ETSU finds extra gear, downs The Citadel en route to SoCon semis

By Justin Mathis (@J_Math23)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Hanging on to a four-point lead over The Citadel at halftime, East Tennessee State looked for an avenue to create some separation.

 

Enter Blake Barkley.

 

The redshirt sophomore slashed through the lane with a strong finish, sparking an early 9-2 burst in the second half for the Buccaneers. That proved to be a catalyst for ETSU, as it made a double-digit lead stand up for an 83-76 victory over The Citadel.

 

Jordan McCullum threw down a two-handed jam as part of a 16-6 run over the first six minutes of the second stanza. Cam Morris III converted a three-point play before Barkley and McCullum alternated scoring opportunities during the latter part of the flurry.

 

“I thought we started the game with a ton of urgency and bite defensively,” said ETSU head coach Brooks Savage. “As the game went on there, I think we had the same urgency and intensity defensively. I think we found it again there after the half when we were able to be disruptive and turn some defense into offense. We had controlled the entire first half, but I thought our guys really responded. They had great resolve. We got punched and we punched them back. I think that was really the difference in the game.” 

 

Keynan Davis buried a pair of triples for the Bulldogs that pulled them within an eight point margin, 54-46, with 12:35 to play. Later on, Barkley buried consecutive three-pointers to extend the lead out to 15 points.

 

However, The Citadel refused to back down and presented a gritty effort. Sola Adebisi threw down a thunderous jam and buried a shot from deep, while Eze Wali knifed through for a basket. Braxton Williams and Dante Kearse each connected from behind the arc, trimming it to a 79-68 margin with 27 seconds left.

 

“I give credit to East Tennessee,” said The Citadel head coach Ed Conroy. “I thought they were prepared and I knew they would be. Coach Savage and I go back to working together at Tennessee and Tulane when he was on the staff there. When that team shoots 40 percent from three, they’re extremely hard to beat. I’m extremely proud of my guys – (we) showed a lot of fight. We keep getting better (is what) I told them in the locker room. I wish it was an 82-game season. I think every month, you’d see a different story from this team. Not only do they have high ceilings, but they have that type of character and makeup where they just keep on getting better, better, and better. It’s tough to see it end.”

 

However, the Bucs (22-10) knocked down a trio of free throws, along with a Gabe Sisk basket to secure the quarterfinal victory.

 

Barkley paved the way for the Bucs with a game-high 24 points on 10-for-11 shooting – 12 points in each half – along with six rebounds. McCullum tallied 13 points and four rebounds, followed by Brian Taylor (11 points, seven assists, two steals) and Jaylen Smith (11 points, three assists). ETSU outscored The Citadel 12-8 in points off turnovers and 26-21 in bench scoring. As a team, the Bucs were 31-for/55 from the floor, including 10-of-25 from long distance. ETSU will face the Mercer-Western Carolina winner at 4 p.m. on Sunday in the semifinal round.

 

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs still did a lot of good things throughout the season, according to Conroy. That also includes recording the most SoCon wins for the Bulldogs since the 2009-10 campaign.

 

“This is a really special group,” he reflected. “It didn’t go easy for them at first, but I think this revealed the type of character and young men they are. Life gets tough and life gets hard. It’s why I wanted to come back (to The Citadel). As an institution, it’s kind of funny, but it prepares you for the best in life and gets you a great background for that. The power of a team is why you coach because you can do things that you can’t do on your own. On the other side of adversity, there’s some really good stuff and these guys proved it again.” 

 

Three Bulldogs tallied double-digit totals, as Adebisi posted a team-high 23 points, followed by Williams with 19 points and Davis with 11. The Citadel won the battle in the paint, 42-40, and recorded 14 second chance points. The Bulldogs finish the 2025-26 season at 11-22 overall and are very upbeat about the trajectory of the program.