There was a different vibe surrounding the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's men's basketball practice Tuesday afternoon.
It would be common for a team that ended the regular season by losing nine of its last 11 games to be lethargic. Yet there was a renewed energy on the court with players running crisp drills and cutting up with each other.
A little March Madness will cure a lot of hoop-related ailments.
The Mocs, like so many college teams this time of year, can turn their season narrative around in just a few days as they begin play in the Southern Conference tournament Saturday. Fifth-seeded UTC (12-19, 7-11) plays No. 4 East Tennessee State University (23-8, 13-5) at 2:30 p.m. in Asheville's U.S. Cellular Center as an underdog for sure, but one that enters competition fully aware of the opportunity that awaits.
"It's the most intense time of the season, you know," sophomore forward Ramon Vila said. "It all comes down to us. We can make a one-game run or go to the end. It's up to us."
Coach Lamont Paris could hardly contain his excitement Tuesday. It wasn't very long ago when he was part of the staff at Wisconsin that made back-to-back Final Four appearances.
"I've been around it a long enough time, and there are certain things that trigger the feelings about tournament time," he said. "It's a different vibe around it; it's exciting, invigorating. What a great time of the year to be playing for all the marbles.
"I think you can tell I get excited about the postseason. It just reaches in and grabs the competitor inside you."
Paris' message to his young team ? it began the season as the nation's fifth-youngest ? was simple this week. While he would like to find a magical potion that would turn the Mocs into a Wisconsin-like defensive team, Paris understands any game beyond Saturday involving his team will come only one way.
With all-out effort.
"At this time of the year, those 40 minutes you're playing are the only things guaranteed, so that main goal every game is to just earn another 40 minutes," he said. "Sometimes it comes down to who has that mentality and which team wants those 40 more minutes the most."
The poor finish to the season was plagued by poor shooting, leaky defense and inopportune turnovers. Second-half leads were forged against the likes of league unbeaten and Top 25-ranked Wofford and ETSU as well as in eventual road losses at Samford and Mercer.
SoCon freshman of the year Kevin Easley, who leads the Mocs in scoring and rebounding, missed three games. Second-leading scorer Donovann Toatley missed the finale against Furman, as did freshman reserve Keigan Kerby. Through it all the team managed to hold onto the fifth seed after finishing at the bottom of the SoCon standings a year ago.
"This team earned the fifth seed," Paris said. "We could have played better, but after being the 10th seed last year, being fifth is a significant accomplishment for this team.
"The great thing about college athletics is that you play for it all. Every single team that plays this week, it's all any of these teams is guaranteed. It's a great environment, and you have to be confident going into that. We try to get them confidence by reminding them of what they have accomplished."
Easley, who will return to the starting lineup Saturday after playing 27 minutes against Furman, hopes the Mocs hit the floor with the same energy that pervaded practice this week. They will be decided underdogs against an ETSU team that beat them twice by a combined 39 points.
To Easley, the final score won't be how he measures the experience.
"Just knowing the last game we played we gave it your all, you and your guys," he said. "It doesn't matter what the score is, just play our way and give it your all. It may not be enough, but you can at least say you played your heart out.
"Our mentality going into this tournament is that we have nothing to lose."
It would be common for a team that ended the regular season by losing nine of its last 11 games to be lethargic. Yet there was a renewed energy on the court with players running crisp drills and cutting up with each other.
A little March Madness will cure a lot of hoop-related ailments.
The Mocs, like so many college teams this time of year, can turn their season narrative around in just a few days as they begin play in the Southern Conference tournament Saturday. Fifth-seeded UTC (12-19, 7-11) plays No. 4 East Tennessee State University (23-8, 13-5) at 2:30 p.m. in Asheville's U.S. Cellular Center as an underdog for sure, but one that enters competition fully aware of the opportunity that awaits.
"It's the most intense time of the season, you know," sophomore forward Ramon Vila said. "It all comes down to us. We can make a one-game run or go to the end. It's up to us."
Coach Lamont Paris could hardly contain his excitement Tuesday. It wasn't very long ago when he was part of the staff at Wisconsin that made back-to-back Final Four appearances.
"I've been around it a long enough time, and there are certain things that trigger the feelings about tournament time," he said. "It's a different vibe around it; it's exciting, invigorating. What a great time of the year to be playing for all the marbles.
"I think you can tell I get excited about the postseason. It just reaches in and grabs the competitor inside you."
Paris' message to his young team ? it began the season as the nation's fifth-youngest ? was simple this week. While he would like to find a magical potion that would turn the Mocs into a Wisconsin-like defensive team, Paris understands any game beyond Saturday involving his team will come only one way.
With all-out effort.
"At this time of the year, those 40 minutes you're playing are the only things guaranteed, so that main goal every game is to just earn another 40 minutes," he said. "Sometimes it comes down to who has that mentality and which team wants those 40 more minutes the most."
The poor finish to the season was plagued by poor shooting, leaky defense and inopportune turnovers. Second-half leads were forged against the likes of league unbeaten and Top 25-ranked Wofford and ETSU as well as in eventual road losses at Samford and Mercer.
SoCon freshman of the year Kevin Easley, who leads the Mocs in scoring and rebounding, missed three games. Second-leading scorer Donovann Toatley missed the finale against Furman, as did freshman reserve Keigan Kerby. Through it all the team managed to hold onto the fifth seed after finishing at the bottom of the SoCon standings a year ago.
"This team earned the fifth seed," Paris said. "We could have played better, but after being the 10th seed last year, being fifth is a significant accomplishment for this team.
"The great thing about college athletics is that you play for it all. Every single team that plays this week, it's all any of these teams is guaranteed. It's a great environment, and you have to be confident going into that. We try to get them confidence by reminding them of what they have accomplished."
Easley, who will return to the starting lineup Saturday after playing 27 minutes against Furman, hopes the Mocs hit the floor with the same energy that pervaded practice this week. They will be decided underdogs against an ETSU team that beat them twice by a combined 39 points.
To Easley, the final score won't be how he measures the experience.
"Just knowing the last game we played we gave it your all, you and your guys," he said. "It doesn't matter what the score is, just play our way and give it your all. It may not be enough, but you can at least say you played your heart out.
"Our mentality going into this tournament is that we have nothing to lose."
