JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 30, 2024) – Chalk up another 20-point win and a fourth straight victory for the Buccaneers.
 
Coming off a 20-point win at Charlotte on Wednesday, the ETSU men's basketball team returned home to close out November by taking down Austin Peay 79-57 on Saturday inside Freedom Hall.
 
In a game featuring a pair of old Ohio Valley Conference rivals, the Blue & Gold got off to a strong start and led for most of the contest en route to improving to 6-2 on the season – their best eight game start since 2019-20. ETSU, who has won all four games by double figures during this streak, now leads the all-time series 42-31. Austin Peay, a team who won at Butler and at home against Chattanooga earlier this season, dropped to 4-4.
 
ETSU used a combination of balanced scoring and solid defense to secure the 22-point win, marking the first time the Bucs have won back-to-back games against Division I teams by 20 or more points since the 2018-19 campaign. The Bucs shot 50 percent (16-32) in the second half and finished 48 percent from the field for the contest (30-63). ETSU held the Govs to a 33 percent clip (19-57) and a 27 percent mark from long distance (7-26). The Blue & Gold were plus-17 on the boards, 46-29, and plus-7 on the offensive glass, 15-8. ETSU also moved the ball with ease as they assisted on 20 of their 30 made field goals, while only turning the ball over nine times. The Buccaneer bench also produced 24 points.
 
Four Bucs scored in double figures with John Buggs III leading the way with a game-high 15 points, while Jaden Seymour and Quimari Peterson added 13 points each. Seymour notched his second double-double of the season with 11 rebounds, while Peterson flirted with a triple-double. Peterson totaled nine assists and seven rebounds. Karon Boyd was the other Buccaneer to score in double figures as he pitched in with 12 – all coming in the second half.
 
The Bucs started the game hitting on four of their first five shots to take a 9-2 lead in the opening four and a half minutes.
 
ETSU never trailed since that mini run.
 
The Blue & Gold pushed their advantage into double figures when Allen Strothers found Maki Johnson for one his two triples, giving ETSU a 17-7 lead. The Bucs led by as many as 13 in the opening half, 27-14, and took a seven-point lead into the locker room, 35-28.
 
Austin Peay had one last spurt to start the second half as they inched to within six, but then 10 unanswered by the Blue & Gold pushed the lead to 16, 51-35, thanks to Gabe Sisk finding Peterson for a fastbreak lay-up with 12:17 remaining. Four different players scored during that run with Roosevelt Wheeler starting the surge with a turnaround jumper, while Buggs and Sisk both hit open threes.
 
The Buccaneer lead hovered around the 15-point margin for the next eight-plus minutes until Peterson made one of two at the free throw line, extending it 20, 73-53 with 3:43 showing on the clock. ETSU took its largest lead in the closing seconds when Timmy Fasehun scored his first collegiate points to make it a 79-57 final.

ETSU led for the final 37 minutes and 40 seconds of the contest. 
 
Sisk led the Buccaneer bench with eight points, while Wheeler added six points and seven rebounds. Johnson finished with six points and two rebounds before fouling out with two minutes left in the contest.
 
Austin Peay was led by LJ Thomas' 15-point effort. Thomas, who came in averaging 20 points per game, went 7-of-8 at the free throw line but was held to 4-of-13 from the field.
 
ETSU hits the road for three straight games starting Tuesday when the Bucs play at James Madison. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
  
For more information on ETSU men's basketball, go to ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's basketball tab.