WICHITA, Kan. (Dec. 7, 2024) – Jaden Seymour poured in a game-high 25 points, while four Buccaneer starters scored in double figures; however, ETSU men's basketball fell in a shootout at Wichita State, 96-87 on Saturday night inside Charles Koch Arena.
 
The Bucs couldn't overcome a first half where the Shockers netted 54 points and made eight three-pointers, taking a 17-point lead into halftime. Despite falling behind by 21 points near the midway point of the second half, ETSU was able to pull within seven points twice late in the contest but couldn't inch any closer.
 
Seymour, who was 10-of-18 from the field, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out five assists in his return to Wichita as he played the 2020-21 season in a Shocker uniform. Karon Boyd and Quimari Peterson each scored 16 points and John Buggs III added 14 on four made threes. Peterson also had five assists and pulled down four rebounds.
 
On a night where ETSU made 33 field goals and connected on a season-high 14 made threes, Wichita State made two more field goals and finished plus-10 in made free throws. The Shockers shot 55 percent (35-64) and went 17-of-21 from charity stripe. Meanwhile, the Bucs went to the line 12 times and made seven. ETSU tied a season-high with 20 assists, but the Blue & Gold were outrebounded for just the second time this season as the Shockers were plus-seven on the glass, 40-33.
 
With the setback, ETSU moved to 6-4 on the season and Wichita State won its second straight game en route to improving to 8-1.
 
The Bucs held their only lead of the night when Curt Lewis made a corner three on ETSU's opening possession, but from there, the Shockers scored 12 unanswered points to go up nine at the 15:39 mark. ETSU closed the gap twice as they pulled to within five (16-11) when Allen Strothers found Buggs open for a three, and eventually made it a four-point game following Maki Johnson's lone three-pointer, resulting in a 37-33 score with 4:32 left before the break. Unfortunately, the Shockers closed the half on a 17-4 run to take a 17-point lead into halftime, 54-37.
 
The Shockers shot 58 percent (21-36) from the field and were 8-of-14 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes. Boyd led the Bucs with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the first half.
 
Wichita State used the first nine minutes of the second half to push its lead to 21, 75-54, but like they've done all season, the Bucs didn't back down.
 
Over the next six-plus minutes, ETSU outscored the Shockers, 25-11, and the Bucs made it a seven-point game, 86-79, when Peterson fed Seymour for an alley-oop with 4:24 showing on the clock. Justin Hill answered with a driving lay-up on Wichita State's ensuing possession, but another dunk by Seymour on the Bucs' next trip down the court cut the deficit to seven with just under four minutes left to play. Again, Hill took over as he drew a shooting foul and made both free throws to push the lead back to nine. Despite the fight, the Bucs couldn't get closer, and Wichita State held on for the nine-point win.
 
ETSU scored 50 second-half points and shot 54 percent in the final 20 minutes (19-35). Seymour (18 points), Peterson (13) and Buggs (11) combined for 42 of the Buccaneer points in the second half.
 
Hill led the Shockers with 20 points, while Corey Washington finished with a double-double as he totaled 17 points and 13 rebounds.
 
ETSU wraps up its road swing at Jacksonville next Saturday at 1 p.m. inside Swisher Gym.
 
For more information on ETSU men's basketball, go to ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's basketball tab.