Kentucky proves to be too much for ETSU in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

The ETSU Men’s Basketball season came to an end last night in New Orleans as the Wildcats of Kentucky proved to be more than the Bucs could handle. UK’s Eric Bledsoe helped to lead the dismantling of the Bucs by scoring 29 points in the win and setting a new school NCAA Tournament record with his eight made three pointers. Bledsoe started the game eight for eight from three point range before missing his final three point attempt of the night. Bledsoe finished the game nine of eleven from the field as a whole. Patrick Patterson added twenty-two points and freshman sensation John Wall contributed seventeen points and eleven assists in the 100-71 victory.

The Bucs however were not without bright spots. Micah Williams lead the way for ETSU contributing nineteen points on seven of twelve shooting from the field and showing a range of ways to score. Justin Tubbs was able to add fifteen points for ETSU while only managing to shoot four of fourteen from the field and two of eight from three point range. Adam Sollazzo and Isiah Brown added fourteen and eleven points respectively in the losing effort. All of Sollazzo’s points came in the second half. The Bucs as a team were however only able to manage a field goal percentage of 35.9% for the game while also shooting a paltry 56.8% from the free throw line during the game including going two of eleven from the line in the first half.

Kentucky’s unexpected proficiency from three point range was the biggest surprise for ETSU. Coming into the game the Bucs had hoped the Wildcat guards would continue their less than spectacular long range shooting while they focused their attention on the likes of Patrick Patterson and Demarcus Cousins inside. ETSU to their credit was able to limit Cousins to only five points on the night but Patterson was able to connect on nine of ten shooting from the field including a number of dunks on the way to his twenty-two points. Kentucky’s ability to make the three point shot was certainly a factor in the game but the largest difference in the game was the disparity in size and athleticism between the two teams. ETSU was just simply outmanned by the larger, stronger and more athletic Wildcat team.

Despite their showing in Thursday night’s game, ETSU fans have good reason to begin looking forward to next season as the Bucs will be returning all but starting point guard Jocolby Davis and hope to again have the services of Mike Smith a thousand point scorer, who missed the majority of this season with an injury. The Bucs figure to yet again be in the hunt for another Atlantic Sun Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance during the 2010-2011 season.