CULLOWHEE, N.C. (Jan. 25, 2024) – The ETSU women's basketball team got back into the win column on Thursday as it downed Western Carolina, 56-47. With Thursday's victory, the Buccaneers improved to 14-5 overall and 3-1 in SoCon play.
 
The tandem of Nevaeh Brown and Journee McDaniel led the way for the Bucs on Thursday. Brown netted 18 points to go with three rebounds, while McDaniel added 15 points and eight rebounds in just 20 minutes of action. McDaniel's 15 points were just two shy of matching her season-high. Thursday marked the eighth time that the Bucs have held an opposing team under 50 points. Furthermore, ETSU matched a season-high with 17 offensive rebounds in the win.
 
Neither team found much rhythm offensively in the opening quarter. ETSU and Western Carolina combined to go 8-for-30 from the field in the first frame. The Buccaneers scored the first five points of the game before WCU got on the scoreboard. ETSU built its lead out to eight points, 14-6, after one frame.
 
Both ETSU and Western Carolina continued to jostle for momentum in the second quarter. The Catamounts got a lift from their bench as their reserves scored 10 points in the second. With the sudden burst of offense from their bench, the Catamounts trimmed ETSU's lead to seven, 27-20.
 
Western Carolina continued to battle and got within one possession of the Bucs, 30-27, with six minutes to go in the third quarter. ETSU, however, received a couple of key 3-pointers late in the frame from McDaniel to build its advantage back to eight points, 41-33, heading to the fourth.
 
The Buccaneers kept the pressure on the Catamounts in the fourth. ETSU knocked down seven of 10 free throw attempts in the quarter and reeled off an 8-0 towards the end of regulation. The Buccaneer lead grew to as many as 15 points with 57 seconds to go, 54-39, before ultimately winning the contest, 56-47. Thursday's victory is ETSU's fifth straight against the Catamounts and ninth straight in Cullowhee.
 
ETSU will continue its road swing through the Tar Heel State on Saturday when it visits UNC Greensboro. Tip-off between the Bucs and Spartans is set for 1 p.m.
 
For more information on Buccaneer women's basketball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's basketball tab.