CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a blistering first-half offensive display, the Chattanooga Mocs built a commanding 21-point halftime lead and then withstood a furious second-half rally from the Samford Bulldogs to secure an 88-79 victory in a Southern Conference men’s basketball game Saturday afternoon at McKenzie Arena.

A crowd of 4,312 watched as Chattanooga, improving to 7-10 overall, executed with remarkable efficiency in the opening period, shooting 58 percent from the field to take a 49-28 lead into the break. The Mocs’ offensive rating of 121.5 for the game underscored a performance built on taking care of the ball and capitalizing on opponent mistakes. Chattanooga committed only three turnovers while forcing eight, converting those into 11 points.

Samford, which fell to 9-8, mounted a significant challenge after halftime, outscoring the Mocs 51-39 in the second half behind a combined 39 points from Dylan Faulkner and Jadin Booth. The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to single digits on multiple occasions, but could never fully close the gap, hampered by a 22-for-36 performance from the free throw line and the early hole they had dug.

The most important sequence of the game came in the final five minutes of the first half, when Chattanooga transformed a competitive contest into a lopsided one. Leading 33-25, the Mocs closed the half on a decisive 16-3 run. The surge was fueled by defensive pressure and unselfish offense. Teddy Washington, who had 12 points and four assists, ignited the run with a steal and assist on a Brennan Watkins layup. After a Samford timeout, Houston Holland buried a three-pointer off another Washington assist. Following a Bulldogs turnover, Jordan Frison found Billy Smith for another three-pointer, pushing the lead to 46-28. A Judson Bjornstad dunk for Samford briefly interrupted the momentum, but the Mocs took a 49-28 advantage into the locker room, a margin that proved just enough to survive the second-half onslaught.

Jordan Frison led Chattanooga with a poised all-around performance, scoring 16 points and dishing out six assists against zero turnovers. His backcourt mate, Teddy Washington, provided 12 points and four assists, while Jikari Johnson added 15 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. The Mocs’ interior was anchored by Makai Richards, who scored 10 points on efficient 4-of-6 shooting.

For Samford, Dylan Faulkner was a force, scoring a game-high 24 points in just 26 minutes, adding two assists and a block. Jadin Booth played all 40 minutes, contributing 23 points and three assists. Isaiah Campbell-Finch added 16 points for the Bulldogs, who shot just 31.8 percent from three-point range and were out-assisted 6-2.

Chattanooga’s precision at the foul line was a critical factor, as they made 22 of 24 attempts. Samford, meanwhile, left 14 points at the charity stripe. The Mocs also won the battle in the paint, 38-34, and matched Samford’s 15 fastbreak points.

The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Chattanooga in conference play. Samford, which had won two of its last three, now looks ahead to a rematch with the Mocs in Birmingham on Jan. 24.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected Chattanooga with a 60.80 percent probability to win, and the Mocs covered the pregame spread of -1. The total score of 167 went over the betting line of 146.5.

Chattanooga travels to face Wofford on Wednesday. Samford returns home to host Furman, also on Wednesday.