MOCS KEEP HOME STREAK ALIVE WITH 55-49 WIN OVER FURMAN
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Toot Young's three-pointer with 1:44 left in the game capped a frantic Chattanooga comeback Monday and led the Mocs to a 55-49 Southern Conference victory over Furman Monday night at McKenzie Arena.
Young's three-pointer from the top of the key gave UTC, 11-7, 6-2 SoCon, the lead for good and ended an 11-4 Mocs' burst which helped the Mocs win their 10th consecutive home game and 19th straight over Furman at home.
Kenny Zeigler's layup with 3:05 remaining gave Furman a 49-47 edge, but marked the last time the Paladins, 7-9, 2-5, would score.
The Mocs followed Young's triple with 5-of-6 free throws, including three by Oliver Morton, to seal the victory.
Furman's largest lead of the second half was 28-20 on a bucket by Maleye Ndoye with 18:50 on the clock.
UTC took its first lead of the period, 33-30, on Young's first three-pointer with 13:35 to go. Karim Souchu, who led all scorers with 20 points, hit a trey of his own as Furman retook the lead, 37-35, at the 12:07 mark.
The Mocs trailed 45-39 with 7:50 to play before a layup by Jamal Ward sparked the 11-4 run.
UTC made only 9-of-26 shots in the first half (19.2) and trailed 24-18 at the break. It was the team's lowest first-half point total since it scored 14 in the first half in a 67-51 win over West Virginia State Dec. 17, 1998.
Furman, who committed 14 first-half turnover and 21 for the game, led by as much as nine when Ndoye's basket extended the margin to 17-8 with 9:21 left in the first half.
Souchu was the only Paladin in double figures. Zeigler finished with a game-high 12 rebounds.