Fri Apr 04 01:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Chattanooga Marches to NIT Championship Game After Thrilling Win Over Loyola

**INDIANAPOLIS** – The Chattanooga Mocs secured their place in the NIT Championship game with an 80-73 victory over Loyola Ramblers Tuesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Trey Bonham led the Mocs with 23 points, while Honor Huff’s crucial late three-pointer sealed the win. The Mocs (28-9) will face UC Irvine in the championship game on Thursday.

Chattanooga overcame a halftime deficit (38-34) to build a double-digit lead in the second half. Loyola mounted a late comeback, cutting the lead to a single point on a Des Watson three-pointer with just over two minutes remaining. However, Huff responded with a three-pointer of his own, sparking a decisive 6-0 run to secure the victory for Chattanooga. Huff and Bash Wieland contributed 12 points each, while Makai Richards added 10 points off the bench.

Loyola (25-12) was paced by Jayden Dawson’s 19 points and 6 assists. Miles Rubin added 14 points, and Des Watson contributed 10 points and 6 rebounds. Jalen DeLoach’s perfect shooting performance off the bench (13 points on 4-for-4 field goals and 5-for-5 free throws) wasn’t enough to overcome Chattanooga’s strong finish. The Mocs’ victory sets up a championship showdown against UC Irvine, who earlier secured their spot with a 69-67 win over North Texas, setting a new school record for wins in a season.

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