WBB Recap: Mocs Runner-Up in SoCon Championships

GoMocs-The second-seeded Chattanooga Mocs battled for 45 minutes but ended up on the losing end of a 64-57 overtime decision to No. 1 seed UNCG in the Southern Conference Women’s Basketball Championship game.

It was a two-point deficit heading into the final minute of regulation. Karsen Murphy drilled a three with 48.4 left to flip that to a 1-point advantage. Khalis Cain made one of two free throws at 33.9 to level the score. Both squads had possessions to limit the contest to 40 minutes.

Caia Elisaldez’s layup was off the mark and the ball ended up out of bounds on the rebound off Gianna Corbitt’s fingertips with 3.3 to play. The Spartans called timeout and advanced the ball to midcourt to start their final possession. Sigrun Olafsdottir locked down on Jayde Gamble forcing an errant desperation three to send it to overtime at 52-all.

The overtime period went to the Spartans. Two Nia Howard free throws gave them a 56-54 lead that would not be relinquished. It grew to 60-54 before Corbitt’s triple with 30.7 left made it 60-57 but that’s as close as it would get.

RECORDS – Chattanooga 16-14 | UNCG 25-6

INSIDE THE BOX – UNCG 64, Chattanooga 57 (OT)

• The two teams combined to shoot 38 of 119 for the game (31.9%) in a defensive fight. The Mocs hist 21 of 63 (33.3%) and Spartans 17 of 56 (30.3%).
• The Mocs were -1 in turnover margin with eight to UNCG’s seven but was +10 in points off turnovers (12-2)
• The Spartans held a 15-4 advantage in second chance points off 11 offensive boards.
• Corbitt led the Mocs with 18 points and eight rebounds. Brooke Anya had a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards, while Murphy tallied 11 points.
• Cain had a 20-point, 12-rebound, 5-block effort to pace the Spartans. Gamble added 12 to the winning effort.
• The Mocs trailed by 20-10 early in the second quarter. The Mocs reeled them in from there over the next 11 minutes. Caia Elisaldez hit a midrange jumper just inside the key to close the gap to five, 26-21, just ahead of the halftime buzzer. The Mocs came out and scored the first five points of the third quarter tying it for the first time since 0-0 on Karsen Murphy’s triple at 7:10.
• It was part of an 11-0 run to take their first lead. Brooke Anya’s two free throws at The Mocs added to the run taking their first lead 28-26 with 5:23 left in third quarter.
• Mocs held the Spartans without a field goal from 4:00 (17-26) in the second to 4:12 of the third (30-29) as part of a 13-3 Mocs run over that nearly 10-minute span (9:48).

NOTES TO KNOW

• 20-1 all-time in SoCon Championship games. The 20 titles are far and away the most in league history. The rest of the league – past & present members – have 13 led by Mercer’s four. Today’s is UNCG’s second and first since 1998.
• Coach Deandra Schirmer is the third Mocs head coach to reach the SoCon Tournament final in their first season joining Hall of Famer Jim Foster (2014) and Shawn Poppie (2023). Sharon Fanning won her first SoCon Tournament appearance in 1984 but was in her eighth season.
• 0-3 in the season series with UNCG, 51-17 all-time.
• 4-1 vs. UNCG in SoCon finals. 9-3 all-time in the tourney against the Spartans.
• 1st team All-Tournament: Elisaldez & Murphy. 2nd team: Corbitt.