Mocs Drop Heartbreaker to ETSU 67-66
(gomocs.com)– After both teams exchanged lead-altering free throws during the final 10 seconds of play, the Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team ultimately suffered a heartbreaking 67-66 home loss to rival ETSU during Southern Conference action on Wednesday in front of an electric 4,611 fans inside McKenzie Arena.
Following the loss, Chattanooga (9-11, 3-4 SoCon) saw its three-game win streak snapped and suffers just its second loss to the Bucs over the past seven meetings. ETSU (14-6, 6-1 SoCon) remains atop the league standings after its first victory inside the Roundhouse since 2023.
Jordan Frison capped off seven unanswered points over the final minute-plus of play with a pair of free throws, giving Chattanooga a 66-65 lead with just under 10 seconds to go. ETSU’s Blake Barkley responded on the other end by drawing contact and nailing a pair of freebies with less than four seconds to give the Bucs its 67-66 victory.
Game Breakdown
In true rivalry fashion, Chattanooga and ETSU spent the early minutes locked in a defensive battle as the visiting Bucs held a slight 14-11 lead more than halfway through the opening frame. ETSU opened a six-point lead, 20-14 (6:03), after holding the Mocs scoreless for nearly a four-minute span.
Brennan Watkins knocked down an open three to trim the UTC deficit to three, 25-22 (2:34), before ETSU’s Maki Johnson immediately answered with a triple of his own to extend the advantage to eight, 28-22 (1:42). Chattanooga took a 30-29 halftime lead after closing the half on an 8-1 run as Jordan Frison capped the spurt off with a running three at the buzzer.
Frison continued his scoring efforts in the early stages of the second half with five quick points to put UTC ahead 42-40 at the 15:45 mark. ETSU responded with eight unanswered points over the next three-plus minutes to regain a six-point lead, 48-42, with just over 12 minutes to play.
McKenzie Arena came to life after Tate Darner drilled a go-ahead corner three that capped off six-straight points and a slight 54-53 lead with 6:40 on the board. The two teams went back-and-forth down the stretch before ETSU built a two-possession lead, 65-59, with only 1:17 remaining.
Chattanooga used the home crowd energy and clawed its way back during the final minute of play as Frison drew a foul, knocked down both attempts, and gave the hosts a 66-65 lead with just nine seconds left. Ultimately, it was ETSU’s turn to draw contact and convert at the free-throw line during crunch time as Blake Barkley hit a pair of freebies with less than four seconds left to hand the Mocs a heartbreaking 67-66 defeat.
