Scoring 61 first-half points, the Bucs early offensive barrage was simply too much for NAIA Division II opponent Milligan College, as the Buccaneers rolled to a 103-55 trouncing of the Buffaloes Saturday afternoon inside the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center.With the win, the Bucs improved to 2-2 on the year as they prepare for an eight-game road trip that will take them away from Johnson City for more than a month.

“This was one on paper that we are supposed to win,” said ETSU head coach Murry Bartow.

“I saw a lot of good things out there and we needed this one as we get ready for a really tough stretch on the road. Our guys know the next few weeks are going to be a challenge.”

The Bucs got a double-double effort from junior Curtis Wilkinson, as the 6-foot-8 forward finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Meanwhile, senior guard Micah Williams had a team-high 17 points to go along with four steals, while junior forward Isiah Brown netted 16, senior guard Mike Smith pitched in 13, and senior guard Justin Tubbs added 11.

Junior Adam Sollazzo also had a strong night at the point, dishing out 10 assists.

As a team, the Bucs enjoyed some efficiency on the offensive end that resulted in 25 assists on 38 made baskets.

In the first half, the Bucs never let the Buffs even think about an upset.

Hitting on 69 percent of their shots from the floor, 50 percent from 3-point range, and 79 percent from the foul line, ETSU built an early 10-2 lead and never looked back.

In all, the first half ended with Milligan giving up eight turnovers on five ETSU steals, and the Buffs shot just 23 percent from the floor – 18 percent from 3-point range.

The second half was a little better for the Buffs, as they were only outscored 42-38. However, at that point the Bucs were simply on cruise control.

Milligan got a game-high 18 points from Hudson Fricke.

As a team, the Bucs finished shooting 61 percent from the floor, 47 percent from 3-point range and 70 percent from the line. They outrebounded the Buffs 41-31, and held Milligan to just 30 percent shooting from the floor.

In the paint, ETSU outscored Milligan 54-14, and enjoyed a 40-21 edge in bench scoring.

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