CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball team hits the road for the first time in 2009-10 traveling to the University of Richmond for a Sunday afternoon contest.  The 5 p.m., tipoff marks the start of a four game in eight day road trip as part of the South Padre Island Invitational.

The Mocs are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since the 2001-2002 season and will trying to start 3-0 for the first time since 1997-98, the season after the Sweet 16 run.  Keegan Bell leads the Mocs averaging 17.5 points and 6.5 assists per game at the point.  He is shooting 64.7 percent from the field (11-17), 61.5 percent (8-13) from three-point range and 83.3 percent (5-6) from the charity stripe.  The Vanderbilt transfer is as advertised.

Junior Ridge McKeither leads the Mocs in the paint.  The 2009 JUCO All-American is averaging 15.5 points and eight boards per game in his first season with the Mocs.  All-in-all, five Mocs average in double figures as the team is averaging 96 points per game.

The Spiders are 2-1 with wins over Lehigh (65-53), VMI (103-59) and Thursday's loss at William & Mary (78-71).    

Sunday's game is the first stop in the South Padre Island Invitational for the Mocs.  Chattanooga will fly from Richmond to Missouri where it faces the Tigers on Tuesday night.  From there, the Mocs fly south to South Padre Island, Texas where they will face the University of Texas-Pan American in a first round contest on Friday.  The other half of the Mocs bracket sees Bethune-Cookman square off with Longwood.

WHO:  Josh Odem.  Odem is averaging 15 points, 3.5 rebounds and three steals per game and his play against East Tennessee State was ahead of the curve for a true freshman.  He is shooting 47.6 percent (10-21) from the field, 45.5 percent (5-11) from three-point range and 71.4 percent (5-7) from the free throw line.

WHAT:  Chattanooga (2-0) at Richmond (2-1)

WHEN:  Sunday, Nov. 22, 5 p.m. in the Robins Center (9,071)

WHERE:  The game will be broadcast on the Mocs Sports Network with Jim Reynolds calling the play-by-play.  It can be listened to locally on ESPN 105.1 FM and worldwide on GoMocs.com.

HOW:  The Mocs bench played a vital role in Tuesday's 85-76 win over East Tennessee State.  It out-scored its ETSU counterparts 20-11,  The bench was led by Jeff Smith, Jasper Williams and DeAntre Jefferson.  Smith had eight points playing out of position at the four, while Williams had five points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals.  Jefferson had a monster follow dunk on the night and ended up with seven points and seven rebounds.

SERIES:  Richmond leads the series 1-0 with an 84-75 win in Richmond during the 1969-70 season.

QUOTABLE:  "Richmond is picked among the top teams in the A10 this year.  That says it all.  They are like Samford, just two or three inches taller.  Very good, very talented basketball team that plays very well at home.  They beat VMI by 44 points.  VMI won 24 games last year and beat Kentucky." - Head Coach John Shulman

PROBABLE STARTERS:  F - Ricky Taylor, So. (10.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg); F - Ridge McKeither, Jr. (15.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg); C - Jeremy Saffore, Jr. (11.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg); G - Keegan Bell, So. (17.5 ppg, 6.5 apg); G - Josh Odem, Fr. (15.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg).