NASHVILLE. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga went on a 15-0 run to start the fourth quarter to regain a commanding lead, defeating Northwestern 61-44 in the opening game of the Challenge in Music City at the Municipal Auditorium.
Chattanooga improves to 3-3 on the year and handed Northwestern, 4-1, its first loss of the season.
After leading 36-18 at the half, Northwestern outscored the Mocs 19-9 to get to within eight points 45-37 at the end of the third quarter.
“We played pretty good basketball in spurts,” Chattanooga head coach Jim Foster said.
“A couple of breakdowns here and there and that happens in the course of the game and we recovered from that.
“Offensively, except for the third quarter, we moved the ball well. I think sometimes a young team, when they get a lead, they lose track and they think it is easy, but it is never easy.”
Chattanooga responded with a 15-0 run to start the fourth quarter and rebuilt its lead to a 23-point advantage with 4:14 to play. Three players combined for the first nine points of the run and it was punctuated with back-to-back 3-pointers from sophomore Lakelyn Bouldin and junior Molly Melton to make it 60-37.
Aryanna Gilbert led all scorers with 17 points. She was 7-of-10 from the field with a career-high three 3-pointers. She added six assists and five rebounds to lead Chattanooga to its third straight – second this season - win over a Power 5/Big 10 conference opponent.
Keiana Gilbert and Bouldin each added 10 for the Mocs. Gilbert had six rebounds and three assists while Boldin drained all three of her shots from deep. Arianne Whitaker had eight points in the game with five rebounds.
The Mocs started the game making 7-of-9 from the field and led 20-5 and closed out the frame shooting 53.5 percent to lead 22-7 after 10 minutes. Chattanooga combined for 10-of-33 for the next two periods but finished strong shooting 60 percent in the final period.
After leading 36-18 at the half, the Mocs struggled through the third period, getting outscored 19-9 by the Wildcats. Northwestern closed out the frame on a 10-2 run to get to within eight points, 45-37 at the close of the third. But Chattanooga would regain control of the game in the fourth for its third straight win.
UTC shot 24-of-58 for the game and was 9-of-19 from the 3-point line and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. The Mocs outscored the Wildcats 26-16 in the paint and 21-8 off turnvoers. UTC had 17 assists on 24 made field goals and its bench outscored NU 12-5. The Mocs never trailed in the game and led by as much as 23 points.