Thursday, March 04, 2010

MACON, Ga. - ETSU scored 51 points in the second half to knock of Campbell and head to the semifinal round of 2010 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Men’s Basketball Championship, 72-64. 

Read the Atlantic Sun Insider column associated with this game here.

 

Micah Williams led the charge for ETSU, scoring 32 points and shooting 9-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc. Tommy Hubbard scored 18 points and pulled down eight rebounds as the Bucs out-rebounded the Camels 35-23.

Campbell controlled the paint, outscoring ETSU, 34-22, in the lane but did not have one player pull down more than five rebounds. The Camels started off hot making five of its first seven and took a 25-21 point lead into halftime.

Williams scored 23 of his 31 points in the second half as ETSU shot 54-percent from the field in the final 20-minutes. Jonathan Rodriguez scored 20 for the Camels and Miles Taylor added 14 but it was not enough to overcome ETSU hot second half shooting.  

ETSU will face No. 8 Kennesaw Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Tickets to all Championship games are available at MercerBears.com.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Game Notes: No. 5 ETSU 72, No. 4 Campbell 64
CAMPBELL
* Jonathan Rodriguez closed out his career with 2,153 points (3rd in the A-Sun) , 1,066 rebounds (2nd in the A-Sun) and as the conference’s record holder for free throws made (653) and attempted (860)

* With today’s loss the Camels fall to 2-11 all-time in Atlantic Sun Championship play. They have dropped their last four A-Sun Championship games and 11 of their last 12

ETSU
* Micah Williams scored a career-high 32 points. His previous best, 22, came against both Stetson (Feb 6) and North Georgia (Dec. 10)

* Williams’ 32 points tied Tommy Hubbard’s effort in a win at Arkansas on Nov. 27 as the single-game high for ETSU.
 
* Williams becomes third Buccaneer in the last four A-Sun Championship games to top the 30-point mark. Kevin Tiggs scored 37 in their first-round win a season ago and Courtney Pigram scored 30 in a semifinal win against Belmont.

* Williams (10-for-10) and Hubbard (10-for-12) combined to shoot 20-22 from the line.

* The Bucs improve to 12-2 all-time against Campbell.

A-SUN CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES
* The Bucs advance to the semifinals for fourth straight season – the second longest active streak in the conference…Belmont has advanced to each of the last six and play tonight attempting at a seventh straight appearance.

* ETSU’s win gives lower seeds two wins in the 2010 A-Sun Championships. Two lower seeded teams had not pulled off upsets in the quarterfinal round since 2003 when No. 7 Georgia State beat No. 2 Belmont and No. 5 UCF beat No. 4 Jacksonville State.

* ETSU faces No. 8 Kennesaw State in first of Friday’s semifinal games, set for 6:30 pm on CSS. The Buccaneers swept the Owls, winning 63-46 at Kennesaw and 66-45 at home.