You win a college basketball game by two points on two free throws with 7.6 seconds to play after trailing by three points inside the final three minutes, there's a lot to focus on at the finish. Especially when, just ahead of the horn, the opposing team misses a layup that could have been a dunk that would have forced overtime.
So any discussion of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's 71-69 victory over Furman on Saturday afternoon at a boisterous McKenzie Arena probably needs to begin with those two free throws by Malachi Smith, who led the Mocs wih 21 points, and the missed layup from the Paladins' Marcus Foster as the game ended.
If either of those individual efforts turns out differently, there might well have been a different result between two of the Southern Conference's best teams.
But as winning coach Lamont Paris noted afterward, his face beaming in a way it has rarely beamed during his five seasons in Mocsville: "You can't always rely on your best guy. You need some help. This was a winning, winning effort by everybody. Great performance by the guys. Really happy for them."
If anyone other than Smith deserved special recognition after this game, it was probably Knoxville native Grant Ledford, who came off the bench to hit five of six shots - including three of four 3-point attempts - and finish with 13 points in a shade less than 20 minutes, with all three triples coming in the opening half.
Those first-half points kept the Mocs within striking distance at intermission, when they trailed 38-33. They also further cemented the notion that the 6-foot-5 sophomore Ledford's future at UTC is a bright one growing brighter by the week.
"It helps a lot," Ledford said afterward of his performance. "It helps boost my confidence. Playing a team like Furman, one of the best teams in the SoCon, so having a good game today feels good."
Yet as good as Ledford was throughout his time on the court, no one in UTC's "Gold Rush" uniforms shined brighter for one minute and 17 seconds than KC Hankton, the junior forward from Charlotte, North Carolina.
This hasn't been the easiest of seasons for Hankton, who has battled both illness and a concussion. And that's been tough on the Mocs at times after watching the St. Louis University transfer average a solid 8.7 points a game last season, his first at UTC.
But with 8:48 to go in Saturday's game, the Mocs clinging to a 55-54 lead, Hankton took charge. First, he grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed 3-pointer from Darius Banks. Then, when AJ Caldwell missed a triple, Hankton faded to the left corner, where a pass from Banks after a second offensive rebound resulted in a 3 that touched nothing but net. Now the Mocs were up 58-54.
Next time down on offense, Furman having pulled within 58-56, Hankton was at it again, knocking down a short jumper off a second assist from Banks. Finally, 18 seconds after that, the 6-7 Hankton blocked a Furman layup on the other end.
If you're scoring at home, that's five points, an offensive rebound and a block for Hankton in 77 seconds.
"That 3-pointer (by Hankton) was the most important possession of the entire game," Paris said. "To get those offensive rebounds. To fight that hard. That's the difference in winning and losing."
These Mocs have won far more than they've lost to date. Now 14-4 against a rugged schedule - and 4-1 in Southern Conference play - they should not only win more than 20 games, they should have the talent and depth (if they can avoid a serious COVID-19 outbreak or untimely injury) to at least play for the SoCon tourney title and the automatic NCAA bid that comes with it.
After all, this win was achieved without the services of veteran starting guard David Jean-Baptiste and redshirt freshman Jamaal Walker, who's hurt. Exactly why Jean-Baptiste isn't playing is still a mystery - does he have an overdue library book or something? - other than it seemingly has to do more with a school issue in general than the athletic department, but Paris appeared to indicate that Jean-Baptiste's forced absence, now at two games, should end soon.
Regardless, this was the kind of win that team-oriented coaches such as Paris love. Nine Mocs played, with each on the floor for a minimum of 7:34. Eight of the nine scored. Six scored at least six points, with Silvio DeSousa (11) joining Smith and Ledford in double figures.
Yet for all those contributions by all those players, Paris smiled widest when recalling those 77 seconds from Hankton, beginning with his offensive rebound that eventually led to his deep triple from the left corner.
"My favorite play of the day," Paris said. "By far."
Perhaps that's because it's those kinds of plays - hustle plays, effort plays - that will ultimately determine how far these Mocs go come March.
Mark WiedmerContact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @TFPWeeds.