UTC Mocs men's basketball team stuffing games into holiday weekend

Arkansas-Oklahoma State Live Blog
photo UTC forward Justin Tuoyo lays the ball up during the Mocs' basketball practice and their Mocs Club Basketball Open House event Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014, in Chattanooga.

Thanksgiving dinner will come about two days late for Justin Tuoyo.

With three games in four days starting Wednesday, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga men's basketball players won't get an opportunity to go home for the holidays. That stretch will begin with a noon game against Robert Morris in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis Mainland event at McKenzie Arena.

The other game Wednesday will pit Coastal Carolina and Louisiana-Monroe. The consolation game will start at noon on Thursday, with the championship game following.

The 6-foot-9 Tuoyo, who redshirted last year after transferring from Virginia Commonwealth, didn't travel with the Mocs last year when they played games in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, but he was with the Rams during the 2012-13 season when they went to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis.

"When I went to college, I knew that I probably wasn't going to have the holidays," he said after Monday's practice. "It affects me some not being with family, but I'm over it now. I know what I have to do."

The Mocs will play at Kennesaw State on Saturday, so Tuoyo, who is from Lovejoy, Ga., will play in front of family and friends.

When asked if the family was bringing his plate from Thursday's Thanksgiving dinner to Kennesaw, Tuoyo jokingly replied, "They better."

Some of the guys will be spending their first holiday away from home. Chuck Ester, who is from Geismar, La., hasn't been home for a holiday since last Christmas, having left East Mississippi Junior College in May and immediately enrolled at UTC. He was able to spend a little time when the team came back from the Bahamas in August, but he said the time away and the fact that Thanksgiving will be spent with the UTC basketball team doesn't really affect him.

"That's fine. I love all of these dudes," Ester said. "I'll get to see my family soon enough, so that's fine."

He said his family will be coming to the Georgia game on Dec. 2.

The level of competition the Mocs will be facing this week won't be easy. Robert Morris is best-known for having defeated Kentucky in the first round of the 2013 National Invitation Tournament in Lexington. Louisiana-Monroe played No. 8 Florida to overtime in Gainesville last week, while Coastal Carolina is coached by former Auburn and Clemson coach Cliff Ellis.

Wednesday will be the Mocs' first home game since the season opener against Hiwassee on Nov. 14. Since then, they've lost three road games, including a tough 69-67 decision to Tennessee Tech on Saturday.

"It'll be good to be back at home," UTC coach Wade said. "It'll be nice to be able to play in front of the home fans and familiar surroundings.

"But at the same time, if we're going to be a good team, we have to be able to win games away from McKenzie."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.

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