JOHNSON CITY, Tenn (Nov. 3, 2022) – The Coach Mock era for the women’s basketball tipped off with a dominant 87-41 exhibition win over Mars Hill inside Brooks Gym on Thursday.
The Bucs, (6-22) last season, are looking to revitalize a program that has struggled in recent years.
It was with the hiring of head coach Mock Brown over the summer that gave the Bucs a new direction for the program.
Led by graduate transfer Jiselle Thomas (Norwalk, Ohio), who added 29 points and seven rebounds, the Bucs put on a scoring clinic with four players reaching double digits in the scoring column. Guard Jayla Ruffus-Milner (North Hills, Calif) added 10 points and nine rebounds to the Bucs cause on Thursday.
The Bucs trailed early but a 36-9 run to end the first half of play gave the team a lead they would never relinquish. The third quarter saw the Bucs score 23 unanswered points to extend their already large lead.
The Bucs outscored Mars Hill 43-19 in the second half to finish with a statement win of 87-41 for the new-look Bucs.
An impressive shooting day saw the Bucs combine for a 50 percent shooting from the field; however, the team did struggle from beyond the arc, only making three of their 21 attempts.
Looking forward now, the Bucs will tip-off their regular season on the road when the team travels to Colombia, South Carolina to take on the defending national champion and No. 1-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks on Nov. 7. The game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted on the SEC Network.
For more information on the Bucs women’s basketball, visit www.etsubucs.com/wbasketball.
