Thomas, Davis stuff stat sheet in dominant team performance

EASTON, Pa. (Nov. 13, 2022) – ETSU finished its Northeast tour on Sunday with a dominant 65-45 win over Lafayette College in women’s basketball action in Easton, Pa., earning its second straight win in the process.

Lafayette (1-2) started with the lead with a three-point basket on its first possession, but ETSU (2-1) pushed past the Leopards with a 6-0 run and would never lose the lead again. The first quarter also included a 13-0 run over four and a half minutes to make it 19-4, including seven points from leading scorer Jiselle Thomas (Norwalk, Ohio) in that span.

The Bucs would also dominate the middle quarters, outscoring the home team 36-24 over 20 minutes to extend the lead. ETSU coasted the rest of the way, securing back-to-back non-conference wins for the first time since December 31, 2019.

Thomas has led ETSU in scoring for all three regular season games and the exhibition win over Mars Hill, totaling 22 points against the Leopards.

A key player in the win was also sophomore post Jakhyia Davis (Knoxville, Tenn.) with a game-high 24.0 efficiency rating, exploding for 16 points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes of action. Graduate post Jayla Ruffus-Milner (North Hills, Calif.) also had seven boards, including four on the offensive end.

Lafayette’s leading scorer was Makayla Andrews with 13 points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The Bucs shot 24-55 from the floor for 43.6 percent, while limiting Lafayette to 18-58 for 31.0 percent.

• ETSU also added six baskets behind the arc (33.3 percent) with Thomas and sophomore Courtney Moore (Gainesville, Fla.) making two each. Four others added a triple.

• Davis did not miss a single shot, going 6-6 from the floor and 4-4 at the free throw line.

• As a team, ETSU did not miss any free throws, shooting 11-11 at the line. Davis and Thomas both went 4-4, while Ruffus-Milner made her lone free throw.

• Freshman Paris McCarthy (Castleisland, Ireland) was the other player to make a free-throw but earned hers on a rare four-point play as she made a three-pointer and the and-one attempt.

• ETSU out-rebounded Lafayette 42-30 with a 29-18 advantage on the defensive side.

• Lafayette led for just 55 seconds in the first quarter, but ETSU went wire-to-wire from that point on with a lead time of 38:38 for 96.6 percent of the game.

• ETSU’s largest lead was 30 points (48-18) with 6:50 to go in the third quarter.

• ETSU had 15 assists, led by sophomore guard Kendall Folley (Lebanon, Ohio) with four.

COMING UP NEXT

The Bucs return to Brooks Gym for its next two games, starting with the home opener on Thursday, Nov. 17 against Jacksonville State at noon. The Bucs also host Morehead State on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.

For more information on Buccaneer women’s hoops, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women’s basketball page.