JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 28, 2005) - Senior forward Brad Nuckles (Council, Va.) and sophomore guard Dante Williams scored 18 points apiece to lead the Gold team to an 86-72 win over the Blue team during the Buccaneers' annual Blue/Gold Scrimmage game Saturday at Memorial Center.

Nuckles and Williams were joined in double figures by Gold teammates Andrew Reed (Port Richey, Fla.) and freshman guard Mike Smith (Vandalia, Mo.), who scored 17 and 15 points, respectively. The Gold squad shot 46 percent from the floor (30-of-66), including a 95 percent clip from the free throw line (20-21), while dishing out 18 assists.

"I thought the Gold team did some good things, and they definitely looked more together as a team," said ETSU head coach Murry Bartow. "They defended and rebounded better, which is what we want this year."  

The Gold team pulled out to a 44-36 lead in the first half - and despite a minor rally by the Blue squad midway through the second half - were never really challenged in the game.

For the Blue squad, sophomore guard Courtney Pigram (Memphis) scored a game-high 19 points, but hit on only 7-of-22 shots. Meanwhile, freshman forward Blake Mishler (Metamora, Ill.) netted 14 points, sophomore guard Tayloe Taylor (Memphis) added 12, and senior forward Eryk Thomas (Fremont, Calif.) provided 11.

Freshman forward Petras Balocka (Vilnius, Lithuania) led all players with 12 rebounds, while Nuckles grabbed nine boards. Nuckles and freshman guard Dequan Twilley (Shelbyville, Tenn.) also had a game-high four assists each. Twilley and Pigram both finished with a game-high four steals.

The Bucs will return to preseason practice and will play their only exhibition of the season next Saturday at home against Mars Hill. Game time is set for 4 p.m. inside Memorial Center.