Chattanooga preview:

Chattanooga Mocs

Overall record: 1-0 (defeated Covenant 120-59)

Southern Conference record: 0-0

2006-07 RPI: 219

2006-07 Sagarin: 219

Series record: first meeting

TV: 7 pm, Big Ten Network

Chattanooga was bad last year, 12-18 and sub-200 in both Sagarin and the RPI. The Mocs did win their opener against Covenant College 120-59, a NAIA school. I'm not sure of the protocol of counting or not counting games against not D-A opponents, but Chattanooga seems to be counting that one. Here's a link to the box score. Chattanooga shot really well: 62 percent for the game and 55 percent (16-29) from three point range. Chattanooga likes to play fast. The Covenant game was about 80 possessions. Last year, Chattanooga averaged about 67 possessions per game, near the middle of the pack but ahead of the vast majority of Big Ten teams (IU average 64.1 last year).

The Mocs' leading scorer against Covenant was 5-11 guard Stephen McDowell, an Indianapolis-born transfer from South Carolina. He averaged less than 2 ppg during his time at SC but scored 25 points on 15 shots, including 5-8 from three point range, in his Chattanooga debut. The Mocs don't have a starter taller than 6-7 and don't return much from last year. Nicchaeus Doaks, a 6-7 junior forward, is the only returning player who was a double digit scorer last year. The coach, John Shulman, is a holdover from the staff of Jeff Lebo, now at Auburn. Shulman led the Mocs to the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and a 19 win, conference runner-up season in 2006 before last season's setback. Chattanooga is best known for its run to the 1997 Sweet 16, eliminating Georgia and Illinois in the first two rounds. Should be nothing but a warmup, but that's what Kentucky and USC thought.