JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Jan. 11, 2024) – The ETSU women's basketball team jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as it downed Samford by a score of 57-40 in its conference opener Thursday night at Brooks Gym. The Bucs improve to 12-4 on the season with the win and it marks the first time that ETSU has started a conference schedule 1-0 since the 2017-18 campaign.
 
Courtney Moore paced the Bucs on the score sheet on Thursday with 17 points that included four makes from beyond the arc. Moore's 17 points also matches her season-high as she also netted 17 in the season opener at Kentucky. Brecken Snotherly also had a good night with 15 points on a 7-for-11 effort from the field. Snotherly has now scored 25 points in her last two games. ETSU also was dominant on the glass against the Bulldogs out-rebounding the visitors, 47-24. The 47 rebounds, which included 16 on the offensive end, were fueled in part by a 14-rebound outing from Jakhyia Davis and seven rebounds a piece from Breanne Beatty and Journee McDaniel.
 
The Buccaneers jumped on the Bulldogs early and often to begin Thursday's action. ETSU scored the first six points of the night and went on a 17-2 run in the first six-plus minutes of the game. Snotherly and Moore were key in the early offensive outburst as they combined for 14 points on 6-for-6 shooting from the field. Overall, the Buccaneers shot 9-for-11 (81.8 percent) as a team in the opening 10 minutes. Samford did chip away at the Buccaneer lead a bit in the closing minutes of the first but ETSU still led by nine, 20-11, after the first quarter.
 
ETSU's offense cooled off a bit in the second quarter but still managed to score 16 points in the stanza. The main difference, however, between the first two frames was ETSU's defense. The Bucs held the Bulldogs to 1-for-10 from the field in the second and Samford mustered just five points total. With the defense working, the Buccaneers saw their lead grow out to 20 points heading into the break, 36-16.
 
As play began in the second half, Samford and ETSU would nearly match each other point for point in the frame. For the first time in the game, Samford outscored the Bucs in a quarter, 11-10. Thanks to the early lead built up by the Bucs though ETSU still led by 19 after three quarters, 46-27.
 
ETSU's sizable lead would continue to stand up in the fourth and final quarter. Samford outscored the Bucs for the second quarter in a row, 13-11, but ETSU finished off the 57-40 victory. ETSU improves to 3-1 in its last four games vs. Samford and 8-1 at home with Thursday's win.
 
ETSU will have a short turnaround as it will welcome Mercer to Brooks Gym for another SoCon tilt. Tip-off for that contest is set for 2 p.m.
 
To purchase season or single game tickets for ETSU women's basketball, visit ETSUTickets.com or call 423-439-3878.
 
For more information on Buccaneer women's basketball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's basketball tab.