The men’s basketball team prevailed over Chattanooga inside an electrically charged Freedom Hall Civic Center crowd, at the final score of 75-64. ETSU improves to a highly respectable 18-3 overall record, while Chattanooga’s record falls t0 13-8 overall.
Junior Guard Bo Hodges (Nashville, Tennessee) led the Buccaneers with authority out of the starting gate, quickly compiling 19 points and an assist by the conclusion of the first period, where ETSU would lead at halftime 34-26.
In addition to his high powered offensive display, Hodges was out to prove he could produce turnovers for his team, as well. He would finish with five steals to compliment his explosive 27 point performance.
“I love playing defense,” said Hodges after the game. “Wherever the ball is, that’s where I’m going to try to be.”
With 14 minutes remaining in the second period, the Buccaneers were boasting a 54-29 lead, but Chattanooga was not letting the game slip away from them. They managed to put together a 10-minute offensive run that brought the point differential all the way back to 9, with four minutes to go in the game.
“We had to finish the game, and part of it was we needed to get some stops, [but] we weren’t doing that,” said head coach Steve Forbes. “Time was on our side, and so we had to burn some clock, not take quick shots.”
The Buccaneers would hang on for their fifth straight victory at the score of 75-64, much to the delight of a loud, energized Freedom Hall Civic Center with a total of attendance of 6,086.
The Bucs will next host Mercer (9-11 overall) on Jan. 29 in Freedom Hall, at 7:30 p.m., followed by UNC Greensboro Spartans (15-5 overall) on Feb. 1 at 4 p.m.
