Basketball Set to Open 2022-23 Season on Monday Night at Charleston

CHATTANOOGA — The Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team is set to kick off the 2022-23 season as the squad hits the road to Charleston, S.C., to face the College of the Charleston on Monday evening inside TD Arena. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on FloHoops ($).
 
The Mocs and the Cougars meet for the second-straight season after CofC earned a come-from-behind 68-66 victory last November inside the Roundhouse. The former SoCon colleagues finished the 2021-22 season 17-15 overall under first-year head coach Pat Kelsey and return nine players to this year’s edition as the team was picked fourth in the preseason CAA poll.
 
Fans can watch the game LIVE on FloHoops (w/ subscription) or fans can also listen LIVE on WFLI 96.1 FM/100.3 FM/1070 AM in Chattanooga as well as the Varsity Network app. Full game information including notes can be found below.
 
GAME INFO
Chattanooga (0-0, 0-0 SoCon) at Charleston (0-0, 0-0 CAA)
Monday, Nov. 7 · 7:30 p.m. ET · TD Arena (5,300)
Watch on FloHoops ($) | Listen | Live Stats
 
GAME NOTES
Chattanooga | Charleston | SoCon
 
ENTERING THE DAN EARL ERA
Head coach Dan Earl begins his first season at the helm after accepting the job on March 31, 2022, replacing Lamont Paris who accepted a head coaching job at South Carolina. Earl comes to the Scenic City following a seven-year stint as the head coach of SoCon foe VMI. He was named the SoCon COTY in 2020-21 after leading the Keydets to its first winning season since 2013-14.
 
PRESEASON AWARDS
Chattanooga was predicted to finish second and fourth in the Southern Conference preseason media and coaches poll, respectively. The Mocs received first-place votes in each of the polls after claiming the 2022 SoCon title in dramatic buzzer-beating fashion in March.

Graduate transfer Jake Stephens was tabbed the preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year as voted upon by league coaches. The VMI transfer averaged 19.6 points per game on 49.6% shooting from deep a season ago.

 

LIMITED AMOUNT OF RETURN

Chattanooga returns a mix of new and old to the lineup in 2022-23… the Mocs to replace its two top scorers in mid-major POTY Malachi Smith (19.9ppg) and three-point shooter David Jean-Baptiste (14.3ppg), in addition to big Silvio De Sousa (11.0ppg) and all-time glue Darius Banks (8.4ppg).

The team welcomes two starters back in AJ Caldwell (4.9ppg) and KC Hankton (4.5ppg) and adds eight newcomers. Grant Ledford (4.9ppg) and Ashton Smith (0.5ppg) also return, in addition to redshirts Randy Brady and Johnny Taylor, Jr.

 

TRANSFERS GALORE

A plethora of transfers landed at UTC through the portal including perennial All-SoCon First Teamer Jake Stephens (19.6ppg), who stands at 7-0 and knocks down 49% of his threes, from VMI. Honor Huff (10.0ppg) also transferred in from VMI but is ineligible due to in-conference transfer rules. Huff is the ONLY NCAA DI transfer forced to sit out the 2022-23 season. (more info in notes)

 

Chattanooga added grad transfer guards Dalvin White (8.7ppg) and Jamal Johnson (30 3pt made) from USC Upstate and UAB, respectively, in addition to junior transfer Khristion Courseault (9.9ppg) from Houston Christian (formerly Houston Baptist). Slash forward Demetrius Davis (13.0ppg) comes to the program following a stellar campaign at JUCO’s Lawson State CC.

 

TWO TRUE

High School signees of big man Sam Alexis (Apopka HS, Apopka, FL) and quick guard Brody Robinson (Houston Christian HS, Houston, TX) round out the newcomer class.

SINGLE GAME TICKET INFO | BUY

Single-game and season tickets are now on sale. General admission pricing begins at $10 for both the men and women with a $12 option available for the men’s games. Padded reserved seating for the women’s games is $16 and $20 for the men while a $15 reserved option is also available for the men’s games.

 

Get a deal on weekday games! Check out the Mocs “4 for $40” deal. Get four tickets, four drinks, and four hot dogs or four nachos all for $40!! Some may call that a steal!

 

Group options are available as well and must be purchased in advance by calling The McKenzie Arena ticket office at 423-266-MOCS (6627) or come by the Gate 3 ticket office at the Roundhouse. Business hours for the box office are Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

SEASON TICKET INFORMATION | BUY

Season ticket packages and renewals ahead of the Chattanooga Mocs men’s and women’s basketball 2022-23 seasons are on sale NOW with lower bowl tickets starting at under $100. Seating maps and pricing will remain the same from last season, however, due to ongoing construction/renovations at The McKenzie Arena, seating will be restricted to LOWER BOWL ONLY.

 

Make sure you guarantee a seat this season with a season with a season ticket PURCHASE or RENEWAL. Tickets can be purchased online at the links provided, at The McKenzie Arena Box Office (Gate 2) or by calling 423-266-MOCS (6627) during normal operating hours, Monday through Friday from 10:00 – 5:00 p.m. ET.

 

FOLLOW CHATTANOOGA BASKETBALL

Follow @GoMocsMBB on Twitter & on Instagram for the most up-to-date information and news regarding Chattanooga men’s basketball.

GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Buy officially licensed gear in our online store. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or on Twitter. Find out how to join the Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here.