Wofford @ Chattanooga preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 26, 2019 ) Chattanooga 69, Wofford 80

Wofford plays the first game in program history as a ranked team Thursday night when it attempts to extend its school-record winning streak to 16 in a Southern Conference matchup at Chattanooga. The Terriers moved into a tie with Washington for 25th in the USA Today Coaches poll after knocking off Furman, which was ranked earlier in the season, 72-64 on Saturday.

“We will box all this stuff up, all these rankings and the nice things people are saying about us and all the national recognition, and we will enjoy them at the appropriate time,” Wofford coach Mike Young told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. “That time is not now. However far this thing goes, we’ll look back with a great deal of pride and a great deal of sheer joy. But we’ve got to stay the course. We have an unbelievable team and the most magical time of the year is approaching.” Senior guard Fletcher Magee is ramping it up as the postseason approaches for the Terriers, averaging 25.8 points with 32 makes from 3-point range over the last five games and scored 24 in the 80-69 victory over Chattanooga on Jan. 26. The Moccasins have dropped seven of their last nine after suffering a 74-69 setback Saturday against Mercer without leading scorer Kevin Easley (leg), and face two tough games at home to end the regular season - Wofford and Furman. “Two games left,” sophomore guard David Jean-Baptiste told reporters. “We have to play like we have none left and give it all we got and leave it all on the court.”

TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV

ABOUT WOFFORD (24-4, 16-0 Southern): Magee averages 20.2 points and led the nation with 126 made 3-pointers entering Wednesday - leaving him 27 shy of Oakland’s Travis Bader for the all-time career NCAA record (504). Senior forward Cameron Jackson (14.8 points, team highs of 7.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals) scored 18 and hauled in nine boards Saturday after combining for 21 and eight, respectively, the previous two games. Junior guard Nathan Hoover is also averaging in double figures scoring (13.0) and is shooting 44.3 percent from 3-point range with his 70 makes matching last season's total .

ABOUT CHATTANOOGA (12-17, 7-9): Easley (14.7 points, team-high 6.5 rebounds) has missed the last two games and three of the past four, and the 6-6 freshman forward remains day-to-day. Freshman guard Donovann Toatley is second in scoring for the balanced Mocs (11.3) and leads the team in assists (3.1) while junior guard Jerry Johnson Jr. (10.8 points) averaged 15 in the last three games and has drained a team-best 53 3-pointers. Jean-Baptiste is averaging 13.3 points over the last four contests on 21-of-43 shooting to push his season mark to 9.3.

TIP-INS

1. Wofford sophomore F Keve Aluma averages seven points and seven rebounds while shooting 66.1 percent from the field.

2. Chattanooga sophomore F Ramon Vila averages 10.2 points and 5.4 boards after pulling down 27 rebounds in the past three contests.

3. The Terriers, who clinched their first Southern Conference regular-season title since 2014-15, have won four straight in the series.

PREDICTION: Wofford 80, Chattanooga 64