The Chattanooga Mocs celebrate moments after defeating Loyola Chicago in Tuesday’s NIT semifinals.
photo by NIT/NCAA.com
Championship opportunity awaits. The Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team will take the floor one last time for the 2024-25 season as they meet regional top-seed UC Irvine in the 2025 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) title game on Thursday night inside historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Tip-off for the championship contest is set for 9 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on ESPN. The Mocs are the first SoCon squad to reach a major NCAA postseason tournament title game since West Virginia fell to California, 71-70, in the 1959 NCAA Tournament.
The Mocs Club and Chattanooga Athletics are hosting a "Pre-Game Social" for fans ahead of Tuesday's semifinal game at Brothers Bar & Grill located at 910 Broad Ripple Ave., Indianapolis, IN (46220) from 5:30 – 8 p.m. ET. For those attending, you may RSVP at the link HERE.
Chattanooga (28-9) continues its longest postseason run in school history with its first-ever appearance in the NIT title game. The Mocs posted its 10th-straight victory when trailing at halftime (38-34) this season after pulling off a dramatic 80-73 victory over Loyola Chicago in the semifinals Tuesday night.
UC Irvine (32-6) has been a force across both the national and Big West landscape this season and were quality candidates for an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament after bowing out to top-seeded UC San Diego in the league title game, 75-61. The Anteaters entered postseason play No. 62 in the NET Rankings and peaked at No. 22 during the 2024-25 season.
Full game details and notes are below.
2025 NIT – Championship Game
Chattanooga (28-9) vs. (1) UC Irvine (32-6)
Date: Thurs., April 3 • Time: 9 p.m.
Site: Indianapolis, Ind. (Hinkle Fieldhouse)
TV: ESPN/ESPN+ • Radio: Mocs Sports Network (WFLI)
Follow: Live Stats • @GoMocsMBB on X/Twitter
Game Notes: Chattanooga • UC Irvine
Chattanooga's NIT History
NIT Appearance: 5th (first since four-straight from 1984-87)
NIT Record: 7-4 (.636)
Best NIT Finish/Run: 2025 title game… previously 1985 quarterfinals.
All-Time Series vs. UC Irvine
Previous Meetings: 3
Last Meeting: UTC 85, UCI 80 on 11/23/2007 in Anaheim, Calif.
Record: 3-0 (1.000)
Record in Chattanooga: 1-0
Record in Irvine: 1-0
Neutral: 1-0
Story Lines/Notes
CHATTANOOGA PUNCHES TICKET TO NIT CHAMP FOR FIRST TIME
Chattanooga (28-9) advanced to the NIT Championship game for the first time in program history after rallying for an 80-73 victory over Loyola Chicago Tuesday night inside historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The Mocs erased a halftime deficit (38-34) for the second-straight game... UTC outscored ULC 46-35 in the 2nd half... held ULC scoreless for final 2:43.
CHATTANOOGA NIT HISTORY RUNS DEEP
Chattanooga is making its fifth NIT appearance in program history after four-straight berths from 1984-87... now 7-4 (.636) all-time in the NIT after Tuesday’s win... the run to the title game topped the program’s prior deepest run (1985 quarterfinals).
HUFF & BONHAM PROVIDE THE ELECTRICITY... AGAIN
Trey Bonham finished with a game-high 23 points in the semifinal win.. has totaled 92 points in the NIT (23.0 PPG)... ties Jake Stephens (2023 SoCon Tour.) for most points by a Moc in a single postseason tournament.
Honor Huff hit a late three to put UTC ahead 77-73 with less than 35 seconds... his fourth three of the game... now leads all of DI this season in 3FGM (128).
HONOR HUFF BECOMING ALL-TIME MOC
Sharpshooter Honor Huff has dazzled during the NIT... Huff has knocked down 16 threes over the four games... averaging 16.3 PPG. Huff’s 128 3FGM this season leads all of NCAA Division I... second in UTC single-season history... moved to No. 1 in NCAA in semifinal win.
Huff’s 237 career 3FGM is third all-time at UTC... 3.39 career per-game average is second all-time... third all-time in 3FGA (591) & tied for eighth in 3FG% (40.1). Huff’s 1,139 points at UTC is the most for a Moc in their first two seasons... surpassed Derrick Kirce (1,113, 1990-91) during win over Bradley.
APRIL BASKETBALL? SURE THING
Chattanooga will play in the month of April for the first time in program history... latest date before last Tuesday’s (3/25) win at Bradley was 3/24/1985.
The Mocs are the only current SoCon member to play in April in an NCAA-sanctioned event (Samford, 4/1/14, CIT Semis)... first SoCon school since WVU in 1959 (NCAAT vs. Cal) to play for a major title.
RECORD-BREAKING SEASON CONTINUES
During the historic 2024-25 season, UTC has set new single-season program marks in multiple categories including: game (38); points (2,945); assists (633); field goals made (1,044); free throw percentage (76.9); turnovers/game (10.1); assists to turnover ratio (1.67).