Scots Lead Div. I Mocs Twice Early in Exhibition Contest

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Sophomore transfer Nick Everett gave The College of Wooster two leads on Div. I University of Tennessee Chattanooga, and the Fighting Scots' team speed led to several shining moments for Div. III's winningest team of the 2000s during Thursday evening's exhibition contest at McKenzie Arena. The Mocs, coached by Wooster alumnus Lamont Paris '96, defeated the Scots 94-60.

Junior Tayler McNeal's jumper at the 13:16 mark kicked off Wooster's 7-1 run, and sophomore Elijah Meredith canned a three-pointer that tied Thursday's exhibition at 14 with 13:08 to go in the opening half. Next, McNeal stole the ball from Silvio DeSousa, and at the other end, Everett's layup gave Wooster its first lead of the night at the 12:10 mark. Everett's jumper fell on the next possession, with that bucket giving Wooster an 18-17 edge at the 11:37 mark.

Wooster scored points after all three of its first-half steals. Senior Brandon Styers had Wooster's first, with junior transfer Turner Kurt laying in a field goal at the other end. Later, first-year Jamir Billings swiped a pass and laid in a bucket in transition.

Meredith and Styers knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to pull the Scots within 39-34 with 2:33 left in the opening half. The Mocs responded with a 7-0 run to close the opening stanza.

Wooster did make 10 of its first 16 field goals, but second-chance points ultimately proved to be Thursday's first-half obstacle that could not be overcome. Chattanooga corralled seven offensive rebounds in the first half alone, and that resulted in 14 second-chance tallies in the scoring column.

Chattanooga pulled away with a 13-0 run to start the second half. Meredith's layup at the 15:07 mark put Wooster in the second-half scoring column for the first time.

The theme of scoring after steals continued in the second half, with Billings cashing in his second steal then score sequence of the exhibition. Wooster's best second-half offensive stretch started with just north of 11 minutes remaining. Billings connected on a three-pointer, then jumper, with sophomore Eric Mudd finishing at the rim on the next trip down the floor.

Billings and Meredith paced Wooster with 12 points apiece, while Kurt, Meredith, and Styers had four rebounds each. Kurt passed out three of Wooster's 12 assists and Billings had half of the Scots' steals.

Wooster shot 25-of-51 (49 percent) from the floor, was 6-of-21 from range, and 4-of-6 at the charity stripe.

Chattanooga, the preseason favorite in the Southern Conference, was led by Malachi Smith's 17 points. KC Hankton led all players with six rebounds, as did DeSousa in steals at four.

The Mocs shot 36-for-68 (52.9 percent), went 10-of-24 of triples, and were 12-of-19 at the line.

Wooster opens its 2021-22 season with the Al Van Wie/Wooster Rotary Classic, November 19-20. Ripon College and Spalding University open Friday night's action at 6 p.m. with Wooster and Saint Vincent College capping the day at 8 p.m. The consolation game on Saturday, November 20 is at 5:30 p.m. and the championship game is slated to tip at 7:30 p.m.