JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 18, 2024) – Coming off a turbulent three-game road swing and a physical week of practice, the ETSU men's basketball team was ready to unleash its frustration.
 
The Buccaneers did just that and then some as ETSU blasted Elon 84-58 on Wednesday night in front of 3,177 fans inside Freedom Hall.
 
ETSU, who scored the first nine points and led 19-4 seven minutes into the contest, led wire-to-wire en route to snapping its three-game skid. With the win, ETSU improved to 7-5 overall and have won six of its first seven games inside Freedom Hall this season. Elon, a team who defeated Notre Dame and Wofford earlier this season, dropped to 7-4 and remained winless against the Blue & Gold all-time in Johnson City.
 
The Bucs were well-balanced as 10 different players scored and five players grabbed at least four rebounds. Quimari Peterson paced the Blue & Gold as he finished with 19 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. After having his streak of scoring in double figures in 19 straight games come to an end last Saturday, Jaden Seymour bounced back with 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks, while John Buggs III netted 11 points and pulled down a season-high seven rebounds. Roosevelt Wheeler accounted for nine of ETSU's 25 bench points and the Buccaneer center also totaled five rebounds.
 
As a team, ETSU shot 53 percent from the floor, assisted on 18 of its 31 made field goals and went 15-of-21 at the free throw line. The Bucs were plus-22 in the paint, 42-20, and ETSU outrebounded the Phoenix by five, 40-35. ETSU only turned the ball over seven times and blocked six shots. Defensively, the Bucs held Elon 22 points below its season average. The Phoenix shot 34 percent from the field (18-53) and 23 percent from long distance (6-26).

ETSU's strong start featured a total team effort as four Bucs accounted for their first nine points, while Maki Johnson's first triple of the night gave the Blue & Gold the 19-4 lead at the 13:08 mark of the first half. Elon threw one little jab at ETSU as the Phoenix got to within seven, but the Bucs responded with a 16-4 run to go up 42-23 following a pair of free throws by Seymour with just under three minutes left before intermission. ETSU eventually took an 18-point lead into the break, 44-26.
 
The Bucs were 16-of-28 in the opening 20 minutes, while Elon was held 7-of-25.
 
The second half was all ETSU as a lay-up by Davion Bradford 12 seconds into the frame put the Bucs up by 20, and the Blue & Gold controlled the remainder of the contest.
 
Peterson pushed the lead to 25 when Seymour found the Buccaneer point guard open for one of his two triples, making it 62-37 with 12:46 showing on the clock. The Bucs eventually led by as many as 29 at 76-47 and rolled to the 26-point non-conference win.
 
Elon was led TJ Simpkins as he scored a game-high 27 points.
 
The Bucs close out non-conference play on Saturday afternoon as ETSU makes the return trip to Kansas City to take on the Roos at 2 p.m. ET.
  
For more information on ETSU men's basketball, go to ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's basketball tab.