USC 73, Chattanooga 46
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico --- The season’s first win is proving itself very hard to come by for the Chattanooga men’s basketball team, as the Mocs fell to 0-4 after a 73-46 loss to No. 20 USC (3-1) Friday night.
This game marks the third time this season the Mocs have faced off against a team currently ranked in the Top 25 AP Poll.
Nicchaeus Doaks was the offensive leader again for the Mocs Friday night as the senior recorded his third double-double of the season with 14 points and 15 rebounds. Stephen McDowell was the only other Moc to score in double figures as he poured in 10.
Freshman Jasper Williams provided a spark off the bench with nine points, three assists, and two steals, while Khalil Hartwell chipped in with eight points.
Though the final outcome doesn’t reflect it, the Mocs were only down 10 at the end of the first half, 39-29. Chattanooga was able to hang with the Trojans’ hot shooting as the Mocs shot 41 percent in the first half, compared to USC’s 48 percent from the field.
The second half was a completely different story however as the Mocs’ offense struggled mightily to put points on the scoreboard.
Chattanooga shot only 10 percent (3-29) from the field in the second half as the Mocs were outscored 34-17 in the final 20 minutes.
The Trojans were also able to take control of the boards as USC outrebounded UTC 57-32, including 22 offensive rebounds.
The Mocs will have a much needed off-day Saturday before the team closes out the Puerto Rico Tip Off on Sunday against Fairfield. Tip off will be at 10:30 ET and will be aired on ESPNU.
No. 21 Davidson 97, Winthrop 70
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Davidson duo Andrew Lovedale and Stephen Curry each tallied double-doubles to lead the No. 21 Wildcats to a 97-70 men's basketball victory over Winthrop Friday night before a sellout crowd at Belk Arena.
Lovedale collected a career-high 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Curry posted 30 points and a career-high 13 assists, leading five Wildcats scoring in double figures.
Steve Rossiter had 13 points and six rebounds for Davidson (3-1), and Will Archambault tallied 12 points six boards and five assists off the bench. Bryant Barr finished with 11 points.
Cameron Stanley led the Eagles (1-3) with 20 points, and Mantoris Robinson posted 10.
After a tight first half, Davidson took over the game from the opening possession of the second frame. The Wildcats shot 57.6 percent and canned 9-of-17 from 3-point range (52.9 percent) for the half. On the other end of the floor, Davidson limited Winthrop to 42.3 percent from the field and forced nine turnovers.
The Wildcats used a 14-3 run, capped by a Curry steal and fast-break 3-pointer and a Lovedale turnaround jumper, to turn a six-point halftime lead into a 55-38 cushion 3:55 into the second stanza.
Winthrop made a push to get the margin to 12 points after an Andre Jones 3-point play, but an 18-6 run turned a 15-point lead into an 81-54 advantage after a Rossiter layup with six minutes to go. The margin grew to as many as 31 points on a Barr trey with 4:59 on the clock.
The first half of the game was nip and tuck until the Eagles used a 7-0 run to take a 22-16 lead with 10:29 left on a fast-break layup by Robinson.
Davidson responded by going inside to Lovedale and used a 12-2 push to take a 28-24 lead with 4:59 to play. The senior forward had nine points during the run and capped it with a conventional 3-point play. Lovedale finished the frame with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the 'Cats led 41-35 at the break.
Davidson is back in action Monday when the Wildcats host Florida Atlantic in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off. The game is the nightcap of a doubleheader and set to start at 8 p.m. Loyola (Md.) meets James Madison in the first game at 5:45 p.m.