CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (Dec. 12, 2025) - In a game where the Bucs struggled to find a groove on both ends of the floor, they still had a chance to win in the final seconds, but they were betrayed by the inside of the rim on what has otherwise been a reliable shot for them.
The ETSU men's basketball team fell 76-75 at Austin Peay on Friday in Clarksville. The Buccaneers (8-3) had the ball with five seconds left in the game, but a Blake Barkley hook shot from the middle of the lane popped back out, and the home team held on.
Nine first half turnovers led to 11 points for the Governors (5-5) who jumped out to an 8-0 lead and led by as many as 12 points in the first session. Cam Morris III got the Bucs within five at the free throw line at 24-19, but APSU guard Zayree Collins went on a personal 6-0 run to get the lead back to double digits. Brayden Crump cut the lead to 43-34 with a dunk at the end of the first half off an incisive pass from Jaylen Smith with 12 seconds left in the opening session.
ETSU trimmed the lead to three points 3:20 into the second half on a second chance layup by Jaylen Smith, but the Governors got it back out to nine at 55-46 on a Tate McCubbin three with 13:42 left.
Down 72-66 with 3:49 remaining, the Bucs mounted their biggest unbroken run of the game, starting with free throws from Barkley and Morris and a turnaround jumper from Brian Taylor II cut APSU's lead to one point. Maki Johnson capped the 7-0 run and gave the Bucs their only lead with a shot fake on the left wing that got his defender in the air and left him a wide-open lane to the basket for a go-ahead layup. Morris fouled Collins with 1:13 to go, ending his night with his fifth personal foul while Collins hit two free throws to set the final score.
Taylor finished as the team's leading scorer with 19 points as well as four rebounds and three assists. Barkley and Morris also reached double figures with 12 points apiece, and Barkley led the team with seven rebounds. The Governors won rebounding 37-35 and got a career-high 25 points from Collins.
ETSU turns its attention to North Carolina for a Tuesday night clash on the ACC Network. Tipoff is set for 8:00pm at the Dean Smith Center.
For more information on ETSU men's basketball, go to ETSUBucs.com.
