By Malcolm Price
3 22 2025
Mocs men’s basketball team hosts postseason basketball for the first time since 1987 and looks to earn a berth into the NIT quarterfinal round for the second time in program history.
CHATTANOOGA GAME NOTES
https://gomocs.com/documents/2025/3/21/35-NIT_Postseason_Guide_Game_2_Notes.pdf
DAYTON GAME NOTES
https://gomocs.com/documents/2025/3/21/Chattanooga.pdf
MEDIA CENTER ∙ NIT INFO/BRACKET ∙ BUY TICKETS
CHATTANOOGA (March 21, 2025) — For the first time since 1987, the Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team will host postseason basketball inside McKenzie Arena as the squad welcomes Dayton in the 2025 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) Second Round on Saturday morning.
Tip-off is set for 11:30 a.m. and will be nationally televised on ESPN2. The Chattanooga women’s basketball team will kick off its WNIT run at 5 p.m. against Alabama A&M inside the Roundhouse to conclude a full day of postseason hoops in the Scenic City.
Tickets are available for purchase online HERE or by visiting the McKenzie Arena Box Office on gameday or during business hours on Friday (until 4 p.m. ET). For additional questions, please contact the box office at 423-266-MOCS (2667).
Chattanooga (25-9) and Dayton (23-10) will meet for the 12th time overall and for first time since the Mocs walked out of famed UD Arena with a 61-59 victory on December 12, 2015. The contest marks the second-ever meeting held in Chattanooga and the first since the series’ inaugural game back on December 17, 1949.
The NIT Second Round matchup is the first home postseason game (NCAAT/NIT/CIT) for the Mocs since the opening round of the 1987 NIT against Cleveland State on March 12, 1987. It’s the fifth-ever postseason home game (all NIT) for UTC as the program enters with a 2-2 record in such games.
Full game details and notes are below.
2025 NIT – Second Round (Dayton Region)
Chattanooga (25-9) vs. (1) Dayton (23-10)
Date: Sat., March 22 ∙ Time: 11:30 a.m. ET
Site: Chattanooga, Tenn. (McKenzie Arena)
TV: ESPN2/ESPN+ ∙ Radio: Mocs Sports Network (WFLI)
Follow: Live Stats ∙ @GoMocsMBB on X/Twitter
Game Notes: Chattanooga ∙ Dayton
NIT Info/Brackets
Complete 2025 NIT information including brackets are located HERE. The winner of Chattanooga/Dayton will face the winner of Bradley/George Mason on either Tuesday or Wednesday, March 25-26, at a site and time TBD.
Chattanooga’s NIT History
NIT Appearance: 5th (first since four-straight from 1984-87)
NIT Record: 4-4 (.500)
Best NIT Finish: 1985 NIT Quarterfinals
All-Time Series vs. Dayton
Previous Meetings: 11
Last Meeting: UTC 61, at Dayton 59 (12/12/15)
Record: 3-8 (.272)
Record in Chattanooga: 0-1 (.000)
Record in Dayton: 3-6 (.333)
Neutral: 0-1 (.000)
Story Lines/Notes
CHATTANOOGA SURVIVES 3OT CLASSIC IN NIT FIRST ROUND
∙ Chattanooga (25-9) advanced to the NIT Second Round after claiming a wild 109-103 (3OT) victory at Middle Tennessee on Tuesday… game featured 10 lead changes & 11 ties… nearly 3 hours (2:44).
∙ The Mocs earned its first postseason victory (NCAAT/NIT) since 1997’s Sweet 16 run with the win… made it four-straight over Middle Tennessee after the victory.
CHATTANOOGA NIT HISTORY RUNS DEEP
∙ Chattanooga is making its fifth NIT appearance in program history after four-straight berths from 1984-87… most appearances among active SoCon members.
∙ Chattanooga is now 4-4 (.500) all-time in the NIT after Tuesday’s win… longest run was 1985 NIT Quarterfinals… opening wins over Clemson & Lamar before falling at Louisville (’86 national champs).
ROAD WARRIORS CONTINUE WINNING WAYS
∙ The Mocs have now won nine-straight true road games… program record… won eight-straight SoCon road games after dropping its opener on NYD at Mercer.
∙ Chattanooga is 46-29 (.613) in true road games since 2020… most wins (46) across all of DI over that span… 11-5 on the road in 2024-25… one of four teams in NCAA DI with 11 or more road wins (UCI 14, CCSU & UCSD 12) this season.
CAREER NIGHT FOR THE BASH MAN; CLOSE TO MILESTONE
∙ Chattanooga senior Bash Wieland posted a career-high 31 points during Tuesday’s win at MTSU… scored 22 of the 31 points in the first half.
∙ Wieland is now just six points shy of hitting 1,000 for his collegiate career… would be the sixth Moc on the active roster with 1,000+.
HONOR HUFF THE MARATHON MAN; KEY SHOOTER
∙ Playing a program record 55 minutes (entire game), Honor Huff provided the game’s dagger on Tuesday with a deep triple to put UTC ahead 108-103 with under 11 seconds left in triple OT.
∙ Huff has 114 3FGM this season… third most in UTC single-season history… surpassed his 109 3FGM total in 2023-24… 223 3FGM for his UTC career ranks third all-time.
∙ Huff ranks sixth in DI this season in 3FGM (114)… seventh in 3FGM/GM (3.35)… career 2.78 3FGM/GM is 13th among all active DI players.
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