ETSU’s men’s basketball impressed many fans this year under the guidance of Murry Bartow, winning the Southern Conference regular season and tournament championships and 27 games in his first year as coach.
The question is, just how did they do it?
“This is just an amazing team,” Bartow said. “We have amazing senior leadership in Jerald and Zakee, along with all the components you need to have a successful team.”
Amazing indeed. Jerald Fields and Zakee Wadood were both chosen to the coaches’ All Southern Conference team along with sophomore guard Tim Smith, while Bartow was chosen Coach of the Year in the conference. Wadood was also selected Player of the Year in the conference.
In addition to all the accolades, the Bucs left their mark statistically, leading the nation in steals and finishing in the top 10 in blocked shots, “Our guys just have the instincts and athletic ability to really pressure the ball,” Bartow said. Forcing turnovers and really getting after the opponent on defense was a trademark of the Buccaneers this year. “We play a really aggressive style of defense. It is our highest priority in practice,” Bartow said.
The Bucs use that up-tempo style of play to counteract one of the team’s few weaknesses – size. Outside of 6-foot-9 inch sophomore Brad Knuckles coming off the bench, this is a very small team, with no starter listed above 6 feet, 7 inches.
“We try to counter our lack of size by throwing different defensive looks at the opponent and forcing quick shots from them,” Bartow said. “On offense we push the ball up the floor trying to take advantage of our speed and quickness.”
This strategy has worked so far-keeping the Bucs’ opponents off balance. “There’s no doubt that the Bucs’ lack of size will eventually do them in,” said Chris Dortch, editor of the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. “But until that happens, they can also present problems for other teams because of their quickness.”
Despite the team’s fantastic finish, things did not start off as smoothly for the Bucs. ETSU had a couple of losses early in the year that could have really put the team on their heels.
The Bucs lost in a tough game against Bobby Knights’ 22-9 Texas Tech Red Raiders team late in November in Lubbock, but stayed close throughout the game and showed the nation what they were capable of.
Another tough loss came at the hands of the Clemson Tigers, who play in the toughest top-to-bottom conference in America, the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Buccaneers really hit their stride after that loss in Hawaii, as they ripped off 16 straight victories on their way to a 27-5 record overall and impressive 15-1 mark in the Southern Conference.
The Buccaneers played well throughout the Southern Conference tournament, winning by at least 10 points in each game of the tournament. They capped off the tournament by dominating Chattanooga 78-62 in the finals, giving ETSU a boost going into the NCAA tournament.
“The NCAA tournament is a totally different field it is going to be interesting to see the matchups,” Bartow said. “We are never over-confident but we know what we are capable of.”
This teams toughness and determination always seems to show when they need it most-just ask Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons barely escaped defeat at the hands of the Bucs in the first round of last year’s NCAA tournament. “ETSU has a bunch of players who step up at tournament time,” Dortch said. “I can promise you that the Bucs will strike fear into the heart of a coach from a higher-seeded team. No one will want to play ETSU in the first round.”
ETSU is primed and ready for a fight in the NCAA tournament. Rosalynn Carter once said, “You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.” The Bucs have both.
“Tim Smith seems to rise to the occasion,” Dortch said. “How many sophomores in the country have been chosen their conference tournament’s MVP their first two seasons? I can’t think of any others.”
Along with Wadood, Fields, Ben Rhoda, James Anthony and the rest of the gang, the Bucs can change the landscape of the NCAA tournament.
Kings of the NCAA: Ready or not, here come the Buccaneers.

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