Covenant vs Chattanooga prediction: Chattanooga's rebuilt roster finally plays at home against Covenant
With road trips to Louisville and Penn State looming first, a Mocs team that returns less than a quarter of last season's minutes gets its first look at McKenzie Arena against a Division III visitor.
- Chattanooga should control this from the opening tip. The real interest is how its new rotation settles after two difficult road games scheduled before it.
- Delaware transfer Tyler Houser, who averaged 14.2 points last season, joins returning guard Tate Darner, the Mocs' main link to last season.
- No line is posted yet. The four series results on record are all lopsided Chattanooga wins, including 89-44 in 2023.
A home debut after two road tests
Chattanooga's season opens on the road at No. 11 Louisville on Nov. 2, then continues at Penn State on Nov. 5. Covenant, a small college program from Lookout Mountain, Georgia, comes in four days later for the home opener. The school is marketing the night as its season tip-off, with discounted tickets on sale through Nov. 4.
The Mocs were picked fifth in the SoCon preseason coaches' poll, with Furman the favorite. Dan Earl, in his fifth season, will likely use this game to sort out a rotation the road trip will have tested hard.
Almost an entirely new team
Only 22.9% of last season's minutes return. Earl finalized a roster with 11 newcomers: five portal additions, three international signees and three true freshmen. The biggest loss is Jordan Frison, who scored 16.4 points a game last season and has moved to Wichita State.
The likely replacement as top scorer is Tyler Houser, who started every game he played at Delaware last season and shot 38.3% from three. Tate Darner is the steadiest returner. He made 37.9% of his threes last season on 140 attempts.
Last season's identity, loosely held
Last season the Mocs went 13-19 and lived behind the arc. They ranked 13th nationally in 3-point attempt rate, the share of shots taken from three. Their defense was the weak point, ranking 330th of 365 in points allowed per 100 possessions.
With so little of that roster back, those numbers say more about Earl's preferences than about this team. A heavy-volume shooter like Houser fits the style.
Covenant's uphill climb
Josh Brown's Scots went 8-18 last season, 3-9 in the Collegiate Conference of the South, and their season ended in a conference tournament loss to Belhaven. The series history leans one way: Chattanooga won 108-55 in 2022 and 120-59 in 2007.
Key players
- Tyler Houser (Chattanooga): He averaged 14.2 points in 33.3 minutes at Delaware last season.
- Tate Darner (Chattanooga): He made 37.9% of his threes last season and posted a 116.4 offensive rating.
- Josh Bowman (Chattanooga): He blocked 1.0 shot a game in just 12.0 minutes last season.
- Yonatan Levy (Chattanooga): He started 28 games at Pepperdine last season and averaged 4.2 rebounds.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 22.9% | So little of last season's roster is back that last season's team stats are a weak guide. |
|---|---|---|
| Houser scoring last season | 14.2 | The Delaware transfer is the most proven scorer on the roster. |
| 3-point attempt rate rank last season | 13th | Earl's teams hunt threes, and his new shooters fit that style. |
| Defensive efficiency rank last season | 330th | Defense was last season's problem, and a new roster has to fix it. |
Covenant vs Chattanooga: quick answers
When is Covenant vs Chattanooga?
Monday, November 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.