-The trio of Rodney Chatman, Nat Dixon and Joshua Phillips combined for 48 points in the Chattanooga Mocs 75-70 defeat at Akron. Chatman led the Mocs with 19 points, while Daniel Utomi led the Zips with 24 points and 13 rebounds.
Dixon contributed a career-high 16 points in the loss, while Phillips’ 13 is his best total against a DI opponent looking over his entire body of work including three seasons at Middle Tennessee.
The Mocs got tantalizing close in the end, but couldn’t get the plays to get the win.
They were down 15, 43-28, early in the second half before a quick 7-0 run got them back in contention after a Chatman layup at 15:46.
The lead surged back to 12 before back-to-back deep threes from Dizon and Makale Foreman made it a six-point contest, 47-41. The Zips pulled ahead and the Mocs reeled them back in.
Utomi’s three-point play at 1:53 signaled a nine-point cushion, 72-63. What looked like the end for the young group was just the beginning. Dixon answered with a three-point play of his own at 1:35.
Defensive stop and strong board work by James Lewis, Jr., added another point from the free throw line. A Utomi turnover was followed by Chatman’s layup inside 30 seconds and it’s a three-point game, 72-69.
But the Zips did not break Utomi’s three-pointer on the ensuing possession gave the home team their final points which held up when the Mocs could not get a big shot in the final seconds.
"You make runs and they make runs," Paris shared. "It got us back to where we needed to be, but it's too bad that we get a game like this, and I get a technical foul. I don't like doing that, but I had to fight for my guys.
“We just missed a lot of opportunities. We did some things well enough to get in a good position, but that doesn't make me feel great nor does our guys."
Paris’ technical came at 7:15 in the first half. It was a 29-15 deficit at the time. UTC out-scored its hosts 55-46 the rest of the way.
The squad returns to Chattanooga Saturday, Dec. 2, hosting a doubleheader vs. UT Martin. The ladies tipoff at 2 p.m., with the men meeting at 5 p.m.