WCU #10 Betsey Burnett
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Behind a record-tying barrage of three-pointers and a milestone victory for their head coach, the No. 1-seeded Chattanooga Mocs (19-9, 10-4 SoCon) opened the Southern Conference Basketball Championships, defeating the No. 8 Western Carolina Catamounts (3-26, 0-14 SoCon) 66-47 on Thursday morning.
The win at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville not only secures Chattanooga’s fourth consecutive trip to the SoCon Semifinals but also marks the 150th career win for head coach Deandra Schirmer.
A Long-Range Masterclass
Chattanooga wasted no time establishing early dominance. Gianna Corbitt set the tone early, draining three consecutive shots from beyond the arc to fuel 13-7 opening run. By the end of the first quarter, the Mocs held a solid 19-11 lead and never looked back, leading for over 38 minutes of the contest.
The Mocs’ perimeter shooting was the story of the morning. The team tied a SoCon Tournament record by knocking down 13 three-pointers, shooting an impressive 43.3% from deep. While Ally Hollifield led the Catamounts with 16 points and Christina Bowers added late buckets, WCU was plagued by 19 turnovers, which Chattanooga turned into 22 points.
Efficient Execution
The Mocs finished the game shooting 46.4% from the field compared to the Cats’ 38.3%, largely led by those 13 converted shots from behind the arc. Chattanooga’s defensive pressure proved to be the decider, as they outscored the Catamounts 22-9 in points off turnovers.
Gianna Corbitt of the Mocs scored 20 points, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 6-of-9 from three-point range. Ava Card and Kalifa Ford also finished the game with 11 points each. For the Catamounts, Ally Hollifield scored 16 points and contributed three of the Cats’ five three-pointers. Grace Pack recorded a double-double, grabbing 10 rebounds and 13 points.
Next in Asheville
The Western Carolina Catamounts conclude their season with a 3-26 record. Meanwhile, the Chattanooga Mocs advance to the semifinal round on Friday, March 6, at 11:00 AM, where they will face the No. 4 Furman Paladins.
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