INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (MWSN) — Championship opportunity awaits. The Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team will take the floor one last time for the 2024-25 season as they meet regional top-seed UC Irvine in the 2025 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) title game on Thursday night inside historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Tip-off for the championship contest is set for 9 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on ESPN. The Mocs are the first SoCon squad to reach a major NCAA postseason tournament title game since West Virginia fell to California, 71-70, in the 1959 NCAA Tournament.
The Mocs Club and Chattanooga Athletics are hosting a “Pre-Game Social” for fans ahead of Tuesday’s semifinal game at Brothers Bar & Grill located at 910 Broad Ripple Ave., Indianapolis, IN (46220) from 5:30 – 8 p.m. ET. For those attending, you may RSVP at the link HERE.
Chattanooga (28-9) continues its longest postseason run in school history with its first-ever appearance in the NIT title game. The Mocs posted its 10th-straight victory when trailing at halftime (38-34) this season after pulling off a dramatic 80-73 victory over Loyola Chicago in the semifinals last night.
UC Irvine (32-6) has been a force across both the national and Big West landscape this season and were quality candidates for an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament after bowing out to top-seeded UC San Diego in the league title game, 75-61. The Anteaters entered postseason play No. 62 in the NET Rankings and peaked at No. 22 during the 2024-25 season.
Full game details and notes are below.
2025 NIT – Championship Game
Chattanooga (28-9) vs. (1) UC Irvine (32-6)
Date: Thurs., April 3 ∙ Time: 9 p.m.
Site: Indianapolis, Ind. (Hinkle Fieldhouse)
TV: ESPN/ESPN+ ∙ Radio: Mocs Sports Network (WFLI)
Follow: Live Stats ∙ @GoMocsMBB on X/Twitter
Game Notes: Chattanooga ∙ UC Irvine
NIT Info/Brackets
Complete 2025 NIT information including brackets are located HERE.
Chattanooga’s NIT History
NIT Appearance: 5th (first since four-straight from 1984-87)
NIT Record: 7-4 (.636)
Best NIT Finish/Run: 2025 title game… previously 1985 quarterfinals.
All-Time Series vs. UC Irvine
Previous Meetings: 3
Last Meeting: UTC 85, UCI 80 – 11/23/2007 (Anaheim, Calif.)
Record: 3-0 (1.000)
Record in Chattanooga: 1-0 (1.000)
Record in Irvine: 1-0 (1.000)
Neutral: 1-0 (1.000)
Story Lines/Notes
CHATTANOOGA PUNCHES TICKET TO NIT CHAMP FOR FIRST TIME
∙ Chattanooga (28-9) advanced to the NIT Championship game for the first time in program history after rallying for an 80-73 victory over Loyola Chicago Tuesday night inside historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
∙ The Mocs erased a halftime deficit (38-34) for the second-straight game… UTC outscored ULC 46-35 in the 2nd half… held ULC scoreless for final 2:43.
CHATTANOOGA NIT HISTORY RUNS DEEP
∙ Chattanooga is making its fifth NIT appearance in program history after four-straight berths from 1984-87… now 7-4 (.636) all-time in the NIT after Tuesday’s win… the run to the title game topped the program’s prior deepest run (1985 QF).
HUFF & BONHAM PROVIDE THE ELECTRICITY… AGAIN
∙ Trey Bonham finished with a game-high 23 points in the semifinal win.. has totaled 92 points in the NIT (23.0PPG)… ties Jake Stephens (2023 SoCon Tour.) for most points by a Moc in a single postseason tournament.
∙ Honor Huff hit a late three to put UTC ahead 77-73 with less than 35 seconds… his fourth three of the game… now leads all of DI this season in 3FGM (128).
HONOR HUFF BECOMING ALL-TIME MOC
∙ Sharpshooter Honor Huff has dazzled during the NIT… Huff has knocked down 16 threes over the four games… averaging 16.3 PPG.
∙ Huff’s 128 3FGM this season leads all of NCAA Division I… second in UTC single-season history… moved to No. 1 in NCAA in semifinal win.
∙ Huff’s 237 career 3FGM is third all-time at UTC… 3.39 career per-game average is second all-time… third all-time in 3FGA (591) & tied for eighth in 3FG% (40.1).
∙ Huff’s 1,139 points at UTC is the most for a Moc in their first two seasons… surpassed Derrick Kirce (1,113, 1990-91) during QF win.
APRIL BASKETBALL? SURE THING
∙ Chattanooga will play in the month of April for the first time in program history… latest date before last Tuesday’s (3/25) win at Bradley was 3/24/1985.
∙ The Mocs are the only current SoCon member to play in April in an NCAA-sanctioned event (Samford, 4/1/14, CIT Semis)… first SoCon school since WVU in 1959 (NCAAT vs. Cal) to play for a major title.
RECORD-BREAKING SEASON CONTINUES
∙ During the historic 2024-25 season, UTC has set new single-season program marks in multiple categories including: GMS (38); PTS (2,945); ASTS (633); FGM (1,044); FT% (76.9); TO/G (10.1); A/TO ratio (1.67).
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