CHATTANOOGA --- Chattanooga women's basketball returned to the win column as the team closed out non-conference play on Saturday night, with UTC's 65-59 victory over North Carolina Central helping to see the Mocs head into SoCon play with a record of 12-3.
The Mocs (12-3, 0-0 SoCon) got off and running early behind a 15-0 scoring run, but the Eagles (5-9, 0-0 MEAC) were able to hang around just within striking distance for much of the remainder of the game. It was the performances of Jada Guinn and Raven Thompson that proved crucial for UTC, as the duo combined for 36 points and 20 rebounds to help guide the Mocs to the win in McKenzie Arena.
Chattanooga saw a shaky start to the night after allowing NC Central to jump out to an early 8-3 lead on the Mocs over the opening 2:23 of the game. It wouldn't take long for the Mocs to snap back into their regular form, stringing together a 15-0 run and ultimately ending the quarter on a 17-2 run to carry a 20-10 advantage over the Eagles into the second frame.
Just a few short minutes later into the second quarter, sophomore Raven Thompson was already looking at her second double-double of the season having already netted 13 points and bringing down 10 rebounds just 16:16 into the game. She would go on to finish the night with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
While Thompson was putting on a show for the McKenzie faithful, the Mocs and the Eagles were treading water as the difference between the two sides hovered around 10 points for much of the second quarter. As the teams made their way to the halftime locker rooms, Chattanooga held a 36-25 lead over NCCU.
Things got a little dicey for the Mocs in quarter three, as the Eagles loomed behind numerous scoring threats. NCCU was able to get as close as five points from the Mocs following a three-pointer by Chattanooga-native Kimia Carter at the 2:12 mark of the frame. Despite this, UTC was able to lean on its most consistent scorer of the season, Jada Guinn, to carry the baton.
Guinn's night started off slow, with the grad student only scoring two points in the opening 20 minutes of action. The third quarter was a different story for her, with Guinn scoring 10 of UTC's 17 third quarter points to have the Mocs up 53-45 headed into the final quarter.
Guinn kept her foot on the gas despite NC Central continuing to put pressure on the Mocs, as the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, native fought for each and every basket as the time ticked away in the game. After a three-pointer by Hannah Kohn with 8:34 left to play, Guinn would be responsible for every point that Chattanooga would score for the remainder of the game, accounting for nine fourth quarter points.
As the dust settled in the Roundhouse, a battered but not beaten Chattanooga side was all that remained as the Mocs were able to claim a 65-59 win over the Eagles to earn the team's 12th non-conference victory of the 2023-24 season.
Guinn ultimately finished with 21 points on the night, 19 of which came in the second half. She'd also log a total of seven rebounds, trailing only UTC's Thompson as the game's rebounding leader. Other notable performances by the Mocs included Hannah Kohn, who contributed nine points from three-point range on the night, as well as an eight-point outing by Addie Grace Porter. Junior Kailyn Farrell also had a well-rounded night that included having six points, four boards and a game-leading +11 in the plus-minus column.
FROM THE HEAD COACH | QUOTES
Opening statement
"Thanks to our administration once again. As many of you know, the [Southern] Scuffle has been going on here the last three, four days and they finished late last night. We were able to flip the court to allow us to play one more nonconference game here at home. So for all the work they've put in to allow this to happen, very, very thankful and appreciative. For the fans that came out, thank you. It was nice to see everyone back in McKenzie Arena. It feels like it's been forever since we've been in here. It was good to get us a win. You know, a little sour taste in our mouth a little bit after the Cherokee Tournament right before Christmas. It's felt like we've had a long, long break and I think you saw some of that rust with us today. I'm not sure we were in quite good enough shape. We're gonna have to do a better job as we lean into conference play starting next week. With that said, winning is hard, and we take every one we can get. I think the best thing about this team is we're nowhere near our potential yet. So to be 12-3 and headed into conference play, we know we have a long way to go we have to be much better than we were today. But I am pleased with that locker room, with who we are."
On the return of Raven Thompson to the lineup after injury
"I think it's hard for me is as a coach you're trying to balance get healthy yet stay in shape. I don't know today, she played 30 minutes but she looked gassed and that some on me right some on her. You got to be honest with me so when we practice, I can get the right buttons so that she's all the way ready. I do think the good news is she knows she's healthy. I think that the first couple games back you're worried about some of the things that could go wrong. 'Is my knee all the way there?' She's been put in some situations where she now knows it's healthy. She's been really good. She's a really good basketball player, but we got to get to where she's playing 30 minutes that at Raven's pace and doing Raven things. She had a half and where she ended up with 15 and 11 or 15 and 13. Like she was gassed, right and they had a little guard on her and she you know we gotta identify some of those things. Some of it she's got to have a dog mentality that I'm the potential Player of the Year in this league Throw me the ball and I got us. So it's me as a coach. It's her is a sophomore. I think sometimes we all forget that. She's still learning too."
TOP TAKEAWAYS | NOTES
- Tonight's game marked the first-ever meeting between Chattanooga and North Carolina Central in women's basketball.
- The all-time series now stands at 1-0 in favor of the Mocs.
- This is the fourth time this season that Chattanooga has played against an opponent for the very first time on the WBB hardwood.
- Other first-time matchups this season included: UVA Wise, Kent State and Lipscomb. All resulted in UTC victories.
- Starters: Porter, Guinn, Olafsdottir, Thompson and Murphy. This starting five now is now 10-2 on the year.
- Tonight's game marked the final non-conference game of UTC's 2023-24 season.
- The Mocs have gone 12-3 in non-con action this season.
- This is the most non-conference wins for UTC in a season since 2015-16 when the team went 12-6 in non-con play.
- That non-conference record in 2015-16 included an NCAA Tournament loss to Mississippi State and four losses to Top 25 opponents.
- This also marks back-to-back seasons under Coach Poppie that UTC has won 11+ non-conference games.
- Coach Shawn Poppie is now 20-11 (.645) all-time in non-conference games over his two seasons at the helm of Chattanooga women's basketball.
- This also marked Chattanooga's first game of the 2024 calendar year.
- When playing in the team's first game of a new calendar year, UTC holds an all-time record of 33-17.
- UTC has now led 12 out of 15 games this season at the half
- Raven Thompson logged a double-double in the opening 16:16 of play. She went on to finish with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
- The Mocs strung together a 15-0 scoring run in the first quarter.
- This ties the third-best scoring run of the season for UTC and the best since the team's November 24 game against Kent State (also a 15-0 run).
- Jada Guinn has scored 10+ points in every game this season for the Mocs. Her night ended with a team-high 21 points.
- Guinn and Thompson have now accounted for 472 of Chattanooga's 969 total points on the year (48.7 percent of team's scoring output).
- UTC shot 47.1 percent (24-for-51) from the floor on the night. The team has shot 40 percent or better from the field in 14 out of 15 games this season.
UP NEXT: MERCER
Tonight's game marked the final non-conference matchup for Chattanooga women's basketball before the team kicks off its 2024 SoCon slate next week. The Mocs will open their conference season a week from today on Wednesday, January 10 by hosting Mercer at 7 p.m. ET at the Roundhouse. This will kick off a three-game homestand to open Southern Conference action for the Mocs, as UTC will then welcome Samford on January 13 and ETSU on January 20. The Mocs' game against the Bears will be available to stream on ESPN+ with a radio broadcast available on 96.1 FM/100.3 FM/1070 AM.
50 SEASONS OF CHATTANOOGA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The 2023 season for the Chattanooga women's basketball team marks a major landmark for the program and the university, as UTC women's basketball officially celebrates its 50th season of competition as a university sponsored athletic program. Following the adoption of the Title IX legislation back in 1972, UTC added women's basketball, tennis and volleyball programs to its roster of athletic teams, bringing on five decades of history and success for each of the teams. Chattanooga WBB will be putting on multiple promotions and content pieces throughout the 2023-24 season to celebrate the program's history, culminating in the team hosting its 50th Season Celebration and Reunion during the Mocs' February 3 matchup against Furman at McKenzie Arena.
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