Mocs Beat UNCG to Snap the Spartans 27-Game Home Winning Streak
(gomocs.com)- 728 days and 27 games. That’s how long it had been since UNCG had lost on its home court, the third-longest active streak in the nation. That all changed this evening as Chattanooga defeated the Spartans 52-40, behind a strong start and finish to the game.
The Mocs are on a streak of their own, winning eight in a row, and have been dynamite on defense. In five straight games and four consecutive SoCon games, Chattanooga has held its opponent under 50 points. It’s the first time the storied program has done either.
40 points tie a season low for UNCG, and it’s the lowest total it has had on its home court since scoring 37 against NC Wesleyan on December 7, 2020. Chattanooga held UNCG to 24.6% (15-61) shooting and 14.3% (3-21) from behind the arc.
Falon Bedke and Ava Card each scored 10 points and accounted for six rebounds to lead the Mocs offense that was 38.9% (21-54) from the field. 10 points is a new season-high for Bedke.
Gianna Corbitt led the Mocs with 11 rebounds while also scoring seven points. It’s the fourth game in a row and sixth out of the last seven, she has tallied double-digit rebounds. Caia Elisaldez flirted with a double-double, scoring nine points and dishing out eight assists.
Chattanooga won the rebound battle 49-32 for the 10th game in a row. The Mocs also had a 13-2 advantage in assists and 15-2 advantage in fast break points.
Records
Chattanooga: 12-5, 4-0 SoCon
UNCG: 12-8, 2-3 SoCon
Behind an early four points from Card, the Mocs opened up a 6-0 lead within the first three minutes of the game. Chattanooga kept clicking offensively as triples from Corbitt and Izzy McPherson put it ahead 12-4. With 1:07 remaining in the first quarter, a 3-pointer by Sarah Owona put the Mocs up 11. A basket by the Spartans in the final minute, one of only three they made in the first 10 minutes, cut the lead to 17-8 going into the second quarter.
The second quarter was more even, with Chattanooga outscoring UNCG 12-11. That being said, the Mocs built up a 26-14 lead after a pair of inside baskets by Card and Elisaldez. The Spartans responded and cut that lead to seven before a triple by Owona with seven seconds left in the period put the Mocs up 29-19.
In the third quarter, it took Chattanooga just over four minutes to score on a pull-up jumper by Card. As the quarter progressed, UNCG came all the way back, finishing the quarter on a 6-0 run, capped off by a buzzer-beater from Makiah Asidanya to tie the game at 35.
UNCG took its only lead of the game right after the fourth quarter began. Chattanooga did not flinch, though, scoring the next eight points to move back ahead 43-37. The run kept going as the Mocs held the Spartans scoreless for the final 5:26 of gametime. All-in-all, Chattanooga outscored UNCG 17-5 in the final period. Card, Corbitt, Bedke, Elisaldez, and Frode Flos van der Schans all scored in the run.
The win moves Chattanooga to 52-17 all-time against UNCG and 22-8 in Greensboro.
Quotes
Head Coach Deandra Schirmer
Opening Statement
“We really wanted this game, but I thought that just to start the trip out in a very businesslike approach, the girls didn’t get too high, they didn’t make more of this than it was, and they came out and grinded the win. It was beautiful.”
