Z Mason suffered a dislocated knee cap last month trying to box someone out on a free throw. He tried to play through the pain, but eventually he went on crutches and missed seven games. Now he's anxious to return on Thursday night.
Said Mason,"It has been brutal having to watch and not being able to play. I'm just ready to be back."
Said guard Keegan Bell,"Him being back. Just the energy he brings. The physicality he brings. To be honest with you, the shot-blocking he brings."
Added head coach John Shulman,"Z can go get a rebound the rest of our guys can't. He gives us confidence."
But how can the Mocs have confidence having lost ten of their last eleven games?
Said Shulman,"I wouldn't think we are very arrogant or cocky at this moment after what we have been through. But I also don't think we don't have belief in ourselves. I think we think we are just missing something little, and hopefully Z can bring us that."
Thursday's trip to Furman is Chattanooga's last chance to win a road game this year. UTC has never gone through an entire season without picking up a road win.
Said Shulman,"I'm not going there with the guys. I'm not putting more pressure on us. If I was going to pick a team that would have been a bad road team, it would have been last year's team and not this year's team. I think it just goes along kind of how everything has gone along this year. Not on the positive side."
Added Bell,"We haven't gotten a road win. When we get to the tournament, it's not going to be here in Chattanooga. It's not going to be on this court. So we're going to have to win on the road if we want to be successful, and we want to go to the tourney."
