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Mocs Basketball Preview: Samford at UTC, Feb. 25, 2012

Mocs Basketball Preview: Samford at UTC, Feb. 25, 2012

| By: GoMocs.com

2011-12 CHATTANOOGA MOCS BASKETBALL PREVIEW
SAMFORD (11-17/8-9) AT CHATTANOOGA (10-20/4-13)
Game No. 31 | Feb. 25, 2012 | 7:30 p.m. | McKenzie Arena (10,928)

LISTENING & VIEWING
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) is available via MocsVision on GoMocs.com where you can find the live stats link as well.

TICKET PROMOTIONS

  • 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 SAMFORD

  • 83rd meeting, 10th in league play...Mocs lead 47-35...5-3 all-time in regular-season SoCon play.
  • Series began in 1925-26...Bulldogs joined the SoCon in 2008-09...the 83 meetings make Samford UTC's most frequent opponent.
  • This series has been a sweep the previous three seasons...the Mocs won three in 2008-09 and both games last season...the Bulldogs took both games in 2009-10.
  • Samford is 11-17 on the year, 8-9 and tied for second in the SoCon North.
  • Drew Windler leads the Bulldogs averaging 14.2 points per game...he had 25 in the first meeting...Tyler Hood adds 10.9 points per contest, while Jeffrey Merrit leads on the boards at 6.7 per game.
  • Samford is shooting 44.3 percent from the field including 34.1 percent from three-point range and 65,8 percent from the free throw line...the Bulldogs lead the SoCon making 8.4 three-pointers per game.

LAST MEETING
01/14/12 2:00 p.m. at Birmingham, Ala. (Pete Hanna Center)
SAMFORD 81, CHATTANOOGA 70
CHATTANOOGA (9-10, 3-3 SoCon)
WATTAD, Omar 4-15 5-6 17; HAMPTON, Dontay 3-5 2-2 11; MASON, Z. 3-7 5-6 11; BELL, Keegan 3-13 0-0 9; TAYLOR, Ricky 2-9 4-4 9; ZLOVARIC, Drazen 3-5 0-0 6; BURROUGHS, Jahmal 2-4 1-2 5; BRYANT, Jared 0-1 2-2 2; WHITE, Ronrico 0-0 0-0 0; STOKES, Lance 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-59 19-22 70.
SAMFORD (4-12, 1-4 SoCon)
WINDLER, Drew 7-11 6-6 25; KELLY, Raijon 5-11 8-8 19; HOOD, Tyler 6-12 2-2 15; COOK, Will 2-4 1-2 7; MERRITT, Jeffrey 1-6 5-6 7; MILLER, Connor 2-4 0-0 6; HAYMAN, Brandon 1-3 0-0 2; McNEIL, Devin 0-0 0-0 0; FRIDAY, Matthew 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-51 22-24 81.
Chattanooga 32-38 70
Samford 44-37 81
3-point goals--Chattanooga 11-33 (WATTAD, Omar 4-13; BELL, Keegan 3-13; HAMPTON, Dontay 3-4; TAYLOR, Ricky 1-3), Samford 11-34 (WINDLER, Drew 5-9; MILLER, Connor 2-4; COOK, Will 2-4; KELLY, Raijon 1-5; HOOD, Tyler 1-6; HAYMAN, Brandon 0-1; MERRITT, Jeffrey 0-5). Fouled out--Chattanooga-ZLOVARIC, Drazen, Samford-FRIDAY, Matthew. Rebounds--Chattanooga 37 (MASON, Z. 8), Samford 32 (MERRITT, Jeffrey 12). Assists--Chattanooga 14 (TAYLOR, Ricky 5; BELL, Keegan 5), Samford 16 (MERRITT, Jeffrey 9). Total fouls--Chattanooga 23, Samford 21. Technical fouls--Chattanooga-None, Samford-None. A-1012 

OPENING TIPS

  • Saturday's regular-season finale against Samford is the renewal of the Southern Rail Rivalry. It's also Senior Night as the Mocs honor four this season. The SoCon Saturday ticket package is available featuring a lower level ticket with a food voucher (pizza, popcorn, coke) all for just $10. The ticket must be purchased in advance of game day. BI-LO BOGO is in effect as well. Present your BI-LO Bonus Card at the ticket office and get buy one, get one free tickets.
  • The Mocs lead the SoCon in assists (14.4) and FG% defense (40.5). Senior captain Keegan Bell (Huntsville, Ala.) leads in assists (6.1) and assist/turnover ratio (2.2). For UTC team ranking and SoCon leaders see page five. Individual ranks are in the player notes on page four.
  • Chattanooga is honoring four seniors playing their final home game Saturday. Bell, Jahmal Burroughs (New Orleans, La.), Ricky Taylor (Brownsville, Tenn.) and Omar Wattad (Johnson City, Tenn.) will be celebrated prior to the game. Taylor is a fourth-year senior, while Bell (Vandy) and Wattad (Georgetown) joined the program as transfers. Bell came on board for the 2009-10 season as a sophomore, while Wattad joined the team in 2010-11. Burroughs was a junior college transfer after starting his career at the University of New Orleans. Bell is the career leader in assists at Chattanooga and is closing in on the top 10 in league annals. Taylor is the sixth all-time leading scorer in the school's DI era topping 1200 points Thursday at Furman. Wattad is one of the leading three-point shooters in the Mocs history, while Burroughs has emerged as the emotional leader on the team.
  • The Mocs are settled in as the six seed from the North for the upcoming SoCon Basketball Tournament in Asheville, N.C. They will face either Georgia Southern or Wofford on Friday, March 2. Wofford owns the tiebreaker for the two seed.

TRENDING

  • Keegan Bell's needs 6 assists to move into 10th-place in SoCon history passing WCU's Kevin Young who had 530 playing from 1979-82.
  • Dontay Hampton is 6th in the SoCon in free throw shooting at 82.4 percent (61-74).
  • In the last four games, the Mocs are shooting 33.8% from the field and 20.5% from 3pt range. Despite that, the scoring margin is just -5.4.
  • Since returning from injury 5 games ago, Jahmal Burroughs has grabbed 39 rebounds (7.8/gm).
  • In the last 7, Ronrico White is averaging 8.6 ppg in 16.9 mpg off the bench.

PLAYER NOTES
Keegan Bell (Huntsville, Ala.)

  • Leads the SoCon in assists at 6.1 per game, 14th nationally, and assist/turnover ratio (2.2), 53rd 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 525...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...his 184 assists this season is 3rd-best...he also holds the 4th (182, 2010-11) and 7th (159 - 2009-10) best season marks in school history...he five assists from the 10th-most in SoCon history (530, Kevin Young, Western Carolina, 1979-82).
  • Got his 600th collegiate assist at home against Elon on a White jumper at 14:28 in first half...includes the 95 he tallied as a freshman (2007-08) at Vanderbilt for 620 combined.
  • 9th all-time in 3pt FG Made with 155, one behind Ricky Taylor...Brandon Born (1992-95) is seventh with 159.
  • 2nd in career 3pt FG Attempted with 535 behind Stephen McDowell (2008-09) in first with 611.
  • Eight career 20-point games...33 games with double digit scoring numbers...has led the team in scoring thrice this season, 11 times in his career...made four or more threes 17 times in two-plus seasons.
  • 60 career five-plus assist games including 23 this season...10 or more assists nine times, four in 2011-12.
  • Averaging 12.4 points, 5.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game in five meetings with Samford...had 25 points in the season-ending win a year ago at Samford.

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 on a 3pt bucket...18th UTC student-athlete in the DI era (1977-78) to accomplish it...currently sixth in scoring (1,196).
  • SoCon Ranks: 16th in scoring (12.4), 8th in 3pt% (39.5) and 9th in FT% (78.6).
  • 10th at UTC in FGM with 403, seven behind Derrick Kirce (1990-91) with 410...3rd in FGA with 983, 196 away from Gerald Wilkins (1983-85) in 2nd with 1179.
  • 8th all-time in 3pt FG Made at 156, one ahead of Bell and three behind Born...7th in 3pt FGA (444) behind Wes Moore (1996-99) with 455.
  • Led the Mocs in each of the last two seasons in free throws made (151 total) and leads this year with 88...13th with 247 in his career...Derrick Kirce (1990-91) is 12th with 251.
  • Career FT% (75.5) is fifth among those who have shot 300 or more.
  • 67 double-digit scoring nights in career, 21 in 2011-12...led team in scoring 10 times this season, 27 in career.
  • 11 career 20-pt games...season-high 24 points in last Thursday's win over Elon.
  • Had 16 points and career-high 11 rebounds in last year's home win over Samford.

Omar Wattad (Johnson City, Tenn.)

  • 2nd in the SoCon in 3pt FG made per game (2.8) ranking 32nd nationally...58th in the country in 3pt% (36.3).
  • Other SoCon ranks: 17th in scoring (12.4 ppg).
  • Made 100th trey against Warren Wilson...5th in career treys made with 165...Moore is 4th with 167.
  • Scored his 700th career point at Elon...now stands at 804 (879 including Georgetown stats).
  • 25 points at Elon topped his 24 points in season opener at IU...four 20-point efforts in 2011-12, 11 career...38 career double-digit scoring games, 17 in 2011-12.
  • Averaging 14.3 points in three games against the Bulldogs.

Drazen Zlovaric (Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • SoCon Ranks: 6th in rebounding (6.7), 5th in defensive boards (5.0) and 5th in FG% (54.7).
  • Game-high 10 boards in 1st collegiate action in more than a year at Indiana.
  • 19 double-figure scoring nights...7 or more rebounds in 17 of 30 games...six double-digit rebounding games with four double-doubles. 

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