Live-Blogging Shish on College Basketball: 2022 NCAA MBK Round of 64-Chattanooga Mocs vs. Illinois Fighting Illini

Hello, and welcome to another edition of ‘Live-Blogging Shish on College Basketball’. Tonight, it is the NCAA Men’s Basketball Round of 64 South Regional game, between Chattanooga Mocs and Illinois Fighting Illini.

Mocs are the champions of the Southern Conference. They defeated Furman on a buzzer beater in that championship game. They would like to make the City of Chattanooga proud if they could get a win today.

As for the Illini, they won the regular season title in the Big Ten. But they lost to Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament. There are questions about the Illini’s guard play, as it can be a hit or miss for the Champaign-Urbana school.

Mocs are led by Malachi Smith in scoring and assists. While Silvio De Sousa leads Chattanooga in rebounding.

For the Illini, they are led by Kofi Cockburn in scoring and rebounding. While Trent Frazier leads Illinois in assists.

It is Chattanooga Mocs and Illinois Fighting Illini, coming up shortly.


Possible Starting Lineups:
Chattanooga Mocs:
G: Jean-Baptiste
G: M. Smith
F: D. Banks
F: S. De Sousa
F: K. Hankton

Illinois Fighting Illini:
G: T. Frazier
G: D. Williams
G: A. Plummer
F: C. Hawkins
C: K. Cockburn​

NCAA: Chattanooga Mocs vs. Illinois Fighting Illini

Chattanooga Mocs Preview

Illinois Fighting Illini

Mocs are in their navy uniforms. While Illini is in their home white uniforms.

20:00: Mocs win tipoff. Chattanooga will attack the left basket. While the Illini to attack the right basket and have the possession arrow, in their favor.
18:58: M. Smith with a layup. CHAT 2, ILL 0
18:39: Cockburn makes 1 of 2 free throws. CHAT 2, ILL 1
18:12: De Sousa makes a layup. CHAT 4, ILL 1
17:33: Hawkins with a layup. CHAT 4, ILL 3
17:08: Ayeni nails a 3-point FG. CHAT 7, ILL 3
16:40: Banks with a layup. CHAT 9, ILL 3
15:53: Hankton makes a 3-point FG. CHAT 12, ILL 3
15:39: T.V. Timeout #1: CHAT 12, ILL 3
​
14:59: Lefford with a reverse layup. CHAT 14, ILL 3
14:38: Payne makes 1 of 2 free throws. CHAT 14, ILL 4
12:54: Caldwell makes 1 of 2 free throws. CHAT 15, ILL 4
12:43: Cockburn with a jam. CHAT 15, ILL 6
12:20: Banks makes 1 of 2 free throws. CHAT 16, ILL 6
12:11: Cockburn missed both free throws. 
11:49: T.V. Timeout #2: CHAT 16, ILL 6

​11:28: Ayani with a jam. CHAT 18, ILL 6
11:04: Jean-Batiste draws a goaltend against Cockburn. CHAT 20, ILL 6
10:51: OFFICIAL REVIEW: Officials reviewing possible flagrant foul on Ayani. Ayani hits Cockburn on the head. Common Foul. 
10:51: Cockburn makes 1 of 2 free throws. CHAT 20, ILL 7
10:51: Illini is in the Bonus.
8:50: INJURY TIMEOUT: Hankton being walked off the court, to have his ankle looked by the training staff. 
8:15: Cockburn makes 1 of 2 free throw. CHAT 20, ILL 8
7:44: Payne with a layup and foul. CHAT 20, ILL 11
7:44: T.V. Timeout #3: CHAT 20, ILL 11

7:44: Payne missed a free throw.
7:15: De Sousa with a layup. CHAT 22, ILL 11
6:55: Curbelo makes 1 of 2 free throws.
6:55: Illini is in the Double Bonus.
6:21: Hawkins with a rebound and tipin. CHAT 22, ILL 14
5:51: Hawkins with a FG. CHAT 22, ILL 16
5:51: MOCS TIMEOUT #1: CHAT 22, ILL 16
​​5:36: M. Smith with a FG. CHAT 24, ILL 16
5:04: Diggs with a jump shot. CHAT 26, ILL 16
4:43: M. Smith makes 1 of 2 free throw. CHAT 27, ILL 16
4:23: Curbelo with a reverse layup. Hawkins with an assist. CHAT 27, ILL 18
3:58: T.V. Timeout #4: CHAT 27, ILL 18
​
3:58: Curbelo makes 1 of 2 free throws. CHAT 27, ILL 19
3:13: Cockburn with a hook shot. CHAT 27, ILL 21
2:38: Cockburn makes a jump shot. CHAT 27, ILL 23
2:22: Mocs are in the Bonus.
1:59: Cockburn makes both free throws. CHAT 27, ILL 25
1:47: M. Smith makes 1 of 2 free throws. CHAT 28, ILL 25
1:24: Banks with a layup and foul. Banks makes a free throw. CHAT 31, ILL 25
:59: Plummer with a layup. CHAT 31, ILL 27
:57.0: ILLINI TIMEOUT #1: CHAT 31, ILL 27
:43: Cockburn with a jam. Curbelo with a steal and assist.
:28: M. Smith with a layup. CHAT 33, ILL 29
:00: The End of 1st Half. Illini to inbound to start the 2nd Half. 

Halftime:
CHAT 33, ILL 29

Halftime Leaders:
Scoring: Cockburn (ILL) 13 points
Rebounding: Cockburn (ILL) 8 rebounds
Assists: Curbelo (ILL) 4 assists

Halftime Thoughts:
Mockingbirds were off to a fast start. But Illini got back in rhythm and will inbound to start the 2nd Half. 
​
NCAA MBK Tournament Scores:

2nd Half:
20:00: Illini to inbound to start the 2nd Half and attacking the left basket. While Mocs attacking the right basket and have the possession arrow, in their favor.
18:52: Jean-Baptiste with a FG. CHAT 35, ILL 29
18:07: De Sousa with a FG. CHAT 37, ILL 29
17:48: Hankton buries a 3-point FG. CHAT 40, ILL 29
17:46: ILLINI TIMEOUT #2: CHAT 40, ILL 29
​16:39: Hawkins with a layup. CHAT 40, ILL 31
15:55: Williams makes a layup. CHAT 40, ILL 33
15:26: T.V. Timeout #5: CHAT 40, ILL 33

13:12: De Sousa missed both free throws.
12:42: Plummer buries a 3-point FG. CHAT 40, ILL 36
12:15: Plummer nails a 3-point FG. CHAT 40, ILL 39
11:24: T.V. Timeout #6: CHAT 40, ILL 39

10:30: De Sousa with a hook shot. CHAT 42, ILL 39
10:06: Plummer drains a jump shot. CHAT 42, ILL 41
9:44: Banks with a FG. CHAT 44, ILL 41
9:28: Cockburn makes a jump shot. CHAT 44, ILL 43
9:07: Smith makes a layup. CHAT 46, ILL 43
7:53: T.V. Timeout #7: CHAT 46, ILL 43

7:34: Diggs with a layup. CHAT 48, ILL 43
6:22: Plummer drains another 3-point FG. CHAT 48, ILL 46
4:34: Lefford with a 3-point FG. CHAT 51, ILL 46
4:20: ILLINI TIMEOUT #3: CHAT 51, ILL 46

4:20: Mocs are in the Bonus.
​​4:07: Jump Ball! Mocs Ball! Illini to have the possession arrow, in their favor. 
3:42: Illini is in the Bonus.
3:42: Ayeni has fouled out of the game.
3:37: Frazeir makes both free throws. CHAT 51, ILL 48
3:13: Banks missed the 1-and-1 free throw. 
2:21: Hawkins with an alley-oop. Frazier with an assist. CHAT 51, ILL 50
1:26: MOCS TIMEOUT #2: CHAT 51, ILL 50
​:47.1: Hawkins missed a free throw.
:47.1: Cockburn with a rebound and a jump shot. CHAT 51, ILL 52
:32.7: M. Smith makes both free throws. CHAT 53, ILL 52
:12.0: Plummer makes both free throws. CHAT 53, ILL 54
:00: The End of Game.

Final:
CHAT 53, ILL 54
CHAT: (27-8)
ILL: (23-9)

Illini advances to Round of 32. 

Final Leaders:
Scoring: Cockburn (ILL) 17 points
Rebounding: Banks/Cockburn 13 rebounds
Assists: Frazier (ILL) 4 assists

Final Thoughts:
A low scoring game. Mocs had this game for all but 25 seconds. But the Illini led the final 25 seconds to eek out the victory. For Chattanooga, they had Illini on the ropes but were unable to get the knockout blow.

Illini will face the winner of University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) and Houston on Sunday in Pittsburgh. 

This is Paul Shishkoff, Junior. This has been 'Live-Blogging Shish on College Basketball'. Thanks for visiting this page.