CHATTANOOGA 76, ORAL ROBERTS 72
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. --- Ricky Hood made two free throws with four seconds remaining to give the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga the lead for good as the Mocs outlasted Oral Roberts 76-72.
The Mocs (5-5) led by as many as ten points in the second half before Kenn Tutt brought the Golden Eagles back. Tutt’s ninth three-pointer of the half?and ninth of the second half game Oral Roberts a 70-68 lead with 1:46 remaining. After Tutt fouled Casey Long on the ensuing possession, Long’s free throws knotted the game with 1:15 remaining. Tutt was whistled for a charge on the next trip down the floor and fouled out with 36 points. After Rickey Hood rebounded a Kevin Bridgewaters miss, Long stuck a 12 foot jumper to put the Mocs in front, 72-70.
ORU’s Caleb Green, a two-time Associated Press honorable-mention All-American, converted two free throws after being fouled in the post with 21 seconds remaining and tied the game for the 14th time.
Kevin Bridgewaters, holding the ball for the last shot, penetrated to the free throw line and found a streaking Ricky Hood open on a backdoor cut. Hood was fouled attempting the dunk, but converted both charity tosses to give the Mocs a 74-72 lead with four seconds left.
Caleb Green’s length-of-the-floor inbounds pass went out-of-bounds untouched to give the ball back to the Mocs. Casey Long added two free throws to seal the win for the Mocs.
Keddric Mays led the Mocs with 15 points. Mays also grabbed five rebounds. Long added 14 points and seven rebounds along with three assists and three steals. Bridgewaters chipped in 13 points. Khalil Hartwell scored a season-high eight points and tied a season-high with six rebounds.
The Mocs were 14-of-17 from the free throw line in the second half and 9-of-10 in the last three minutes.
Kenn Tutt led all scorers with a career-high 36 points for Oral Roberts (4-5). His eight second-half three pointers set a new ORU record. Caleb Green scored 16 points and grabbed 16 boards to record the 51st double-double of his career.
Chattanooga’s defense forced 22 ORU turnovers, including seven by Green. The rebounding was even at 33.
The Mocs will return to conference play Monday night, hosting Davidson at 7 p.m. The game will be televised throughout the Southeast on SportSouth. Tickets are available on www.gomocs.com or by calling 423-266-MOCS.