JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 7, 2025) - The ETSU men's basketball team defeated Tusculum 78-62 on Sunday at Freedom Hall behind a career-high 15 points from Brayden Crump and 13 from Isaiah Sutherland in his first career double-figure scoring game. 

Playing without Blake Barkley and Cam Morris III, the Buccaneers (8-2) built a double-digit lead in the first half on the back of a 15-0 run featuring steady production from Brian Taylor II to stretch a three-point lead to an 18-point lead with 1:47 left in the first half. The knockout punch came in the second half when Sutherland and Jordan McCullum combined for all 14 ETSU points after the Pioneers (4-4) cut the deficit from 12 points to four out of halftime. McCullum scored eight of his 12 points in the run while Sutherland contributed six. That surge was part of a larger 27-6 run spanning 6:58 of game time in the second half that put the game comfortably in ETSU's hands. 

In addition to Crump and Sutherland, McCullum scored 12 points and led the team with seven rebounds while Taylor bounced back from his first single digit scoring effort of the season on Friday with 11 points against the Pioneers. Allen Strothers led the Bucs with five assists while Maki Johnson had four. 

As a team, ETSU shot just under 48% from the field and won the glass 43-40. Tusculum had 19 offensive rebounds on 49 opportunities but finished with just two more second chance points than the Bucs, 15-13. ETSU turned the Pioneers over 16 times for 20 points and won points in the paint 38-20. The Buccaneers have won 11 straight games at home dating back to last season and are 7-0 at home this season with an average margin of victory of 26 points. 

ETSU plays the front end of a two-game road swing on Friday at Austin Peay at 8:00pm Eastern in Clarksville. 

For more information on ETSU men's basketball, go to ETSUBucs.com.