JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 4, 2024) – Quimari Peterson and Jaden Seymour combined to score 36 points as the ETSU men's basketball team opened the 2024-25 season with a 72-51 win over Newberry on Monday night inside Freedom Hall.
 
Peterson, who was 9-of-14 from the field, netted a game-high 19 points, while Seymour added 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Peterson also totaled six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
As a team, ETSU made 30 field goals and outrebounded the Wolves by 11, 49-38. Defensively, the Bucs forced 18 turnovers, blocked nine shots and tallied 12 steals. ETSU held Newberry to 34 percent shooting (21-62) and limited the visitors from South Carolina to 5-of-16 from beyond the arc.
 
With the win, ETSU opened the season 1-0 and have won all four meetings against Newberry. The Bucs improved to 63-41 all-time in season openers and have walked away victorious in 40 of their last 44 home openers.

 
ETSU opened the game on a 20-9 surge with Peterson accounting for half of those points in the run that lasted the first six and a half minute of the game. The lead hovered around the 10-point mark for the next four minutes before a 17-2 Buccaneer run pushed the lead to 23 (41-18) and the Blue & Gold took a 44-25 lead into halftime.
 
For the half, ETSU shot 50 percent (18-36), while Peterson and Seymour accounted for 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting. The Bucs were plus-18 in the paint, 26-8 and held Newberry to nine made field goals on 30 attempts.
 
In the second half, ETSU's lead never dipped below 17 points and the Bucs eventually built their largest lead of the night when Peterson converted on the old-fashioned three-point-play, making it 67-42 with 3:35 remaining. The Bucs emptied the bench as Jaxson Jones and Timmy Fasehun made their collegiate debuts in the closing minutes.
 
For the game, ETSU finished with 40 points in the paint and posted 20 fast-break points. The Bucs made six threes with Seymour and John Buggs III netting two each.
 
Maki Johnson came off the bench to finish with five points and five rebounds, while DJ Hughes totaled two points, six rebounds and two blocks.
 
Newberry was led by Malik Joseph's 13 points.
 
ETSU continues its homestand on Friday when the Bucs host Eastern Kentucky in the SoCon/ASUN Challenge. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. inside Freedom Hall.
 
For more information on Buccaneer men's basketball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's basketball tab.