Asheville, N.C. – Ally Hollifield led the Catamounts in scoring with a hard-earned 16 points, and Grace Pack went for a double-double in her collegiate finale as eighth-seeded Western Carolina was unable to overcome a strong perimeter shooting game by top-seeded Chattanooga, as the Mocs advanced with a 66-47 quarterfinal victory Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championship.

Hollifield led the Catamounts in posting her highest scoring output against the regular-season champions this season. She added three rebounds and two steals in 37 minutes of relatively clean play, committing only one turnover. Grace Pack recorded her second double-double of the year and the third of her career, posting 13 points and 10 rebounds. Tina Bowers finished with six points, four assists, and two steals, as well.

Chattanooga was led by Gianna Corbitt, who connected on 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, recording 20 points and five rebounds. Ava Card and Kalifa Ford went for 11 points apiece, with Card adding six rebounds and three assists. The Catamounts held 2025-26 SoCon Player of the Year Caia Elisaldez in check throughout much of the game, though, as the junior only scored five points and dished out three assists with three turnovers.
 
UTC advances to face fourth-seeded Furman in the 11 a.m. Education Day semifinal on Friday, while WCU sees its season come to a close.

How it Happened:
The two teams traded opening buckets courtesy of Gianna Corbitt and Ary Dizon, with the game standing tied at 4-4 early following a pair of free throws from Ally Hollifield. The Mocs then strung together a strong run of 3-pointers, four coming from Corbitt and one by Caia Elisaldez, as Chattanooga took a 19-11 lead into the second quarter.

Both squads struggled offensively to start the second stanza, combining for only six points through the first six minutes of play. Corbitt connected on a 3-pointer with 3:43 to go in the half, with Khalifa Ford and Sarah Owona chipping in longshots to break the scoring drought. Tina Bowers and Grace Pack scored four points for the Catamounts late in the half, but the Mocs carried a 30-19 lead into the locker room.

Taj Hunter opened the second half with a quick steal, with Pack capitalizing on the takeaway with a 3-pointer to pull the Catamounts within eight. Chattanooga stretched its lead to 13, though, with a 7-2 sprint before the two teams began trading shots through the middle of the frame. The Mocs closed the quarter on an 11-2 run, taking a 55-33 lead into the final 10 minutes.  

Chattanooga's lead stretched to as many as 25 points in the final quarter, with the Mocs content to maintain their lead to the finish. Hollifield closed the scoring with a 3-pointer with 1:11 to play as the Catamounts fell 66-47 in Asheville.

By the Numbers:
A record-tying performance from the 3-point range propelled Chattanooga to the SoCon semifinals, with the Mocs connecting on 13 3-pointers against the Catamounts. The total matched the SoCon record for 3-pointers in a tournament game, which was last hit by the Mocs against UNCG in 2008. In their previous two meetings with the Catamounts, Chattanooga had hit 16 threes total.  

Turnovers plagued the Catamounts against Chattanooga in Asheville, with WCU committing 19 against the Mocs. Chattanooga notched 22 points off those turnovers, while the Catamounts scored nine off UTC's 11.