Courtesy: GoMocs.com

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.---The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men’s basketball team learned its fate for the NCAA Basketball Tournament Sunday night at the Big River Grille, downtown Chattanooga location.  UTC is headed to Philadelphia, Pa., to play Thursday against UConn.

It is the Mocs first trip to the tournament since 2005, John Shulman’s first year as head coach.  The game will serve as the second meeting between Chattanooga and the Huskies which occurred in the 1995 West Regional first round game in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Chattanooga Mocs First Round Tickets

A limited number of tickets to see the Mocs play Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA tournament will be available for sale on  Monday March 16th from 10 am to 5 pm. Fans may purchase tickets by calling 423-425-5273.  Tickets are $71.50 and include only session that the Mocs are playing in. The Mocs take on the Connecticut Huskies in Philadelphia, Pa., on March 19th.

NOTES

>Chattanooga tied SoCon record with 10th tourney title (Davidson, Wake Forest).  Since joining the league in 1977-78, the Mocs have won more titles (10) than anyone else in the league (Davidson, East Tennessee State, 6).

>This is the Mocs 10th NCAA Division I tournament appearance.   UTC is 3-9 (.250) in tournament play including a 1997 run to the Sweet 16 with wins over Georgia and Illinois.  The Mocs defeated an N.C. State team in 1982 in the first round that featured the likes of Thurl Bailey, Sidney Lowe, etc.  It was the year before the Wolfpack’s epic run to the title in 1983.  UTC missed a short jumper in the final seconds to go to the Sweet 16 that season losing to No. 2 Seed Minnesota 62-61.

>Previous NCAA Appearances by distance:  Salt Lake City, Utah, 1995 (1,764 miles); Houston, Texas, 1983 (817) ; Philadelphia, Pa., 2009 (759); Indianapolis, Ind., 1982 (421); Dayton, Ohio, 1981 (413); Charlotte, N.C., 1997 (350); Lexington, Ky., 1994 (280); Birmingham, Ala.; 1997 (149); Nashville, Tenn., 1993 (136); and Atlanta, Ga., 1988 (119).

>Family Affair - Assistant Coach Brent Jolly is in his second NCAA Tournament appearance.  His sister, Kellie Jolly-Harper is the head coach of Western Carolina’s women’s team and is making her second trip as well at Western Carolina.  Coincidentally, Jolly-Harper’s first visit was 2005, the same year the Mocs last went to the tourney.

>From the Mocs current roster, no player has participated in an NCAA Tournament game.  Senior Stephen McDowell played on the 2005 and 2006 South Carolina NIT Championship teams.  Sophomore guard Keegan Bell played on Vanderbilt’s 2008 NCAA Tourney team, but he is sitting out this season under transfer rules.

Reminder to media, you must apply for credentials through the NCAA Credentialing system before 1 p.m. Monday.  The link was sent to local media members earlier in the week.  Please contact Jim Horten with any questions (C:  423-645-8733/E:  james-horten@utc.edu).