JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Jan. 6, 2026) - The ETSU men's basketball team hosts the VMI Keydets on Wednesday night at 7p.m. at Freedom Hall. Tickets are available at ETSUTickets.com.

MATCHUP: ETSU (10-5, 2-0) vs. VMI (6-9, 1-1)
DATE: January 7, 2025, 7:00pm
VENUE: Freedom Hall Civic Center (Johnson City, TN)
TV: ESPN+ (Keith Brake, Bruce Tranbarger)
RADIO: WXSM-AM 640 (Jay Sandos)
LIVE STATS: StatBroadcast.com
TICKETS: ETSUTickets.com
GAME SPONSOR: First Horizon

The Bucs have started 2-0 in SoCon play for just the second time in seven seasons after beating Mercer on Saturday. Brian Taylor II led the Bucs in points and rebounds with 21 and eight in the win over the Bears, hitting a career-high 10 free throws and securing the game at the stripe. Redshirt sophomore Blake Barkley had another excellent week, scoring 36 points in his first two SoCon games including 19 against the Bears. ETSU as a team leads the SoCon in scoring defense (66.5) and field goal percentage defense (40.6%) as well as steals per game (9.7).

VMI comes to Johnson City after defeating Chattanooga on Saturday in Lexington, snapping a seven game losing streak against the Mocs and snagging just their 17th win in 71 games against Chattanooga. Tan Yildizoglu scored 22 points and has hit double digit scoring in four straight. The Keydets take the sixth-most three point shots in the country (34) and are 12th in the nation in made threes per game (11.1). They have been without the services of SoCon Preseason Player of the Year Rickey Bradley Jr. for their first 15 games.

This is the 75th all-time meeting between the Bucs and Keydets in men's basketball. ETSU has a decisive 61-15 advantage in the series. They are 21-2 against VMI since rejoining the SoCon and have won 15 straight at home. VMI's last trip to Johnson City was New Year's Day of 2025, when Jaden Seymour notched the third triple double in program history in an 84-69 win.

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