Anna 
The Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team delivered an unforgettable March moment on Tuesday night, clinching a spot in the 2025 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) semifinals with a dramatic 67-65 victory over No. 3 Bradley in the quarterfinals at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois.
Game Recap
The Mocs pulled off a remarkable comeback after trailing by as much as 16 points in the first half. They were down 44-33 following a Demarion Burch jumper at 16:21, but then Honor Huff took charge. The junior from Brooklyn scored eight straight points to narrow the gap to 44-41, with key plays coming from Latif Diouf, who grabbed two crucial offensive rebounds during the run.
Bradley briefly extended its lead to seven, but Huff’s layup and three free throws from Trey Bonham at 11:47 brought Chattanooga within two at 48-46. The Mocs continued their push, and at the 8:44 mark, Garrison Keeslar hit a three-pointer to give Chattanooga a 54-52 lead. Bash Wieland added a jumper to make it 56-52.
Bradley responded with a 5-0 run to regain the lead, but Bonham answered with a key three-pointer at 5:10, putting Chattanooga ahead 59-57. The lead changed hands several more times as both teams traded baskets. With just under a minute to play, Bonham nailed another clutch three from the top of the key to give the Mocs a 64-61 lead.
Bradley’s Duke Deen tied it up with a three-pointer 19 seconds later, but Bonham wasn’t done. On the Mocs’ next possession, Huff drove, found Bonham in the corner, and he delivered again, putting Chattanooga ahead 67-64 with 14.1 seconds remaining.
After a Bradley timeout, Deen was fouled while attempting a three-pointer with 4.8 seconds left. He made the first free throw but intentionally missed the second. Diouf grabbed the rebound and missed his free throw, but Deen’s desperation three from 70 feet fell short, securing the victory for the Mocs.
Chattanooga will now head to Indianapolis for the NIT semifinals, where they will face the winner of Loyola Chicago and Kent State on April 1 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Related topics: