The ETSU women’s basketball team will get one tuneup before its season opener when the Lady Buccaneers take on University of the Cumberlands Monday night in an exhibition affair. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside Memorial Center.
The Lady Bucs are coming off their most historic season in program history, as ETSU won both the Atlantic Sun regular and postseason titles – resulting in its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. ETSU posted a program-tying 21-win campaign, and set the school record for most points (2,478) and rebounds (1,360) in 2007-08.
Head coach Karen Kemp’s (2008 A-Sun Coach of the Year) club returns 60 percent of that scoring and 59 percent of the rebounding, as well as ETSU’s leading scorer in junior Siarre Evans (Griffin, Ga.).
The University of the Cumberlands enters the season ranked 21st in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division I Women’s Basketball Top 25 Coaches Preseason Poll.
Cumberlands averaged 76 points per game a year ago and forced its opponents to turn the ball over 23 times per contest.
The Patriots will be led by junior guard Amber Neace. The Patriots were defeated 78-65 by Trevecca Nazarene on Friday in Nashville.
Live stats of Monday’s game will be provided by clicking the above link, or by visiting http://www.etsubucs.com/livestats/wbball/xlive.htm.
Home Court Advantage
The Lady Bucs have won 29 of their last 37 home games; including 23 of their last 27 conference home contents.
ETSU carries a six-game home winning streak into the 2008-09 season . throughout that six-game win streak, the Lady Buccaneers defeated the opposition by over 23 points (81.5 to 58.3) and forced the opponents into 24 turnovers as well.
Kemp Eyeing 200
Kemp enters the 2008-09 season in search of an important milestone.
Kemp is currently six wins shy of reaching the 200-win mark . over the last three seasons Kemp has posted 59 victories and the Lady Bucs are in search of their first-ever fourth consecutive winning season. Kemp currently has posted a program-best 194 victories in her career.

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