JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 18, 2020) – The ETSU men’s basketball team wraps up its four-game homestand Saturday afternoon when the Bucs host Lee University. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. inside Freedom Hall. 

HOW TO FOLLOW THE BUCS

Fans can follow all of the action live on WXSM-AM 640 The Extreme Sports Monster as “Voice of the Bucs” Jay Sandos will provide the radio call, beginning with the Atmos Energy Pregame Show at 3:30 p.m. on the Buccaneer Sports Network. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE AUDIO 

Saturday’s game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Mike Gallagher and Bruce Tranbarger on the call; CLICK HERE FOR LIVE VIDEO 

Live stats will also be provided via StatBroadcast… Fans can access live stats on their computers or mobile devices by clicking here 

Follow Buccaneer basketball on Twitter @ETSU_MBB and on Instagram @etsubasketball 

ETSU SUSPENDS ATTENDANCE AT ATHLETIC EVENTS THROUGH DEC. 27

Following consultation with local health care experts and elected officials, East Tennessee State University President Dr. Brian Noland has announced that no spectators will be allowed at ETSU athletic events, including those hosted at the University School, effective through Dec. 27. At that time, ETSU will evaluate regional data respective to the COVID-19 pandemic in making a decision about future events. 

ABOUT THE BUCS

ETSU (3-3) moved to .500 for the first time this season following its 96-54 win over Columbia International on Thursday night inside Freedom Hall. Four Bucs scored in double figures on Thursday night, including Ledarrius Brewer (Meridian, Miss.) adding a game-high 19 points.

The Bucs led wire-to-wire in Thursday’s win over the Rams where ETSU set season highs in points, ETSU also registered season bests in field goals made (37), field goal percentage (58.7), three-pointers made (11), three-point field goal percentage (47.8) and assists (20). 

ETSU has won 66 straight game over Non-Division I teams… The Bucs are outscoring them by 35.2 points (96.4-61.2) …  ETSU’s last loss to a non-DI team was Jan 13, 1988 to Augusta College, 70-62. 

The Bucs have won their last 16 games against teams from the Volunteer state with an average win margin of 23 points per game ... ETSU’s last loss vs. an in-state team was on Dec. 22, 2016 vs Tennessee (72-68). 

Since the start of the 2015-16 season, ETSU’s 133 victories are the most by any Division I team in the state, including Belmont (126), Tennessee (108), Memphis (107), Lipscomb (103), MTSU (102), Chattanooga (97), Austin Peay (95), Tennessee State (79), UT-Martin (75), Vanderbilt (72) and Tennessee Tech (67). 

Ledarrius Brewer has scored in double figures  in each of his first six games to start the season … Brewer is averaging a team-best 16.2 points per game, which ranks ninth among SoCon players … This is the third time in Brewer’s career that he has enjoyed at least a six-game stretch where he has scored in double figures … Brewer had a run of nine consecutive games from Dec. 28, 2017 – Jan. 25, 2018 and he also had stretch of 15 straight games from the end of his 2017-18 season to the start of the 2018-19 campaign – both coming when he was at SEMO. 

The Brewer brothers have been consistent at the free throw line as Ty has made 15 of his 17 attempts (88.2%), which ranks second in the SoCon, while Ledarrius is tied for 10th at 75 percent (15-20). 

ABOUT THE FLAMES

Lee opened its season last Saturday with 79-66 loss at West Florida. 

The Flames were scheduled to host Valdosta State on Saturday but the game was postponed due to COVID concerns in the Valdosta State program.

Lee, who went 22-7 last season and secured a berth to the D-II NCAA Tournament before it was cancelled, was picked to finish second in the East Division of the Gulf South Conference Preseason Poll. 

Junior forward Quay Kennedy earned preseason all-conference honors after averaging 13.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 2019-20 … Kennedy led the Flames with 15 points in their season opener, while Michael McGuirk added a double-double (13 points/10 rebounds).

The last time the Flames played a D-I opponent it was also a Southern Conference foe in UT-Chattanooga. The Flames battled the Mocs to the wire before falling, 62-60 in an exhibition game on Nov. 1, 2018.

SERIES HISTORY

This will mark the first ever meeting between ETSU and Lee.

UP NEXT

The Bucs conclude non-conference play Tuesday night when ETSU heads to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama.

For more information on Buccaneer men’s basketball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s basketball tab.