Chattanooga Women Shock No.4 Tennessee, 67-63

UTC Improves to 4-2

  • Thursday, November 27, 2014
  • B.B. Branton

Before the season started some people across the country called Chattanooga women’s basketball coach Jim Foster crazy for scheduling three top 10 teams – Notre Dame (national runner-up) Stanford and Tennessee - before Christmas.

After Wednesday night’s UTC shocking 67-63 home win against No.4 Tennessee before 4,160, those same folks might believe coach Foster is crazy like a fox.

On the eve of Thanksgiving, UTC is 1-1 against the top 10 teams with Stanford coming to town Dec. 17.

Losing five starters from last year’s NCAA playoff team, the Mocs started one true freshmen and two sophomores tonight against two juniors and a senior in the Tennessee starting five.

Led by true freshman Kianna Gilbert’s career high 27 points and senior Destiny Bramlett’s 12 points off the bench, the Mocs improved to 4-2 and handed the Lady Vols (4-1) their first loss.

Tennessee was led by Jasmine Jones with 19 points and eight boards, while Ariel Massengale scored 11 points.

“To win big games you have to earn it,” said Foster. “You have to work and believe on a daily basis.

“You cannot just wake up one day and say I am going to be good.”

And on a night in which UTC was more than good, the hosts played a near flawless first half – shot 58.3% from the field, won the battle on the boards, 19-12, and led in points from the bench, 15-11, to lead by 16 at intermission, 37-31 – and then weathered a UT second half comeback and was steady down the stretch to post one of the most important wins in program history.

Tennessee now leads the series 20-2, with the Mocs winning the last two, including a 80-71 triumph in Dec. 2012.

“To win big games, you have to pull up your shorts and take to the challenge,” Foster stated.

“Tonight we took care of the ball, took advantage of opportunities, got the lead and didn’t wilt down the stretch.

And wilt the women in home whites didn’t as the Mocs lost its 16 point halftime lead – UT tied the game at 57-57 at 4:31 on a jumper by Jones – but never trailed in the final 20 minutes.

Chattanooga answered every UT challenge down the stretch as Alicia Payne made free throws for a 59-57 lead at 4:12, Bramlett made a layup to lead 63-61 at 2:18 to the delight of the home crowd and finally senior Ka’vonne Towns , who scored one point and had one rebound in the UT game two years ago, gained a key rebound tonight followed by two free throws with 2.7 seconds remaining for a four point lead (67-63) to secure the win.

“We did it again,” said Bramlett. “We slowed the pace of the game and controlled the controllables.”

UT coach Holly Warlick said, “UTC controlled the tempo of the game, we got anxious and they didn’t.

“We missed lay up after lay up after lay up (mostly in the first half), and our offense effected our defense as we didn’t defend well.”

First Half: It was a dream first half for UTC as the Mocs shot 58% while UT shot a very cool 31% and uncharacteristically missed several shots in the lane.

UTC’s Kianna Gilbert led the way with 14 points (6 of 10 from the field) while Bramlett came off the bench when starting center Jasmine Joyner picked up two fouls in the game’s first four minutes, to twice connect from beyond the arc and eight points.

While the Mocs had more turnovers – 10-8 – they also led in rebounds 19-12 and blocks, 4-1, and bench points 15-11.

UTC led 17-13 at 11:50 and outscored the Lady Vols 14-7 down the stretch. Moses Johnson came off the bench to score her five points in that 11 minute stretch.

UT was paced by Ariel Massengale with five points and Cierra Burdick had four.

Victory Dance: And on a night where the Chattanooga players danced and smiled in a post-game celebration and held off the No.4 team in the country by pulling up their shorts and making the big plays, come March the young Mocs just might look back on this first semester tough schedule and understand the craziness of it all.

Next Up: Dec. 1 Arkansas St (road) … Next Home Game: No.4 Stanford Dec. 17  

Chattanooga 67, Tennessee 63

UT 21 – 42 – 63

UTC 37 – 30 – 67

UTC (4-2) Tennessee (4-1)

Stats: Points in the Paint: UT, 42-32

Points off Turnovers: 13-11

2nd Chance Points: UT, 26-11

Bench Points: 33-24

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

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