JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 13, 2024) – East Tennessee State University women's basketball used a stingy defensive performance to win its final home game of 2024, 68-45, over Radford.

5th year guard Courtney Moore led the Bucs with 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-for-5 from 3-point range. Freshman guard Carmen Richardson added 13 points, a career-high six assists and five rebounds. ETSU also notched a season high 35 points off turnovers in the contest.

The Bucs opened the contest on fire from behind the arc. Moore hit a trio of triples for ETSU's first nine points, and all five of the Bucs' makes in the opening frame were from deep. Sophomore guard Brecken Snotherly hit her first of the year and freshman guard Jaidyn Harper added another to give ETSU a 15-10 lead.

The Blue & Gold defense elevated to another level in the second quarter, forcing ten Highlander turnovers and holding Radford to a paltry 2-of-5 from the field in the ten minute period. Senior guard Kendall Folley hit the first two-point shot of the game for the Bucs with 5:10 to go in the quarter, and ETSU took a 30-15 lead into the half.

Radford kept it close in the third quarter, getting to the free throw line on multiple occasions and hitting a pair of 3-pointers, including a halfcourt buzzer beater to keep the Bucs' lead at just 46-31. 

The Highlanders hit another 3-pointer to open the fourth before Moore reentered with three fouls. She proceeded to take over the game, going on a 11-0 run over a 2:11 span by herself that included her final triple of the night and a pair of and-1's to put the game on ice for ETSU. 

The Bucs maintained the 23 point lead granted by Moore's run for the last five minutes with five from Richardson and four points from freshman guard Lucy Hood, including her first career free throw.

Next, the Bucs travel to UNC Asheville at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

For more information on Buccaneer women's basketball, follow @ETSU_WBB on X (Twitter) and Instagram, and visit ETSUBucs.com.