Wednesday, February 04, 2009

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 4, 2009) - After having its 10-game conference winning streak come to an end last Saturday at North Florida, the ETSU women's basketball team looks to regroup and bounce back Thursday night when they host Stetson in Atlantic Sun Conference action. Game time is set for 7 p.m. inside Memorial Center.

Returning home to Johnson City could be the answer the Lady Bucs need to get back on track, as they have won their last 12 home conference games and are a perfect 6-0 inside Memorial Center this season versus A-Sun foes.

ETSU (12-8, 10-2) also looks to keep its half-game grip on the league lead, as Florida Gulf Coast travels to USC Upstate on Thursday night as well.

Junior TaRonda Wiles (Danville, Va.), who starred in the month of January for the Lady Bucs, hopes to carry the momentum into the final month of the regular season. Wiles averaged 18.5 points per game in 11 games last month - including a career high 31-point effort versus Belmont on Jan. 15. Wiles scored in double figures each time and also averaged 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 32.5 minutes per game.

Stetson (8-14, 5-8) snapped its five-game losing streak with a 63-46 victory over Lipscomb on Saturday afternoon inside the Edmunds Center. Despite missing their leading scorer in Sharnesha Smith (12.6ppg), the Hatters had three players score in double figures and Stetson used a strong second half to roll past the Lady Bisons. Sophomore guard Tierra Brown led the Hatters with 17 points and eight assists, while forwards Ashli Jackson and Jessica Conner each netted 12.

The Lady Bucs have won all five games since joining the Atlantic Sun and lead the all-time series, 5-1. Despite going 0-for-13 from beyond the arc and shooting a frigid 32.4 percent from the field, ETSU still managed to eek out a one-point win over the Hatters, 53-52, last month in DeLand, Fla. Siarre Evans (Griffin, Ga.) posted one of her 10 double-doubles this season against Stetson (13 points/14 rebounds), while junior post Latisha Belcher (Martinsville, Va.) scored a game high 18 points for the Lady Bucs. As a team, ETSU scored 18 points off turnovers and posted 16 second chance points (16 offensive rebounds).

Reserved seat tickets for Lady Buccaneer Basketball games are $5 for adults and $3 for children 17 and under. ETSU students are admitted to games free of charge with a valid ETSU ID.

Tickets are available on game days at the center gate on the upper concourse, and can be purchased in advance by calling the ETSU Ticket Office at 423-439-3878 or online at ETSUBucs.com.  Tickets can also be picked up in person at the ETSU Ticket Office in the Memorial Center from 8:30-4:30 from Monday through Friday.

Fans unable to make the trip to Johnson City can view all the action live on ASun.TV. Live stats will also be available by clicking the link shown above.

For more information on Lady Buccaneer basketball, visit www.ETSUBucs.com.