris said the freshman forward has progressed in his recovery from an ankle injury and could be ready to contribute Saturday.
The players hit the practice court Friday knowing their fate is in their own hands.
"That is huge motivation," guard David Jean-Baptiste said Thursday. "Starting tomorrow with practice we have to let this loss go and start with a new mindset. We are still in fifth-seed (position), so we just have to play hard."
The UTC women are in a three-way tie with Wofford and ETSU for third place as they take the court against last-place Western Carolina at 2 p.m. Saturday in Cullowhee, North Carolina. League unbeaten Mercer has clinched the regular-season championship, with Furman second at 8-5 in SoCon games.
UTC, Wofford and ETSU are tied in league play at 7-6, and each has split the season series with the others. Furman has also split its two games with the Mocs, Terriers and Buccaneers, so the possibility of a four-way tie exists with no clear tiebreak winner.
Furman can clinch the second seed with a win at Samford. ETSU plays at surging UNCG, while Wofford hosts Mercer.
The SoCon tournament begins Thursday with first-round women's action. The UTC men will play next Saturday at either 2:30 p.m. if they are the fifth seed or 8:30 if they are sixth.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.