Mocs Moving Past SoCon Disappointment In Preparing For NIT Berth

The goal of every college basketball team entering a new season is to make it into postseason play. Doing so serves as validation of a successful campaign, a reward for a productive body of work over the previous four months.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga finds itself among those teams fortunate enough to extend its season after compiling a 24-9 record and a claiming a regular season Southern Conference championship, being assured of a berth in the National Invitational Tournament for the first time since 1987.

However, this wasn’t the tournament the Mocs had in mind. They had envisioned a different route for their postseason endeavors.

But first, the Mocs have had to sort through some feelings of disappointment, coming to grips with what might have been during last weekend’s SoCon Tournament. Rest assured, they will be locked in and focused when the time comes to lace up the sneakers for their NIT opener. But this week has been one of needed healing, both physically and emotionally.

Chattanooga rolled into Asheville, N.C. last weekend as the No. 1 seed riding an 11-game winning streak, hoping to notch three more victories as the odds-on favorite to secure the SoCon’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Things seemed to fall into place following a quarterfinal win over Mercer, the Mocs’ path further bolstered by the fact 2nd-seeded UNC Greensboro, No. 3 Samford and No. 4 ETSU all failed to advance past Saturday into the semifinals. All that remained were three teams – Furman, Wofford and VMI – who the Mocs swept during the regular season.

But the madness of March reared its head in an unlikely fashion. With SoCon Newcomer of the Year and second-team all-conference forward Frank Champion sidelined with an injury incurred earlier in the week at practice, UTC was unable to overcome the senior transfer’s absence in dropping an 80-77 overtime loss to a rejuvenated Furman squad playing its best basketball in months.

Given the uncertainty of Champion’s availability leading into the tournament, preparation became more challenging than usual for Chattanooga head coach Dan Earl and his staff.

“I don't want it to come across as an excuse, but Frank was a huge part of what we were doing lately,” Earl said. “We put the ball in our center’s hands quite a bit, and his ability and his athleticism of finishing around the basket was missed. He was getting better and better at that throughout the year, getting his confidence back. And we missed I can't even tell you how many two-foot shots as a team. So, no blame to go around but certainly Frank’s scoring and his playmaking was a big part of what we do, but also his experience, his defense and different things he brings. It was tough not having him on the floor.”

Champion missed the first eight games of the season recovering from a foot injury, so adapting to his absence was nothing new. But doing so on such short notice after winning 14 of 15 games was a tall order.

“We didn't know for sure if he was going to be able to go,” Earl said. “You're trying to navigate his feelings first and foremost, and then say it's kind of a ‘next man up’ mentality trying to give the other guys confidence knowing we've played games early in the year without him. At the same time, games often come down to a last shot. You have one miss or one make here and there, and it's a different outcome.”

Earl admitted Sunday’s defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for his squad.

“The initial disappointment is crushing of not winning the Southern Conference tournament, of not going to the NCAA tournament,” Earl said. “To be honest with you, we gave them a couple days off to recover. We met Wednesday to have dinner, and then just go over all that stuff and then get back to practice the next day. We’ll find out Sunday night who we play in the NIT.”

Earl is confident his troops will rebound after last Sunday’s gut punch, the veteran leadership among the Mocs helping turn the page to focus on the opportunity ahead instead of dwelling on the past.

“I feel pretty confident this group is resilient, and they will reach a moment where this new opportunity becomes their focus,” Earl said. “They've proven themselves to be kind of mentally tough, and they'll accept this challenge. Once they get past the hurt and disappointment from last weekend, you find that energy really quickly to go play. I'm confident we'll prepare for it well and that they're going to get after it.”

This will be UTC’s fifth appearance in the NIT, having been selected four straight years from 1984-87 after leaving Asheville empty-handed the first four times the conference tournament was hosted there. The Mocs are 3-4 overall in the event, hosting a first-round game each year.

The NIT was first played in Madison Square Garden in 1938 — a year before the NCAA tournament was launched. After 85 years and 83 tournaments, the NIT relocated its Final Four from New York to Las Vegas in 2023. This will be the second year in Indianapolis at historic Hinkle Field House on the campus of Butler University, with all games leading up to the semifinals hosted at campus sites.

While Chattanooga hasn’t competed in the NIT in 38 years, Earl garnered plenty of experience in the tournament both as a player and a coach at Penn State. The Nittany Lions made it to the 1995 NIT Final Four in Earl’s sophomore season, finishing third by defeating Canisius in the consolation game. Three years later, Penn State lost in the NIT championship game to Minnesota while Earl watched from the sidelines after an injury forced him to take a redshirt season.

Earl finally tasted victory in Madison Square Garden as an assistant on head coach Ed DeChellis’ staff in 2009 when the Nittany Lions defeated Baylor in the NIT championship game.

“I've been through this before. I've played in the NIT at Madison Square Garden,” Earl said. “Over the years, I've had a lot of people ask, ‘What's better - getting to the NIT Final Four or being one-and-done in the NCAA Tournament?’ I say the NCAA Tournament is the NCAA tournament, and that's what you're shooting for. But this is a big-time tournament as well.

“You're one of, if you can make a run, only a few teams playing that late in the year along with the NCAA Tournament. You play against big-name schools. Oftentimes they're on TV, so you get a bunch of exposure. It's kind of a new season and there’s a lot to play for.”

The NIT gives the Mocs a chance to rid themselves of the sour taste left behind after losing to Furman and provides an opportunity to play against some high-profile teams that UTC might not see otherwise.

“The thing you've heard over the years is that the winner of the NIT oftentimes is as good or better than many NCAA tournament teams who received at-large bids,” Earl said. “It's not like they're just taking the third and fourth best teams from mid-major conferences or really low teams from the high major conference. These are teams that oftentimes are right on the bubble and are really good basketball teams.

“I'm hoping there's a chance we can get a home game. It is my understanding that the matchups are a little more regional to limit a lot of travel. If ever there's a time to get a high major to come in, it might be now but it's out of our control. It would be great for our fans to see our guys play one more time, especially our seniors.”

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com