While preparing for the eventual Thanksgiving break, the ETSU men’s basketball team had some cleaning up to do in a two game homestead against USC Upstate and Queen’s University. On Nov. 22 the Men’s squad would enter Freedom Hall to entertain the home crowd with an 87-76 win over the USC Upstate Spartans. The Bucs entered the game with a 3-2 record, while attempting to improve from a loss against former conference foe, The Davidson Wildcats a week earlier. Taking on the Spartans would quickly prove to be a difficult task, as the Bucs were outscored 42-39 at the half. Despite the lackluster start, the Bucs would shift into overdrive, outscoring the Spartans 48-34 to cap off the victory.
Alongside the much-needed rebound victory, standout senior forward Jaden Seymour (Charlotte, N.C.) had a career night. Officially crossing the 1,000 points threshold. Seymour’s accomplishment enshrines him into Buccaneer fame, becoming just the 43rd player in the 100-year history of Buccaneer hoops to accomplish the statistic.
With just a two-day resting period, the red-hot Buccaneers would return to the home court on Nov. 24 to take on the then 3-4 Queen’s University (N.C.) Knights. Much like the last, the Bucs squad would start off slowly, outscoring the Knights 37-35 at the halftime break. However, the second half would prove to be a major success for the home team. Outpacing the Knights 45-32, all five Buccaneer starters would see great double-digit scoring opportunities. Senior Guard, Quimari Peterson (Gary, Ind.) would lead the Bucs with 22 points in 36 minutes of on-court action. Senior Forward, Karon Boyd (Concord, N.C.) would also rack in 20 points of his own, alongside Jaden Seymour who would take in 13 points and one three pointers in the large win against Queens.
With two, much-needed victories, the Buccaneers moved forward, defeating the Charlotte 49er’s and Austin Peay Governors on Nov. 27 and 30. With an upcoming three game road stretch against the likes of James Madison, Wichita State and Jacksonville, the Bucs will most definitely be in for a challenge, with optimism for victory.
