1996–97 Chattanooga Mocs basketball team
{{short description|American college basketball season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA team season
|mode =Basketball
|year =1996–97
|team =Chattanooga Mocs
|image =
|conference =Southern Conference
|division =South
|short_conf =SoCon
|CoachRank =
|APRank =
|record =24–11
|conf_record =11–3
|head_coach =Mack McCarthy
|hc_year =7th
|asst_coach1 =
|ac1_year =
|asst_coach2 =
|ac2_year =
|asst_coach3 =
|ac3_year =
|stadium =UTC Arena
|champion =SoCon regular season and tournament champions
|bowl =NCAA tournament
|bowl_result =Sweet Sixteen
}}
{{1996–97 Southern Conference men's basketball standings}}
The 1996–97 Chattanooga Mocs basketball team represented the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as a member of the Southern Conference during the 1996–97 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Mack McCarthy and the team played their home games at UTC Arena. The Mocs won the regular season and SoCon tournament titles, the latter earning the Mocs an automatic bid to the 1997 NCAA tournament. Participating in the Big Dance for the fourth time in five years, Chattanooga made a run to the Sweet Sixteen by defeating No. 3 seed Georgia{{cite news |title=Moccasins Show Venom In 73-70 Upset Of Georgia |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/mar/15/moccasins-show-venom-in-73-70-upset-of-georgia/ |newspaper=The Spokesman-Review |date=March 15, 1997 |access-date=June 6, 2021}} and No. 6 seed Illinois{{cite news |title=Tennessee-Chattanooga 75, Illinois 63 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-03-17-9703170012-story.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=March 17, 1997 |access-date=June 6, 2021}} before falling to No. 10 seed Providence in the Southeast Regional semifinals.{{cite news |title=Providence Gets Help from God |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1997/03/22/providence-gets-help-from-god/3f1b5666-3f30-4f88-b6f0-8d046204a8d8/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=March 22, 1997 |access-date=June 6, 2021}}
Roster
{{CBB roster/Header
| year = 1996
| team = Chattanooga Mocs
| sex =
| teamcolors = y
| high_school=
}}
{{CBB roster/Player
|num =3
|first=Willie
|last =Young
|pos =G
|ft =6
|in =2
|lbs =180
|class=SR
|rs =
|home =Norfolk, VA
|note =
|inj =
|link=y
|dab=basketball
}}
{{CBB roster/Player
|num =10
|first=Wes
|last =Moore
|pos =G
|ft =5
|in =11
|lbs =
|class=SO
|rs =
|home =Lookout Mountain, GA
|note =
|inj =
|link=y
|dab=basketball
}}
{{CBB roster/Player
|num =23
|first=Johnny
|last =Taylor
|pos =F
|ft =6
|in =9
|lbs =220
|class=SR
|rs =
|home =Chattanooga, TN
|note =
|inj =
|link=y
|dab=basketball
}}
{{CBB roster/Player
|num = 34
|first=Chris
|last = Mims
|pos = F/C
|ft = 6
|in = 7
|lbs = 215
|class= SR
|rs =
|home = Union Springs, AL
|note =
|inj =
|link= n
|dab=basketball
}}
{{CBB roster/Footer
|head_coach=
- Mack McCarthy ({{college|Virginia Tech}})
|asst_coach=
|roster_url=https://gomocs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1996-97
|accessdate=2021-Jun-6
}}
Source:{{cite web|title=1996-97 Men's Basketball Roster|url=https://gomocs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1996-97 |publisher=UT Chattanooga Athletics |access-date=June 6, 2021}}
Schedule and results
{{CBB schedule start
| time = yes
| rank = yes
| tv = yes
| gamehighs =
| attend = yes
}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Chattanooga Mocs}}| Regular season
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 22, 1996
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs |title=Tennessee Wesleyan}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 113–46
| overtime =
| attend = 3,641
| record = 1–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 23, 1996
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=USC Aiken Pacers |title=South Carolina-Aiken}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 110–61
| overtime =
| attend = 3,007
| record = 2–0
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 29, 1996
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| opponent = Missouri
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Caguas Municipal Complex
| site_cityst = San Juan, Puerto Rico
| gamename = San Juan Shootout
| score = 74–83
| overtime =
| attend = 200
| record = 2–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Nov 30, 1996
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens|title=Delaware}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Caguas Municipal Complex
| site_cityst = San Juan, Puerto Rico
| gamename = San Juan Shootout
| score = 74–83
| overtime =
| attend = 300
| record = 2–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 1, 1996
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Puerto Rico-Mayagüez
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Caguas Municipal Complex
| site_cityst = San Juan, Puerto Rico
| gamename = San Juan Shootout
| score = 83–74
| overtime =
| attend = 175
| record = 3–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 3, 1996
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Penn State Nittany Lions|title=Penn State}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 63–73
| overtime =
| attend = 7,940
| record = 3–3
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 14, 1996
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = yes
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders|title=Middle Tennessee}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Murphy Athletic Center
| site_cityst = Murfreesboro, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 73–83
| overtime =
| attend = 3,114
| record = 3–4
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 18, 1996
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = yes
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=UAB Blazers|title=Alabama-Birmingham}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UAB Arena
| site_cityst = Birmingham, Alabama
| gamename =
| score = 65–75
| overtime =
| attend = 3,130
| record = 3–5
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 21, 1996
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Tennessee State Tigers|title=Tennessee State}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 67–49
| overtime =
| attend = 5,297
| record = 4–5
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 23, 1996
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Marshall Thundering Herd|title=Marshall}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Henderson Center
| site_cityst = Huntington, West Virginia
| gamename =
| score = 83–90
| overtime =
| attend = 4,217
| record = 4–6
| conference = 0–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 28, 1996
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Coastal Carolina Chanticleers|title=Coastal Carolina}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename = Dr. Pepper Classic
| score = 75–69
| overtime = OT
| attend = 4,119
| record = 5–6
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Dec 29, 1996
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Canisius Golden Griffins |title=Canisius}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename = Dr. Pepper Classic
| score = 49–63
| overtime =
| attend = 3,987
| record = 5–7
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 6, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Wofford Terriers |title=Wofford}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 83–46
| overtime =
| attend = 3,819
| record = 6–7
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 9, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Furman Paladins|title=Furman}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Physical Activity Center
| site_cityst = Greenville, South Carolina
| gamename =
| score = 81–45
| overtime =
| attend = 1,000
| record = 7–7
| conference = 1–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 11, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = VMI
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Cameron Hall
| site_cityst = Lexington, Virginia
| gamename =
| score = 91–76
| overtime =
| attend = 1,116
| record = 8–7
| conference = 2–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 18, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Davidson Wildcats|title=Davidson}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Belk Arena
| site_cityst = Davidson, North Carolina
| gamename =
| score = 74–63
| overtime =
| attend = 2,489
| record = 9–7
| conference = 3–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 20, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Furman
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 68–47
| overtime =
| attend = 5,280
| record = 10–7
| conference = 4–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 25, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Western Carolina Catamounts|title=Western Carolina}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 87–60
| overtime =
| attend = 5,943
| record = 11–7
| conference = 5–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 27, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Georgia Southern Eagles|title=Georgia Southern}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 76–55
| overtime =
| attend = 5,231
| record = 12–7
| conference = 6–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Jan 29, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=East Tennessee State Buccaneers|title=East Tennessee State}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 83–53
| overtime =
| attend = 5,670
| record = 13–7
| conference = 7–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 1, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Appalachian State Mountaineers|title=Appalachian State}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 70–57
| overtime =
| attend = 6,911
| record = 14–7
| conference = 8–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 3, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = The Citadel
| opprank =
| site_stadium = McAlister Field House
| site_cityst = Charleston, South Carolina
| gamename =
| score = 72–66
| overtime =
| attend = 764
| record = 15–7
| conference = 9–1
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 6, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Alabama-Birmingham
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 64–59
| overtime =
| attend = 7,590
| record = 16–7
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 8, 1997
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = East Tennessee State
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Memorial Center
| site_cityst = Johnson City, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 69–70
| overtime = OT
| attend = 4,150
| record = 16–8
| conference = 9–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 10, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = The Citadel
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 71–59
| overtime =
| attend = 8,005
| record = 17–8
| conference = 10–2
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 15, 1997
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Western Carolina
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Ramsey Center
| site_cityst = Cullowhee, North Carolina
| gamename =
| score = 66–68
| overtime =
| attend = 2,662
| record = 17–9
| conference = 10–3
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 17, 1997
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf =
| away = yes
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Georgia Southern
| opprank =
| site_stadium = Hanner Fieldhouse
| site_cityst = Statesboro, Georgia
| gamename =
| score = 67–70
| overtime =
| attend = 1,908
| record = 17–10
| conference = 10–4
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 22, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf =
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = Marshall
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 92–72
| overtime =
| attend = 9,211
| record = 18–10
| conference = 11–4
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 24, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral =
| rank =
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Cumberland Phoenix |title=Cumberland University}}
| opprank =
| site_stadium = UTC Arena
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, Tennessee
| gamename =
| score = 92–60
| overtime =
| attend = 4,783
| record = 19–10
}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Chattanooga Mocs}}| 1997 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Feb 28, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| seed = S1
| opponent = VMI
| opprank =
| oppseed = N4
| site_stadium = Greensboro Coliseum
| site_cityst = Greensboro, North Carolina
| gamename = Quarterfinals
| score = 84–62
| overtime =
| attend = 1,756
| record = 20–10
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 1, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| seed = S1
| opponent = Davidson
| opprank =
| oppseed = N2
| site_stadium = Greensboro Coliseum
| site_cityst = Greensboro, North Carolina
| gamename = Semifinals
| score = 77–70
| overtime =
| attend = 4,297
| record = 21–10
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 2, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| seed = S1
| opponent = Marshall
| opprank =
| oppseed = N1
| site_stadium = Greensboro Coliseum
| site_cityst = Greensboro, North Carolina
| gamename = Championship
| score = 71–70
| overtime = OT
| attend = 5,390
| record = 22–10
}}
|-
!colspan=9 style={{CollegePrimaryStyle|Chattanooga Mocs}}| 1997 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 14, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| seed = 14 SE
| opponent = {{cbb link|year=1996|sex=men|team=Georgia Bulldogs|title=Georgia}}
| opprank = 17
| oppseed = 3 SE
| site_stadium = Charlotte Coliseum
| site_cityst = Charlotte, North Carolina
| gamename = First round
| overtime =
| attend = 11,206
| record = 23–10
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 16, 1997
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| seed = 14 SE
| opponent = Illinois
| opprank = 19
| oppseed = 6 SE
| site_stadium = Charlotte Coliseum
| site_cityst = Charlotte, North Carolina
| gamename = Second Round
| overtime =
| attend = 14,864
| record = 24–10
}}
{{CBB schedule entry
| date = Mar 21, 1997
| time =
| w/l = l
| nonconf = yes
| away =
| neutral = yes
| rank =
| seed = 14 SE
| opponent = Providence
| opprank =
| oppseed = 10 SE
| site_stadium = Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center
| site_cityst = Birmingham, Alabama
| gamename = Southeast Regional semifinal – Sweet Sixteen
| overtime =
| attend = 17,647
| record = 24–11
}}
{{CBB schedule end
| rank =
| poll = AP poll
| timezone = Eastern Time
| region = SE
| regionname = Southeast
| notes =
}}
Source:{{cite web|title=1996 Men's Basketball Schedule|url=https://gomocs.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/1996 |publisher=UT Chattanooga Athletics |access-date=June 6, 2021}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Chattanooga Mocs basketball navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1996-97 Chattanooga Mocs basketball team}}
Category:Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball seasons
Category:Southern Conference men's basketball champion seasons