ETSU secured at least a share of the Southern Conference regular season title with an 87-75 victory over UNCG in Greensboro on Saturday. Taylor led the Buccaneers with 25 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 shooting performance in the second half and scoring 16 after halftime.
With ETSU ahead 68-65 and just over five minutes left, Taylor scored the team’s next ten points. He finished a key 10-0 run with a three-pointer at the 2:24 mark, extending ETSU’s lead to 13 points—a margin they maintained until the final buzzer.
The Buccaneers improved their record to 21-8 overall and 13-3 in conference play. This marks their first share of the regular season title since 2020. The team also achieved its best shooting percentage of the season, making 60% of its field goals (33-for-55), which is their highest since February 1, 2023, against Wofford. Their current win total ranks as the eighteenth most in program history.
Alongside Taylor’s efforts, another player contributed 15 points and reached his 600th career rebound milestone. Additional contributions included one player scoring twelve points with four assists, another adding ten points off the bench along with five rebounds—tying for the team lead—and Barkley returning from injury to lead with three steals.
The Bucs have an opportunity to secure an outright SoCon title depending on other results. If Furman defeats Wofford later tonight in Spartanburg, ETSU will claim sole possession of first place. Otherwise, they can clinch outright by beating Wofford themselves on Wednesday at Freedom Hall. Tickets are available through ETSUTickets.com or by phone at (423)-439-3878.
Further information about ETSU men’s basketball can be found at ETSUBucs.com.
