The ETSU men's basketball team is preparing to go on the road with games at Lipscomb and Belmont upcoming on Thursday and Saturday. The trip to Nashville is always an important part of the Atlantic Sun schedule for the Bucs but this year it may even be more so than it has been in the last few years. ETSU finds itself at 5-2 in conference play after Saturday's defeat of Florida Gulf Coast in the Mini Dome and two disappointing losses to Stetson and Mercer. If the Bucs do not build on the victory over FGCU, they could find themselves mired deep in the middle of the conference standings with league leader Campbell set to take on the Bucs in Johnson City the following Wednesday. However wins over the Bisons and Bruins could set up a showdown for a share of the league lead on the 27th with the Camels if they too can hold serve during their own trip to Nashville.
Thursday night's game with Lipscomb looks to be a challenging game for the Bucs in Nashville as Lipscomb is 6-2 in league play after a win at North Florida over the weekend giving them five wins in their last six games. The Bisons feature the Atlantic Sun's leading scorer in Adnan Hodzic, a 6-9 center that is averaging 21.5 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game. Hodzic has a stretch of forty-four consecutive games in which he has scored in double figures, the longest such streak in the nation and an Atlantic Sun record. Hodzic had mixed results against the Bucs last year scoring thirty points in their first meeting while only scoring twelve in the second outing against the Bucs last February. ETSU's defense inside will certainly be tested by Hodzic and the Bisons. To assist Isiah Brown underneath and limit foul trouble, look for Lukas Poderis and J. C. Ward to get additional minutes of playing time as they attempt to limit Hodzic's contributions to his team. In addition to Hodzic, the Bisons feature three other players averaging double figures in scoring, including Josh Slater, a 6-3 guard averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game.
The Bucs hope to continue to build on their win over Florida Gulf Coast. Tommy Hubbard led the Bucs with twenty-one points in that contest while Justin Tubbs added fifteen in the win. The Bisons should expect to see a lot of Tommy Hubbard as Coach Murry Bartow has said that he will continue to play Hubbard forty minutes per game unless foul trouble dictates otherwise. Buc fans hope that Hubbard, who has been susceptible to injuries during his career, can hold up to the demands of playing every minute of every game over an extended period of time. The Bucs also need to see others step up and contribute on a regular basis. Justin Tubbs and Micah Williams are both averaging double figures in scoring but have been inconsistent in their contributions through the season. Both of these players need to become consistent scoring threats the Bucs can look to in close games or rally around when things are not going their way. This game with the Bisons could very well be a turning point in the season. The Bucs have the chance to defeat a conference leader on the road and build momentum going forward or fall short and find themselves struggling with Belmont looming just over the horizon.
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