Despite leading by as many as 23 and never trailing except during the early minutes of the game, the Bucs needed some clutch free-throw shooting to finally close the door on VMI.
Dimeco Childress, Ryan Lawson and Zakee Wadood went a combined 11-12 from the free-throw line in the final two minutes enabling the Bucs to keep their winning streak at home intact, defeating VMI, 101-90, on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Center.
It was the seventh consecutive victory at home this season and 17th overall dating back to last season, including games played at Freedom Hall and Brooks Gym.
“Our kids like playing at home and enjoy playing here,” said head coach Ed DeChellis. “Our kids feel very comfortable and confident (playing at home).”
Coming off two consecutive losses in Charleston, in which the Bucs went into the half with the lead, the Bucs once again held the advantage at the break, leading by 14 at 50-36.
The Bucs used a 12-0 run in the middle of the first half to distance themselves from the Keydets and at the start of the second half the Bucs saw their lead grow to 23 after a basket by Wadood from a Childress pass.
But the Keydets would not go quietly.
VMI’s Radee Skipworth scored 13 straight points, getting his team within 16, but the Keydets did not stop there.
“It’s been a reoccurring thing, we need to focus on coming out in the second half with the same intensity as the first half,” said Tiras Wade, who was one of five Buccaneers in double figures in scoring with 13 points.
“We need to put all the pieces of the puzzle together and not take a break or get comfortable with a lead.”
VMI then went on an 11-0 run to get within five points, the closest the game had been since it was 15-12 in the early minutes of the game.
“It’s hard to be in our position, being up by 20 and having to come out with the same intensity and get that energy and emotion back,” DeChellis said.
The Keydets’ run was sparked by Jason Conley, who scored six points during VMI’s spurt after being held to 13 in the first half. Conley currently leads the nation in scoring with a 28.4 average.
“He’s a good athlete and he can shoot,” Childress said of Conley, who finished with a game high 29 points. “We wanted to know where he was at all the time and we had to make him take tough shots.”
VMI’s run was finally ended by a basket by Wadood as the Bucs built their lead back up to 11 points after a three-pointer by Childress. VMI, however, answered right back with back-to-back threes by Conley and Daron Pressley to cut the lead back down to five at 84-79.
Two baskets by Wade put the Bucs back up by nine as VMI once again closed within six at 90-84 with 1:45 to go on two free throws by Conley. That, however, would be as close as the Keydets would get the rest of the way.
Childress (5-6), Lawson (4-4) and Wadood (2-2) all made their free throws down the stretch to secure the 11-point win for ETSU.
“Hopefully this win will give us momentum with some big games on the road (coming up),” said Childress, who led the Bucs with 22 points and also grabbed four rebounds and dished out two assists.
Wadood (18), Jerald Fields (13) and Lawson (13) joined Wade and Childress in double figures in the scoring column. Wade and Shannon Huffstetler each grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
Conley led VMI with 29 points on 10 of 17 shooting from the floor and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Skipworth also surpassed the 20-point mark with 25 points.
The Bucs will play their next two games on the road, facing UNC-Greensboro on Monday at 7:30 p.m., and Davidson on Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.
“We need to win on the road and we have to take care of our home floor,” DeChellis said.

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