JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 14, 2026) – For the second time in as many weeks, Brian Taylor II has posted a career-high in vain.

Taylor's 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting weren't enough to lift ETSU past the surging Samford Bulldogs on Saturday at Freedom Hall, with the Bucs falling 82-72 in overtime.

The Buccaneers (19-8, 11-3) got off to a slow start offensively, shooting just 4-for-16 from the field and 2-for-7 on layups in the first 10 minutes before Taylor got them going with a dunk exactly halfway through the first half. Counting the dunk, ETSU scored 19 of the next 28 points to cut the Bulldogs (15-12, 8-6) lead to just one. Taylor gave ETSU the lead with a baseline jumper from the right side with 3:40 left to the break, but Samford held onto the lead into the break by the slimmest of margins at 38-37.

The Bucs retook the lead on a Taylor three 1:49 into a second half that no team led by more than four points. A Blake Barkly three-point play gave ETSU the lead at 54-53 with 9:59 to go, but Samford retook the lead at the line with 7:32 left. ETSU got the advantage back thanks to another Barkley and-one with 6:01 remaining in regulation, and the Bucs held the lead until Jadin Booth hit a three pointer with 1:08 to play to tie the game at 68. The Bucs got the final possession with 15 seconds left, but Taylor was unable to convert one-on-one and had the ball forcefully stripped away as the final seconds ticked off the clock and the game went to overtime. Samford scored the first 11 points of the extra session, including seven straight at the line, to land their fifth straight win and snap ETSU's four-game winning streak.

Taylor finished with a career-high 28, with Barkley and Cam Morris III supporting with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Morris led the team with eight rebounds, and Morris and Allen Strothers had three assists, with Strothers moving to 299 for his career. ETSU was out-rebounded 38-34 while shooting 41% from the field, 25% from three (5-for-20), and 77% (17-for-22) from the free throw line. The Bulldogs shot 41.5% (22-for-53) from the floor, 29% from three, and 77.5% (31-for-40) on free throws. The Bulldogs outscored ETSU on second chance points (14-10), points off turnovers (16-9), and fast break points (21-10).

The Bucs remain the outright leader in the SoCon by 1.5 games with Wofford's result for round 14 of SoCon action pending at press time. The Bucs will host the Terriers on Wednesday, February 25, at 7 p.m. at Freedom Hall. Their next game is at Furman on Wednesday, February 18, at 6:30 p.m.

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