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Mocs Basketball Preview: Davidson at UTC, Jan. 26, 2012

Mocs Basketball Preview: Davidson at UTC, Jan. 26, 2012

| By: GoMocs.com

2011-12 CHATTANOOGA MOCS BASKETBALL PREVIEW
DAVIDSON (14-4/8-0) at CHATTANOOGA (9-12/3-5)
Game 22 | Jan. 26, 2012 | 7 p.m. | McKenzie Arena (10,928)

VIEWING/LISTENING
Listen to "Voice of the Mocs" Jim Reynolds' call on ESPN 105.1 FM in Chattanooga, pregame show begins 30 minutes prior to game time. Live video (subscription) and audio (free) available via MocsVision on GoMocs.com where you can find live stats link as well.

TICKET PROMOTIONS

  • DAVIDSON: All university faculty and staff receive free general admission ticket with Mocs Card.
  • ALL SOCON GAMES: BI-LO is partnering with the Chattanooga Mocs to offer the BI-LO BOGO promotion for SoCon games this season. Just show your BI-LO Bonus Card at the ticket gate on game day for a Mocs SoCon game to buy one ticket and get one free.
  • SOCON SATURDAY GAMES: SoCon Saturday package includes ticket and food for each Saturday league game throughout the season. It includes one reserved ticket and a food voucher for a small coke, popcorn and pizza all for $10. Ticket package must be purchased in advance by calling 266-MOCS (6627) or by visiting the UTC Gate One Ticket Office or online at GoMocs.com using "Saturday" promo code in ADVANCE of game day.
  • ALL GAMES: There is a special code to use in purchasing single game tickets. Fans can buy general admission tickets for just $4 when using the promo code ITSTIME when buying on GoMocs.com and printing the tickets at home. Offer expires 2 hours before tipoff of the game in question.

ABOUT DAVIDSON                                                            

  • 54th meeting with Davidson...45 of the previous 53 games were in league play with the other eight in the conference tournament.
  • Chattanooga is 32-21 all-time against Davidson, 17-5 at home.
  • The Mocs and Wildcats share the SoCon record of 10 tournament titles with West Virginia...the two have met four times in the SoCon title game with each winning two.
  • Davidson is 14-4, leaders of the SoCon South Division at 8-0...De'Mon Brooks (15.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Jake Cohen (14.9, 6.4) lead the Wildcats in the frontcourt...Nik Cochran (11.8, 2.5) and J.P Kuhlman (11.2, 4.2) are dangerous on the wings.
  • The Wildcats are SoCon leaders in scoring offense (80.0), scoring margin (+5.0), free throw percentage (79.0) and rebound margin (+6.5).

OPENING TIPS

  • It is Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night as UTC honors academic accolades for its student-athletes. All university faculty and staff receive free general admission ticket with Mocs Card.
  • Senior Ricky Taylor (Brownsville, Tenn.) continues to climb the Mocs record book. Last weekend, Taylor moved from 12th place into the top 10 with his 35 points over two games. He is now tied for ninth with Hall of Famer Eric Smith (1978-81) at 1,122 points.
  • The Mocs lead the SoCon in assists (15.6), FG% defense (39.4), 3pt FG% defense (30.2) and defensive rebound percentage (73.3%). Senior captain Keegan Bell (Huntsville, Ala.) leads in assists at 6.9 per contest and assist-turnover ratio (2.3). Senior Omar Wattad (Johnson City, Tenn.) is the leader in 3pt made per game (3.2).
  • Chattanooga is among the nation's leaders in FG% defense (38th), 3pt made per game (26th, 8.3), 3pt FG% defense (38th) and assists (32nd) through Monday's games. Bell is sixth in assists and 50th in assist-to-turnover ratio. Wattad is 11th in 3pt made per game and 43rd in 3pt FG% (39.9). Bell is just one of nine (four 6'1" or less) in NCAA DI play to record a triple-double this season (12 pts/10 reb/10 assists at Coll. of Charleston).
  • The SoCon North Division is a cluster with all six teams within two games of first place. Elon is the leader at 4-3 followed by Appalachian State (4-4), UNCG (4-4), Western Carolina (3-4), Chattanooga (3-5) and Samford (2-5).
  • UTC has limited 10 of 21 opponents to less than 40% FG this season. The school record is 15 in 2004-05.

TRENDING

  • Z. Mason is averaging nearly a double-double over his last six games at 11.3 ppg & 9.3 rpg...shooting 53.5% from the field & 73.3% (23-30) at the line over that span.
  • Ricky Taylor is averaging 15.3 points per game in league play - a 2.7-point improvement over his non-conference numbers (12.6 ppg).
  • Since returning to the starting lineup after being slowed by back ailment, Omar Wattad is averaging 20.3 pts shooting 37.5% (12-32) from 3pt range.

PLAYER NOTES
Keegan Bell (Huntsville, Ala.)

  • Leads the SoCon in assists at 6.9 per game while ranking sixth nationally.
  • Leads SoCon in assist/turnover ratio (2.3)...50th in the country.
  • Made the 2012 Bob Cousy Award Watch List for second straight year...MVP of Dr Pepper Classic.
  • Mocs career assist leader with 486...passed Tim Brooks (1992-93) and Wes Moore (1996-99) on a feed to Ronrico White with 8:12 left in the game at Kentucky.
  • 10th all-time in 3pt FG Made with 144 behind Ricky Taylor (147) in 9th and Omar Wattad (149) tied for seventh.
  • 3rd in career 3pt FG Attempted with 483...Keddric Mays (2006-07) is second with 516, while Stephen McDowell (2008-09) is first with 611.
  • 725 career points (817 including Vanderbilt numbers - 581 assists combined).
  • Eight career 20-point games...31 games with double digit scoring numbers...has led the team in scoring twice this season, 10 times in his career.
  • 54 career five-plus assist games including 17 this season...10 or more assists nine times, four in 2011-12.
  • Made four or more threes 16 times in two-plus seasons.

Z. Mason (Nashville, Tenn.)

  • SoCon Ranks: 17th in rebounding (5.2) and 14th in offensive rebounding (1.9).
  • SoCon Ranks (league games only): 5th in reb. (7.9), 6th in defensive reb. (5.4) and T7th in offensive reb (2.5).

Ricky Taylor (Brownsville, Tenn.)

  • Graduated with a degree in accounting on December 17, 2011...then immediately drove to Lexington, Ky., as the Mocs took on Kentucky that evening where he had a career-best five assists.
  • Scored 1,000th career point in win over Longwood...his three-pointer capped an 11-0 run that put the Mocs up by 23...18th UTC student-athlete in the DI era (1977-78) to accomplish the milestone...currently tied for ninth (DI era) with Eric Smith (1978-81) in scoring (1,122)...he's 19 behind Alphonso Pugh (2003-06) in eighth with 1,141, 31 shy of Stanford Strickland (1981-84) in seventh at 1,153 and 35 from David Phillips (1997-00).
  • SoCon Ranks: 11th in scoring (13.6), 2nd in 3pt% (45.0), 8th in FT% (79.1) and 15th in 3pt made per game (1.7).
  • Ranks 13th at UTC in FGM with 374, two out of the 12th spot held down by Strickland (376)...8th in FGA with 896, 23 behind Brandon Born (1992-95) with 919.
  • 9th all-time in 3pt FG Made at 147 which is two away from Wattad and Isaac Conner (1996-99) in seventh with 149...7th in 3pt FGA (410), trailing Tim Parker (2000-03) in sixth with 418.
  • Led the Mocs in each of the last two seasons in free throws made (151 total) and leads this year with 68...tied for 17th all-time with 227 with Brooks...Gerald Wilkins (1983-85) is 16th with 234.
  • Is 23rd in career FT% (75.4), but is fifth among those who have shot 300 or more...18th student-athlete in DI era with 300 or more attempts (301).
  • 63 double-digit scoring nights for his career, 17 in 2011-12...10 career 20-pt games...led team in scoring seven times this season, 24 times in career.

Omar Wattad (Johnson City, Tenn.)

  • Leads SoCon in 3pt FG made per game (3.2) ranking tied for 11th nationally.
  • Other SoCon ranks: 10th in scoring (13.6 ppg) and 10th in 3pt% (39.9) which is 43rd-best in nation.
  • Made 100th trey against Warren Wilson...tied for seventh in career treys made with Conner...Born is sixth with 159.
  • Scored his 700th career point at Elon...now stands at 715 (791 including Georgetown stats).
  • 25 points at Elon topped his 24 points in season opener at IU...three 20-point efforts in 2011-12, 10 career...35 career double-digit scoring games, 14 in 2011-12.

Drazen Zlovaric (Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • SoCon Ranks: 4th in rebounding (7.0), T30th in scoring (10.0), 3rd in defensive boards (5.6) and 10th in FG% (50.8).
  • Game-high 10 boards in 1st collegiate action in more than a year at Indiana.
  • 12 double-figure scoring nights...7 or more rebounds in 13 of 21 games...five double-digit rebounding games with three double-doubles. 

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