The Chattanooga Mocs’ men’s basketball team earned its way into the 2016 NCAA Tournament because of continuity and an innate chemistry. It’s certainly not because of stability at head coach, as Matt McCall is the third coach this senior class has played under. But the players always had each other, and that’s all they needed.
Chasing Cinderella 2016: Chattanooga basketball
A behind-the-scenes feature on what makes the 2015-16 Chattanooga Mocs basketball team so special as they head into the NCAA Tournament.Watch on YouTube | Subscribe to SB Nation on YouTube
And Coach McCall didn’t have to struggle to get his squad to buy in and have everyone pulling in the same direction. Veteran leaders Casey Jones, Tre’ McLean, Justin Tuoyo, Greg Pryor and Eric Robertson speak about instilling those selfless qualities and sacrificing for the greater good of the team.
Expectations were high from Day 1 coming into the 2015-16 season, and the Mocs started the year off with a bang, beating the Georgia Bulldogs on the road. That set the tone for the entire season, but it didn’t mean they wouldn’t have to overcome adversity -- Jones, a senior and the team’s leading scorer, suffered a devastating season-ending ankle injury in early December.
Just eight games into the year, what looked to be a promising season was now in serious jeopardy. But the Mocs would persevere, and refused to allow their season to spiral out of control. They continued to play, and play for each other -- and after winning the Southern Conference championship to punch their ticket to the dance, they’re not just satisfied with making it. They want to keep winning ... starting Thursday in a date with Tom Crean and the Indiana Hoosiers.
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