Mocs Non-Conference Basketball Schedule Highlighted by North Carolina, Vols, Vandy, and Marshall

(Gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA—The Chattanooga Mocs release their 2016-17 men’s basketball non-conference schedule today. It includes 11 total games with five at home, four or five on the road and one neutral depending on the outcome of games at a tournament in West Point, N.Y.

The big news is the return of long-time Southern Conference rival Marshall. The Thundering Herd come to the Scenic City on Dec. 6. That headlines a home slate that includes Jacksonville State, ULM, nine league games and two non-DIs.

“We wanted to get home games our fans could really get behind,” coach Matt McCall stated giving insight into the staff’s scheduling process. “Our fans are terrific in league play, so you want to reward them as best you can in non-league games.

“The fact that we were able to add a game like Marshall, which is an “old-school” rival, is going to be an exciting game in December worthy of that terrific environment. They’re likely to be one of the top teams in Conference USA, Monroe is coming off back-to-back 20-win years and Jacksonville State is a local rival as well.”

The season begins in Knoxville with a matchup at Tennessee on November 11. The squad then travels to Chapel Hill to square off with North Carolina on the 13th as a part of the Maui Invitational.

The home opener is Hiwassee on the 16th before a trip north for the mainland bracket of the Maui Invitational in West Point, N.Y. to play Army.

A trip to Kennesaw State (Nov. 26) is followed by a three-game homestand featuring ULM (Dec. 3), Marshall (Dec. 6) and Tennessee Wesleyan (Dec. 14). This portion of the schedule ends with a road game at Vanderbilt (Dec. 17) and home tilt with Jacksonville State (Dec. 21).

“I think as you try to piece together your non-conference schedule, you factor in getting yourself as prepared as possible for league play,” McCall added. “You also want to get games that geographically make sense. But really, it’s to challenge your team and push your team to get better.

“To be able to play two high-major, in-state opponents is great for our program. Between being close (to UT and Vandy) benefits our student-athletes. Playing two SEC-level teams as close as they are to us…we are looking forward to that challenge.”

Hiwassee (94-55), KSU (78-66), ULM (54-64), Tennessee Wesleyan (91-63) and JSU (62-52) return to the schedule from 2015-16. Out of the set games, UNC is the longest timeframe between matchups dating back to Dec. 1997. It’s the first matchup with the Commodores in 15 years (11/25/01), while Thundering Herd were last met in 2010, a 69-68 Mocs road win.