ETSU women’s basketball played Lafayette on Nov. 11 inside Brooks Gym and came away with a victory after a final score of 51-43. ETSU moves to 1-1 on the young season. With this loss, the Leopards drop to 0-2. This was the Lady Bucs’ first home game of the season, where they finished 10-4 a year ago. The team finished last season with a record of 25-10 and is predicted to win the conference in the 2023-2024 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches poll.

Lafayette started the game hot as they knocked down their first three 3-point attempts and gained an 11-4 lead. The Bucs answered back with a 5-0 run and cut the Leopards lead down to two. At the end of the first quarter, the Bucs were down five, 11-16.

Photo of Breanna Beatty during basketball game against Lafayette. (Abby Trembeczki/East Tennessean)

ETSU had trouble finding their rhythm early in the second quarter and found themselves down eight points. They continued to battle, and two made free throws from Kendall Folley (Lebanon, Ohio) brought the Bucs within two. ETSU took advantage of Lafayette’s stagnant offense, and a triple from Folley gave the Bucs the one-point lead going into the half.

The Bucs looked to build on their one-point lead starting the third quarter, and they did just that. ETSU had a five-point lead with just over four minutes to go in the third. ETSU held Lafayette to nine points while scoring 14 of their own.

The Bucs continued to succeed on the offensive side of things while holding the Leopards to 25.0% shooting from the field in the last quarter of play. Courtney Moore (Gainesville, Fla.) led the Bucs in the fourth quarter in scoring with six.

Folley led all Bucs in scoring with 14, while Moore had 13 of her own. The Bucs defense forced 18 turnovers and had 10 steals. ETSU shot .70% from the free throw line, while Lafayette struggled, only shooting .38%.

 

 

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