Game #30: Chattanooga

UPDATE:  Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina men's basketball game against Chattanooga scheduled for Thursday, February 27 at 7 p.m. in the Ramsey Center will be televised on WMYA-TV, My40. The matchup will also be streamed on ESPN3.

The tables are turned.  This time, Chattanooga (16-12, 10-4 SoCon) will have to make the trip over the mountains and into the Ramsey Center, a place that has become very difficult for Southern Conference members to win basketball games.

The Catamounts (17-12, 10-4 SoCon) are 10-1 this season in games played in the friendly confines of the Ramsey Center, with their only loss coming at the hands of Davidson, in a 82-77 loss back on January 23.  The Cats will be looking to return the favor to the Mocs, for that 83-73 loss in the first game of the series back on February 14 in the Round House.

This game is just as important to both teams as the first game was, as both teams are fighting for a chance at that 2d or 3d seed in the conference tournament next week.  Both teams are tied  for third place in the standing at 10-4, along with Wofford at 10-4 also and just behind Elon at 10-3.  However, the Cats are 5-1 overall during the month of February, while the Mocs are 2-4 during February, and have lost 4 of the last 5 games and bring a 2 game losing streak to the Ramsey Center.

Chattanooga is currently second in the SoCon in scoring offense at 76.6 ppg, and are 9th overall in scoring defense, giving up an average of 74.0 points per game.  In three point shooting, the Mocs are hitting 33.5 % of their shots placing them in 10th place.  Chattanooga currently has 4 players averaging double figures. Redshirt senior forward Z. Mason (6-6, 235) leads the scoring with 18.1 point per game, followed by sophomore guard Casey Jones (6-5, 200) with 12.2 ppg, then junior guard Ronrico White (6-3, 170) with 12.2 ppg, and finally sophomore guard Gee McGhee (66-4, 205) with 10.2 ppp.  Mason leads the Mocs in rebounds with 9.5 per game

Chattanooga Probable Starters
Sophomore - Casey Jones, 6-5 200 lbs, 12 ppg - 5.9 rebs
Junior - Martynas Bareika, 6-5 215 lbs, 9.8 ppg - 2.8 rebs
Senior - Z. Mason, 6-6 235 lbs, 18.1 ppg - 9.6 rebs
Freshman - Greg Pryor, 6-1 195 lbs, 6.0 ppg - 2.6 rebs
Sophomore - Gee McGhee, 6-4 205 lbs, 10.1 ppg - 4.3 rebs

RealTime RPI projects a 11 point win for the Catamounts, 80-69

RPI:                       Sagarin:                     Pomeroy:                    Massey:                                              WCU 214                WCU 226                   WCU 229                      WCU 224                                             UTC 226                  UTC 274                    UTC 269                        UTC 257

Courtesy Daily Catamount
 

Join the conversation and leave a comment below