Snowden and Tarter lead Bucs with 16 points each

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 16, 2017) – With 12 seconds remaining on the clock, Malloree Schurr (Montgomery, Texas) inbounded the ball to Tianna Tarter (Johnson City, Tenn.) at mid-court. Tarter dribbled at the top of the three-point line before driving to the hoop through a herd of Michigan State players and tossing up a shot with one second left on the clock. The shot hit the backboard and the rim before rolling out of the hoop and ETSU would head into their first overtime game since 2014.

Inside the Numbers

• Britney Snowden (Pensacola, Fla.) and Tianna Tarter led the Bucs with 16 points each.
• Britney Snowden recorded her first double-double of the season with 16 points and ten rebounds.
• Tarter had the team high of seven steals, which now ties her with Brooke Wilhoit (2003-06) with 210 career steals.
• Alayjah Sherer (Tupelo, Miss.) scored a new career high of 15 points, including going 3-3 from the free throw line.
• The Bucs forced 24 turnovers against Michigan State and had 16 steals.
• ETSU out-rebounded the Spartans 15-6 in offensive rebounds.
• The score was tied six times and there were 11 different lead changes throughout the game.
• ETSU moves to 6-7 on the season, while Michigan State now sits at 7-3.

First Quarter

• Sadasia Tipps (Hickory, N.C.) scored the first basket of the game.
• ETSU forced Michigan State to have three turnovers in the very first minute.
• Britney Snowden scored her first three-pointer of the season to help the Bucs get a five-point lead.
• Michigan State then went on a 10-0 run to take the lead as the Bucs were scoreless for the remaining four minutes of the quarter.
• Michigan State finished with a 21-5 run to end the first quarter with a score of 24-15.

Second Quarter

• Alayjah Sherer got on a roll going on a 5-2 run for the Bucs.
• ETSU went 0-5 in field goals leading to a two-minute scoring drought.
• Sherer ended the drought with a three to tie her career high of 13 points, which put the Bucs within six.
• ETSU kept Michigan State scoreless for four minutes as the Bucs went on a 7-0 run and forced five turnovers.
• Tarter’s jumper put the Bucs within two heading into the half.

Third Quarter

• Malloree Schurr’s free throws tied the game at 36.
• Michigan State then went on a 7-0 run.
• Tarter’s 209^th career steal and layup put the Bucs within three and led to an 8-0 run as they held Michigan State scoreless.
• Snowden’s layup gave the Bucs their first lead since the beginning of the game, 44-43.
• Sherer’s free throws gave her a new career high of 15 points and helped the Bucs maintain a one-point lead.
• ETSU ended the third quarter with a three-point lead, 52-49.

Fourth Quarter

• Michigan State set the tone with a 7-0 run to take a three-point lead.
• Tarter recorded her 210^th career steal to move her into fifth place in ETSU’s career records.
• Michigan State went 4-4 in their last field goals to then take a two-point lead after back to back jumpers by Erica Haynes-Overton (Nashville, Tenn.) and Schurr.
• Points went back and forth throughout the remainder of the quarter.
• Tarter’s three-pointer put the Bucs within one and then gets fouled, makes both free throws to give the Bucs a 65-64 lead with 1:39 left in play.
• Michigan State made a jumper to put the score at 66-65.
• Snowden tied the game 66-66 with her free throw.
• With 12 seconds remaining, Tarter drove to the hoop and got a shot off within one second that rimmed out of the basket.

Overtime

• This was ETSU’s first overtime game since 2014.
• Michigan State’s free throws put them ahead by two, but Tarter’s free throws tied the game back up at 68.
• The Spartans went a 6-0 run.
• Shy Copney (Johnson City, Tenn.) cut their run in half after hitting a three-pointer, but the Spartans followed that with a three-pointer.
• The Spartans made 12 free throws in the overtime which helped secured their 83-74 win.

Next Up

The Bucs host Northern Kentucky on Friday, Dec. 22. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. inside Brooks Gym.

Post-Game Quotes from Coach Ezell

“Unbelievable effort. I thought we were going to finish it. We were gassed in the overtime and we gave up 17 points in a five-minute overtime. One-three pointer that broke our back and then they hit a bunch of free throws. That was about as physical as a ball game that I’ve seen at my time at ETSU.”

On the last shot by Tianna… “It was as close as you can get without cashing in. We set a high ball screen with Shy knowing they couldn’t hop off of a shooter and got the ball where we wanted it. Tianna got a great cross over and into the paint. Normally she finishes those. It broke my heart for her because she wanted it badly. Our kids our tough. I don’t know anyone else in our league that schedules the way we do, the way we’ve been competing. We’ve been in every game and the next step for our program is getting over the hump. I thought it was going to happen tonight. We got a win over Cincinnati under our belt. We have a win over Duquesne. We’re getting there and it’s a process. It’d be easy for me to schedule easy, but I’m not going to do it.”

On ETSU’s press… “I think our press is effective. We’re so active on the front line. It’s relentless for 40 minutes. Our press has a gradual effect as well. If you noticed, their point guard was trying to get the ball out of her hand quickly. She didn’t want it anymore. Our press wears you out and we just have to stay with it for 45 minutes. We’re doing it with nine girls and a starter out. It’s amazing what these kids are doing and I hope the people that came to the game tonight see the effort that our kids put up. We really kept fighting the whole game. They’re fun to watch. They deserve crowds like that every game. They’re fun to watch and they’re even more fun to coach.”

On the height disadvantage… “We told them that hustle beats muscle when muscle doesn’t hustle. We did the same thing we did against NC State. We out-rebounded NC State. We held Michigan State to six offensive rebounds with their size. It’s just effort rebounding and I thought our kids did a phenomenal job on the glass tonight. There’s so many good things to take away. I’m really heartbroken for our kids. I’m heartbroken for our fans that wanted that ball to go in.”

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