Game #16 - ETSU Bucs

Who: ETSU Bucs

Where: Freedom Hall, Johnson City
When: Wednesday, January 10, 2023
Time: 7 pm

Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV/Video: ESPN+ / Nexstar 
Live Stats: Live Stats
Enrollment: 13,483

Nickname: Buccaneers
Colors: Navy Blue and Gold 

Head Coach: Brooks Savage was named ETSU men's basketball head coach on March 20, 2023. Savage, the 19th head coach in program history, served as an ETSU assistant coach during its historic run from 2015-2020.

Savage's Record at ETSU:  8-6 (First Season)

Savage's Record vs. WCU: 0-0

Gray's Record vs. ETSU:  4-1

ETSU Current Record: 9-6 overall, 6-0 home, 2-6 away, 1-0 neutral, 1-1 conference.
ETSU Last Season's Record: 12-29 overall, 7-9 home, 4-9 away, 1-3 neutral, 8-10 conference.

The Series: Western owns a 28-58 overall record versus the Bucs. In conference games, the Cats are 19-48 and are 4-6 in the last 10 games played, however, the Cats are on a four game win streak against the Bucs that broke a 13 game slide against the ETSU.  Western is 8-31 overall vs. ETSU in games played in Johnson City.

The Bucs were picked to finish in seventh place in preseason polls by both the coaches and media. ETSU comes into this game having beat Mercer and losing to UNCG last Saturday.  ETSU has won six of its last eight games and is holding opponents to 64 points, 37% percent from the field and 25% from beyond the arc during this run . 

After losing three starters and eight players from last year's team, head coach Brooks Savage brought in 11 new guys for the 2023-24 season, seven of the new Bucs are transfers:  Ebby Asamoah (Delaware), Karon Boyd (USC Aiken), DJ Hughes (Butler), Jadyn Parker (North Florida), Quimari Peterson (John A. Logan), Tyler Rice (William & Mary) and Timmy Fasehun (Gulf Coast State College). Four of the new Bucs are true freshmen: Maki Johnson, Gabe Sisk, Jaxson Jones, and David Meriwether.

The Bucs return four players from last year's roster who logged minutes, including starters Jaden Seymour and Allen Strothers, along with Justice Smith and Braden Ilic.  Overall, ETSU only returns 29% of its scoring, 37% of its rebounding and 38% of its minutes played in 2022-23.  Seymour totaled 253 points, 218 rebounds, Smith posted 237 points, 111 rebounds, while Allen Strothers recorded 109 points, 51 rebounds and Braden Ilic added for 46 points, 33 rebounds.