UTC players and fans celebrate after learning the Mocs will face Louisville Saturday in first round NCAA Women's Basketball Championship game
photo by Anne Wehunt
"We have played them before and there is no reason to be scared (against a top 15 team) and we will give it our all.
UTC Senior Jas Joyner
It's No.13 seed UTC vs. No. 4 Louisville Saturday in a first round game at Louisville of the Oklahoma City Region in the 2017 NCAA Women's D-I Basketball Championship. Game time is 1:30 p.m. The winner faces the Tennesse-Dayton winner Monday also in Louisville.
At 7:35 p.m. Monday members of the UTC women 's basketball team learned that they will be playing the Cardinals for the second time this season.
The Cardinals defeated UTC 63-47 Nov. 21
The five-time defending Southern Conference champions and four straight under current coach Jim Foster are 21-10.
"Louisville is big and quick and long and athletic," said UTC senior Jas Joyner.
Junior guard Chelsey Shumpert said, "We won't worry about the loss to them in November as we have a lot more confidence with our game now than we did in November."
Louisville (27-7) .... seeded No.4 in the Oklahoma City region and No.14 in the rankings, the Cardinals have won seven of their last eight, falling to Notre Dame in the ACC tournament finals.
UTC (21-10) ... seeded No. 13 and SoCon champs ... fourth time in school history the Mocs have been seeded No.13 ... have lost first round games to Nebraska, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Mississippi State the past four years ... UTC has won six in a row and nine of its last 10 games.
Strong Schedule: Mocs have played a strong schedule which should help when facing a top 20 team Saturday .. schedule has included, Louisville, UConn, Notre Dame, Florida, Indiana, Fla Gulf Coast (Atlantic Sun champ) and beat Rutgers on the road and Stetson who was runner-up in the A-Sun tourney.
UTC coach Foster said, "We are more confident now than we were in November. We were not a good team in November and Saturday we will see how far we have come.
"I look forward to the challenge of playing them again."
Chattanooga is making its 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Mocs tied Mercer for its 20th Southern Conference regular season title then downed the Bears in the finals for their 18th SoCon Tournament crown.
Senior Jasmine Joyner was the SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Player and earned the league's Defensive Player of the Year honor in the regular season. Senior Queen Alford, juniors Chelsey Shumpert and Keiana Gilbert and freshman Lakelyn Bouldin were honored on either the regular season or tournament All-SoCon teams.
contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net