JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 19, 2007) - The Memorial Center has been very kind to the ETSU women's basketball team over the past two seasons, and after an early disappointing 1-2 start to the 2007-08 season a home opener could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Lady Buccaneers to get back on track Tuesday night. However, it will not be an easy test for ETSU, as the Lady Bucs tip off with longtime instate rival Chattanooga at 7 p.m.

Since the start of the 2005 campaign, the Lady Bucs have won 20 of their last 25 contests inside Memorial Center; including a current seven-game winning streak dating back to last season. During this streak, ETSU has outscored its opponents 78.0 to 58.3 and forced 192 total turnovers (27.4 per contest). The winning streak marks the longest since the 1998-99 season.

Below is a breakdown of Tuesday's match-up:

Lady Bucs Last Time Out

After hanging in with Samford for the first 20 minutes Saturday evening, the Bulldogs outscored the Lady Buccaneers by 17 in the second half, and hit a school-record 15 three-pointers en route to a 91-72 victory over ETSU in its third and final game of the Preseason WNIT from the Pete Hanna Center.

Sophomore Siarre Evans (Griffin, Ga.) posted her third consecutive double-double to start the season, finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Teammate TaRonda Wiles (Danville, Va.) tied her career high in points (14) and rebounds (5); while senior guard Kelly Turman (Atlanta) scored 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds off the bench for ETSU.

About The Opponent

Chattanooga is coming off a 65-55 victory over ACC foe Clemson Saturday night from McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Lady Mocs were led by senior Alex Anderson (2007-08 Preseason SoCon Player of the Year) who went 8-for-13 from the field and was 8-of-11 from the charity stripe, concluding the evening with a game-high 24 points. Anderson also totaled nine rebounds and five assists in the victory. Brooke Hand scored in double figures for Chattanooga, ending the game with 12 points. As a team, the Lady Mocs shot 39.7 percent (23-58) from the floor and connected on 10-of-34 (29.4%) from beyond the arc.

The Lady Mocs defeated Austin Peay, 64-50, in the regular season opener, and fell to top-ranked Tennessee, 76-56, back on Nov. 11.

Chattanooga returns all five of its starters from last season's NCAA Tournament squad, and was selected to win the SoCon Championship in 2008. The Lady Mocs had three players selected to the preseason all-conference team, as Alex Anderson, Laura Hall, and Brooke Hand each made the list. 

The Series

The Lady Mocs lead the all-time series, 48-19; however, ETSU won the most recent meeting in exciting fashion. The eight-seed Lady Buccaneers knocked off top-seed Chattanooga in the 2005 SoCon Tournament, 55-50. ETSU was led by B.J. Banjo's 18 points; while current senior Nichelle Akers netted 15, and Candace Gibson posted 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Prior to the victory, Chattanooga held a seven-game win streak in the series.

Player Watch

Siarre Evans is looking to begin the season with four consecutive double-doubles, and her 12th of career. Evans is collecting 18 points and 12 rebounds in 36.7 minutes this season, and she is the only player in the Atlantic Sun to be averaging a double-double. The Lady Buccaneer leader has led the team in points and rebounds all three times during the young campaign, and has scored double figures in 23 of her 35 games played at ETSU.

Like Evans, senior Alex Anderson is averaging a double-double for the Lady Mocs. The 6-foot-1 forward averages 19.3 points and 11 rebounds per contest this season for Chattanooga.

Broadcast Info

Fans can view the ETSU/Chattanooga game live via video streaming at the ASun.TV link located above.

A Look Ahead

The Lady Buccaneers will host Evansville Saturday, Nov. 24 at 1:30 p.m. Chattanooga heads home as they host the Panera Bread Challenge Friday, Nov. 23 and Saturday, Nov. 24. The Lady Mocs will face Murray State at 7 p.m. Friday.

Please visit www.ETSUBucs.com for more information on Lady Buccaneer basketball and all other ETSU athletic news.