Saturday, November 26, 2005

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 26, 2005) - Senior forward Dillion Sneed (Chicago) scored a game-high 22 points and three other ETSU players scored in double figures as the Buccaneers took a 102-62 victory over Milligan College in exhibition hoops action Saturday afternoon at Memorial Center.

For the Bucs, who entered the game with back-to-back losses to open the season, it was an opportunity to build some confidence heading into a home stand in which the team will play three games in six days. Two of those contests - Dec. 1 against Belmont and Dec. 3 against Lipscomb - will be the team's first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference contests.

"That's one reason we put this game where it is on the schedule," said ETSU head coach Murry Bartow. "When you look at games on the road at Radford and UT, you hope for the best but you also know what could happen. That's not to say we didn't think we could win, but this game gave us a chance to get some work in and get better."

After giving up an average of 100.5 points per game in its first two contests, ETSU did regroup defensively against the Buffaloes. The Bucs held Milligan to just 62 points on 33 percent shooting from the floor (18-of-54), forcing 22 turnovers and collecting nine steals.

On the offensive end of the floor, Sneed dominated by hitting on 9-of-12 shots including 4-of-6 from the charity stripe and picking up a double-double with 10 rebounds. He was joined in double figures by freshman guard Courtney Pigram (Memphis) and sophomore forward Andrew Reed (Port Richey, Fla.) with 14 points apiece, as well as junior guard Travis Strong (Memphis) with 13 points.   

In the first half, Milligan hit on 55 percent of its shots from beyond 3-point range, but the Bucs were equally as hot from the floor and built 54-30 lead at the intermission. In the second half, ETSU remained on the attack and outscored the Buffs 48-32 for the final margin of victory at 102-62.

Along with their point production, the Bucs also got seven rebounds each from Reed and senior guard Ben Rhoda (Dayton, Ohio), while freshman guard Tayloe Taylor (Memphis) dished out a game-high eight assists. ETSU shot a blistering 62 percent from the floor for the game, including 43 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the foul line.

For the Buffs, Zach Dezarn pitched in a team-high 14 points and Adrian Harrison added 10. Milligan got a team-high seven rebounds from Jeff Barnes and six from Harrison.

ETSU returns to action Monday night against Conference USA foe Marshall. Game time is set for 7 p.m. inside Memorial Center. The MSHA Buccaneer Sports Network will take the air at 6 p.m. with the pregame show.