Furman Never Trailed in Beating the Mocs 73-58

(gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA—Jerry Johnson, Jr, led the Chattanooga Mocs with 13 points in a 73-58 loss at Furman Thursday night. The loss ended the Mocs three-game win streak.

Jordan Lyons led a quartet of Paladins in double figures. Matt Rafferty added 15 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and six steals. Alex Hunter and Noah Gurley also hit double digits with 12 and 10, respectively.

Furman led throughout and appeared poised to run away with it early in the second half. The Mocs scored on four of five possessions with baskets by Johnson, Jonathan Scott and Johnson again before Thomas Smallwood was fouled making a 3pt at the top of the key. His four-point play cut the lead to seven, 47-40.

The squad just could not get over that hurdle. The Paladins scored on their next four trips to get the advantage to 14 before Maurice Commander ended the Mocs field goal drought with a layup at 9:33.

Gig City’s team got within nine three more times. The last came on a Johnson jumper with 6:17 to go making it 66-54. They scored just twice more the rest of the way.

“We just have to be better,” Coach Lamont Paris shared in his post-game radio show. “I wasn’t mad at the guys at all, I was a little disappointed in the play, but bottom line was we didn’t make enough plays. Things weren’t going in our favor because they were so physical. They were quicker to the ball and faster than us in certain areas.”

Chattanooga and Furman are now tied for fourth in the SoCon standings at 5-3. They trail Wofford (8-0), UNCG (7-1) and ETSU (6-2). Mercer (3-5), Samford (2-6), Western Carolina (2-6), VMI (1-7) and The Citadel (1-7) follow.

The Mocs and Terriers square off Saturday night in Spartanburg on ESPN+ online and Real 96.1 FM in Chattanooga at 7 p.m.