JOHNSON CITY, TN — UVA Wise lost to ETSU 75-55 on Sunday at Freedom Hall in a game that is an exhibition contest for the Highland Cavaliers but counts for the Buccaneers. The Cavs were outscored 26-15 in the first quarter and finished with 24 points in the paint and 24 points from their bench.
With the win, ETSU improves to 2-1 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After ETSU scored the first five points, Abigail Jordan got the Cavs started with a jumper at 8:23 and later added a free throw, but the Bucs led 9-3 after Sydney-James Desroches' jumper at 6:32.
Mia Nienaber supplied the Cavaliers' next eight points on four layups from 6:15 to 2:39, while ETSU answered in between with a Desroches 3-pointer, a SaBreya Monsanto layup, two Desroches free throws and a Desroches tip-in to hold an 18-11 advantage after Nienaber's transition basket. In the closing minutes, Emmah McAmis made two free throws and a jumper around an
Alissa Cheek free throw before
Emilea Preece hit a 3-pointer off Cheek's assist to make it 22-15 at 1:19, but McAmis added a layup and Monsanto tipped in a miss in the final second to give ETSU a 26-15 lead at the end of the quarter.
ETSU opened the second quarter with inside baskets from Carleyssia Wallace and Anala Nelson, but the Highland Cavaliers worked back as
Jalie Ruehling hit a 3-pointer, Gabrielle Crawley scored inside and
Kyndra West added a jumper and a 3-pointer to make it 33-25 at 6:17. Sydney-James Desroches answered with a 3-pointer for the Bucs, and after Crawley came up with a steal,
Grace Vyborny made two free throws to bring the Cavs to 36-27 at 4:11. ETSU stretched the margin again with layups from Lucia France and Alanna Tatum, and after Abigail Jordan scored off an
Alissa Cheek assist, Lucy Hood hit a 3-pointer at 1:17 to send ETSU into halftime ahead 43-29.
Grace Vyborny scored inside off an
Alissa Cheek assist at 9:07, but ETSU followed with Emmah McAmis' 3-pointer and later got a 3 and two jumpers from Sydney-James Desroches while
Ella Karst and Vyborny kept the Cavaliers moving on the offensive end.
Jalie Ruehling's putback at 5:41 made it 53-37, and the quarter slowed through a stretch of turnovers and missed shots before Lucia France added two free throws for ETSU at 2:27. Karst scored on consecutive possessions to move the Highland Cavaliers to 41-55, but Daniela López answered with a 3-pointer for ETSU at 1:27. Vyborny added another layup late, McAmis hit a 3-pointer at :18, and Cheek's 3-pointer at the horn closed the quarter with the Cavs trailing 61-46.
Emilea Preece put the Cavaliers on the board with a layup at 9:08 to make it 61-48, but Daniela López scored inside and Emmah McAmis hit a 3-pointer for ETSU to move the score to 66-48.
Shelby Higgins answered with a 3-pointer off a Preece assist, but Anala Nelson connected from deep and Alanna Tatum added two jumpers around an Abigail Jordan free throw and another Higgins 3, leaving ETSU ahead 73-55. The Highland Cavaliers did not score after Higgins' 3 at 4:05, and ETSU added a Carleyssia Wallace layup at 1:16 before closing out the 75-55 final.
GETTING WISE
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Grace Vyborny had eight points and four rebounds.
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Mia Nienaber also had eight points and four rebounds as well as a steal.
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Jalie Ruehling led the team with seven rebounds and also scored five points.
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Alissa Cheek dished out four assists and added in four points.
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Shelby Higgins had six points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
UP NEXT
It will be the real thing on Friday as UVA Wise hosts Georgia Southwestern in the Southeast Regional Challenge at 2 p.m. in the David J. Prior Convocation Center. It is the Cavs' turn to host the challenge, which will also feature Ferrum and USC Beaufort.
