MACON, Ga. (Feb. 8, 2024) – The ETSU women's basketball team battled but ultimately fell in a road matchup at Mercer on Thursday night, 65-57. With the loss, the Buccaneers move to 15-7 overall and 4-4 in SoCon play.
 
Nevaeh Brown led the Bucs in scoring for the third straight game and 11^th time this season on Thursday netting 19 points with seven rebounds. Meghan Downing also finished the night in double figures with a career-high 12 points on an efficient 6-for-9 shooting effort from the field.
 
Neither team was able to build much of an advantage in the opening 10 minutes. The lead changed hands six times and no lead grew to more than four points. Mercer relied heavily on points in the paint (10 points) and used that production near the basket to build a two-point lead, 14-12, after one quarter of play.
 
The second quarter was a back-and-forth one. Each team had 8-0 runs in the second but also had stretches of two-plus minutes of not scoring. The Bears reeled off a 4-for-4 shooting run from the field to close out the first half to hold onto a 33-32 lead at the break.
 
ETSU and Mercer continued to trade turns with the lead. A layup from Downing with a little under four minutes to go in the third quarter gave ETSU a 45-43 lead. Good defense by both teams kept the score there until Mercer laid it in with one second left to tie the score at 45 heading to the final quarter.
 
With the score tied yet again, Mercer and ETSU traded makes to begin the fourth quarter. A layup from Kendall Folley gave the Bucs the lead, 49-47, with 5:53 to go in regulation. Following Folley's make, the Bears sparked a 7-0 run to suddenly pull in front of the Bucs by five, 54-49. Brown got the Bucs back within two points with a little over two minutes to go. However, that's as close as the Bucs would get as Mercer made some key field goals and free throws to finish off the 65-57 win.
 
The Bucs will have a short turn around as they will have another road game at Samford on Saturday. Tip-off for Saturday's game is set for 3 p.m.
 
For more information on Buccaneer women's basketball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's basketball tab.