LEXINGTON, Va. (Jan. 24, 2024) – Jadyn Parker and Jaden Seymour both registered double-doubles, while Parker blocked VMI's attempt at a driving lay-up in the closing seconds to help secure ETSU men's basketball a 74-73 road win at VMI on Wednesday night inside Cameron Hall.  
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• ETSU snapped its five-game losing streak and improved to 10-10 overall and 2-5 in SoCon play. The Bucs have won 16 of the last 17 meetings over the Keydets, while seven of the last 11 games in the series have been decided by four points or less. With the loss, VMI – who was coming off a home win over rival The Citadel on Saturday – dipped to 4-16, 1-6. 
• The Blue & Gold dominated VMI on the glass as ETSU finished plus-18 on the boards, 47-29, while outscoring the Keydets 16-0 in second-chance points. The Bucs grabbed 18 offensive rebounds to VMI's six. 
• ETSU was plus-16 in the paint, 42-26, while the Bucs assisted on 15 of their 29 made field goals. 
• The Bucs shot 42 percent from the floor (29-69) and went 8-of-27 from three-point range, compared to VMI shooting 44 percent (24-55) and going 9-of-17 from beyond the arc. The Keydets went to the free throw line 10 more times than the Bucs and finished 16-of-22, while ETSU was 8-of-12. 
• ETSU led for over 34 minutes of the contest and the game saw seven lead changes and six ties. 

TOP PERFORMERS 

• Parker and Seymour combined for 35 points, 21 rebounds and six blocks as the Buccaneer duo both notched their sixth career double-doubles. Seymour scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half and corralled 11 rebounds, while Parker netted 13, pulled down 10 and blocked four shots. 
• Ebby Asamoah ignited the Blue & Gold in the final 20 minutes as he scored 10 of his 16 in the second half and finished with four of ETSU's eight triples. 
• Gabe Sisk accounted for seven of ETSU's 10 bench points and he also grabbed three rebounds. 
• Allen Strothers posted seven points, three rebounds and five assists. 
• VMI's Brennan Watkins scored a team-high 21 points and had his game-winning attempt of a driving lay-up blocked by Parker with 1.1 seconds remaining.  Taeshaud Jackson finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds. 

GAME SUMMARY 
The entire contest was a game of runs as ETSU jumped out to a 22-11 lead in the opening six minutes, but a cold stretch settled in and the Bucs saw VMI charge back. ETSU was held to four points over the next 10 minutes and VMI used a 12-4 run to pull within three, 26-23. Asamoah's first triple of the night snapped the Keydet surge, but with the Bucs ahead 29-23 with 4:14 remaining in the half, VMI rattled off seven straight points to regain a one-point lead, 30-29 at the 2:05 mark. ETSU finished the half scoring six of the final seven points and led 35-31 at the break. 
 
The second half mirrored much of the first as ETSU had momentum in the early stages thanks to a 10-0 run, making it a 47-36 score following a three-point-play by Seymour with 16:57 remaining. 
 
The lead quickly evaporated as the Keydets threw a 12-0 run at the Bucs and went back ahead, 48-47 when Watkins sank a triple with 13:42 showing on the clock. 
 
Over the next five minutes ETSU took control and saw its lead grow to nine, 65-56, as Parker finished the old-fashioned three-point-play following a lay-up and foul with 8:38 to go in the contest. 
 
Just when the Bucs thought things were comfortable, VMI used another 10-0 run to go up 66-65 with just under seven minutes remaining. 
 
Thankfully the Blue & Gold didn't trail for long as Seymour made a lay-up on ETSU's ensuing possession to regain a one-point lead, which the Bucs never relinquished in the final six minutes and twenty seconds. 
 
ETSU led by four points twice in the final four minutes, but the Bucs were held scoreless for the last 2:17, giving VMI one last opportunity to rally back. The Keydets pulled within one after a three by Watkins made it 74-73 with 37 seconds left – and after VMI got a stop on the defensive end – the hosts had a final possession to win it. 
 
With 8.5 remaining, Watkins went the length of the floor and had a look at a game-winning lay-up before Parker regrouped and blocked his shot. The ball landed out of bounds and VMI's inbounds attempt with 1.1 seconds left was deflected away and ETSU held on for the road win. 
 
UP NEXT
ETSU heads home to take on SoCon-leading Samford Saturday at 4 p.m. inside Freedom Hall. 
  
For more information on ETSU men's basketball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's basketball tab.