The ETSU women’s basketball team closed out their regular season with a 76-73 loss on Feb. 27 against Mercer. An exciting fourth quarter performance by the Bucs was not enough to put away the Bears that lead by as much as 13-points in the third quarter.
Head coach Brittney Ezell was not disappointed by the team’s effort.
“I told them after the game how proud I was of them,” Ezell said.
The team has faced several single-digit losses throughout the season. Still, Ezell has focused on keeping the team confident during the season.
“All you can do is empower and support them and my staff,” Ezell said. “We are on the verge of a breakthrough, not a breakdown.”
In the midst of a six-game skid, morale is typically low and most teams would give up, but not Coach Ezell’s squad.
“They had every reason not to play hard, every excuse,” Ezell said. “It would’ve been easy to say enough is enough. Third and fourth quarters, they showed a different kind of resolve today. I was very, very proud.”
Kelly Post (Fayetteville, North Carolina) was celebrated during pregame ceremonies. The lone senior opened the game scoring the first eight points for the Bucs. She ended the day shooting 66% from the field along with 10 points and five rebounds.
“She’s a fighter in every sense of the word,” Ezell said of Post. “Doing what she did on her senior day, all that kid has ever wanted was an opportunity, and I was very honored that she wanted that opportunity here.”
Jakhyia Davis (Knoxville, Tennessee) and Shynia Jackson (Warner Robins, Georgia) both tied with a team high of 12 points. Davis was also able to come down with 14 rebounds, making it her third double-double of the year.
Ending the regular season with a 3-15 record, the Bucs now look ahead to the Southern Conference tournament and their matchup against the top-ranked seed Samford on March 4.
“There’s nothing keeping them from putting it all on the line,” said Ezell.
