Bucs have five-game run end with 14-point setback in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Dec. 1, 2021) – The ETSU men’s basketball team saw its five-game win streak snapped on Wednesday night as the Buccaneers fell 70-56 to preseason Conference USA favorite UAB inside Bartow Arena.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The game was one of runs as ETSU opened the contest scoring 26 of the first 39 points before UAB ended the half on an 18-6 surge. The Blazers then rattled off the first nine to start the second half – and then with the Bucs down 51-49 – UAB used a 17-2 run to put the game away with just under two minutes to play.
• It was a tale of two halves for the Blue and Gold – who shot 46 percent (12-26) from the field and 63 percent (5-8) from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes – compared to going 26 percent (10-39) from the floor and 13 percent (2-15) from three in the second.
• In the first half, UAB was held to a 32 percent clip (11-34) and an eight percent mark from three (1-12); however, the Blazers shot 49 percent (17-35) from the field in the final 20 minutes. For the contest, the Blazers were held to 2-of-17 from beyond the arc.
• The Bucs were plus-10 on the glass, 45-35, and scored 17 second-chance points off 20 offensive rebounds.
• UAB was plus-12 in points off turnovers, 18-6, as ETSU turned the ball over 18 times and the Blazers posted 10 steals.
• After having its five-game win streak snapped, ETSU moved to 5-3 on the season, while UAB – who has won all five games in the series – improved to 6-2.

TOP PERFORMERS

• Ledarrius Brewer (Meridian, Miss.) collected his fourth career double-double after leading ETSU with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
• Mohab Yasser (Giza, Egypt) provided the Blue and Gold with eight points and six rebounds (five offensive) in 23 minutes off the bench.
• David Sloan (Louisville, Ky.) saw his run of 11 straight games scoring in double figures come to an end as he totaled eight points on 3-of-11 shooting before fouling out with 19 seconds left.
• UAB had three players finish in double figures as KJ Buffen paced the Blazers with 20 points and 16 rebounds.

POSTGAME COMMENTS 

Listen to postgame comments from head coach Desmond Oliver with Voice of the Bucs Jay Sandos. 

GAME SUMMARY

ETSU got off to a blazing start as they hit 10 of its first 17 shots and led 25-12 following a three-pointer by Ledarrius Brewer at the 9:04 mark.

Unfortunately, things cooled off as the Bucs went 2-of-8 down the stretch and the Blazers closed the final seven minutes and eighteen seconds on an 18-6 run to pull within one at the half, 32-31. Foul trouble cost the Blue and Gold in the first half as Ledarrius Brewer picked up his second with 7:18 to go, while Sloan and Vonnie Patterson (Louisville, Ky.) also had two first-half fouls.

UAB carried its surge into the second half as they scored the first nine and 18 of the first 22 points to take a 49-36 lead with 14:30 remaining in the contest. The Bucs fought back as they used a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to two, 51-49, following a lay-up by Yasser with 10:36 showing the clock.

That would be as close as ETSU got with UAB posting its final run en route to pushing its margin to 17 and eventually coming away with the 14-point win.

UP NEXT

ETSU returns to Johnson City for three straight home games beginning Saturday night against Lenoir-Rhyne at 7:30 p.m. inside Freedom Hall.

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