Work boots working for men's basketball
Michael Murphy
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Sports
When the Chattanooga men's basketball team left Spartansburg, S.C. Monday night following a 78-63 defeat at the hands of the Wofford Terriers-their third loss in five days-the Mocs were anything but confident.
"No one gave us a prayer after losing four straight," Coach John Shulman said. Shulman decided a change was necessary.
"Work boots," Ricky Taylor, a sophomore from Brownsville, Tenn. said. "They just showed up, and we put them on. Coach Shulman said he wanted them called work boots."
These work boots-black shoes and socks-which the Mocs have worn in their last two home games-both wins-might not have been solely responsible for the turnaround in UTC's play, but they have certainly played a part.
"All we've been doing in practice is defending and rebounding," Shulman said. "It's our identity now. When things aren't going right, you go to your beliefs: defending and rebounding."
Chattanooga did a good job of both in their 85-80 victory over Appalachian State Saturday, winning the rebounding battle 46-37, as well as holding the Mountaineer's Donald Sims, leading scorer in the Southern Conference, to just 6-22 shooting.
"It was the first time going into a game this year that I didn't feel sick to my stomach," Shulman said. "We've finally found our identity."
The first half was very one-sided as UTC went into half up 51-41, and Shulman thought it should have been more.
"We should have been up by 23 or 24, and Buzz [Peterson] knew that," Shulman said.
The game took a different turn in the second half as Appalachian State fought back to cut the lead to one, 75-74 with 2:20 remaining. "This was our fifth game in 10 days," Shulman said. "At half, I could tell. If we'd have played five more minutes who knows what would have happened?"
Ridge McKeither, a junior from Danville, Va., continued his hot streak with a double-double. McKeither scored 18 points on 7-11 shooting, and also led the Mocs with 12 rebounds.
"No one gave us a prayer after losing four straight," Coach John Shulman said. Shulman decided a change was necessary.
"Work boots," Ricky Taylor, a sophomore from Brownsville, Tenn. said. "They just showed up, and we put them on. Coach Shulman said he wanted them called work boots."
These work boots-black shoes and socks-which the Mocs have worn in their last two home games-both wins-might not have been solely responsible for the turnaround in UTC's play, but they have certainly played a part.
"All we've been doing in practice is defending and rebounding," Shulman said. "It's our identity now. When things aren't going right, you go to your beliefs: defending and rebounding."
Chattanooga did a good job of both in their 85-80 victory over Appalachian State Saturday, winning the rebounding battle 46-37, as well as holding the Mountaineer's Donald Sims, leading scorer in the Southern Conference, to just 6-22 shooting.
"It was the first time going into a game this year that I didn't feel sick to my stomach," Shulman said. "We've finally found our identity."
The first half was very one-sided as UTC went into half up 51-41, and Shulman thought it should have been more.
"We should have been up by 23 or 24, and Buzz [Peterson] knew that," Shulman said.
The game took a different turn in the second half as Appalachian State fought back to cut the lead to one, 75-74 with 2:20 remaining. "This was our fifth game in 10 days," Shulman said. "At half, I could tell. If we'd have played five more minutes who knows what would have happened?"
Ridge McKeither, a junior from Danville, Va., continued his hot streak with a double-double. McKeither scored 18 points on 7-11 shooting, and also led the Mocs with 12 rebounds.
