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The ETSU Bucs (18-12, 10-4 SoCon) headed down to Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville on Thursday, March 5th to obtain their 6th win in a row, and progress towards round 2 of SoCon Tournament. First contest was against the UNCG Spartans (14-16, 4-10 SoCon). ETSU swept UNCG in the regular season, and had their eyes set on continuing that into the post season.
Game Overview;
After a scoreless opening six minutes, the Bucs clawed back to end the first quarter in a 14-14 deadlock, fueled by a flurry of triples from McAmis, Lopez, and Richardson. The momentum carried into the second as Harper ignited the offense with five quick points, followed by back-to-back threes from Hood to seize a 32-26 halftime lead.
ETSU truly took control in the third, racking up 17 points to build a commanding 49-38 cushion—the largest of the game. A balanced attack saw six different Bucs find the basket, led by Richardson and Nelson. Meanwhile refusing to let up, the Bucs outscored the Spartans in every single frame, with Downing and Lopez slamming the door in the fourth to secure the 62-50 tournament victory.
Players of Mention;
The Bucs dominated with a high-octane team effort, fueled by Emmah McAmis’s historic first-quarter spark. The freshman guard remained perfect from deep (3-3) to tie her career-high of 11 points. Additionally, Carmen Richardson spearheaded the scoring with a 14-point performance, her best since January, while also wreaking havoc on defense.
Down low, Meghan Downing was a force, recording 10 rebounds and four blocks to extend her elite rim-protection streak. Supporting the surge, Daniela Lopez delivered an efficient 11 points and seven boards, while Anala Nelson orchestrated the offense with a team-high three assists.
The Bucs ended the matchup almost doubling their season average in 3 point shooting (50% today, 26% Season AVG). This matchup was also the first time the Bucs have beaten the Spartans 3 times in a year under Coach Brenda Mock Brown, who is also SoCon Coach of the Year.
Next Up;
Next up for The Bucs? Semifinals on Friday March 6th. ETSU will play Samford at 1:15pm. You can catch the action on ESPN+.
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