Central Arkansas was defeated by East Tennessee State University (ETSU) 80-57 on Saturday night at Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tennessee. The Bears made 13 three-pointers during the game but were unable to counter ETSU’s strong performance inside, as the Buccaneers scored 34 points in the paint.
The contest began with an early three-pointer from Blake Barkley, assisted by Brian Taylor, putting ETSU ahead. Cam Morris III added two layups to extend the lead before Central Arkansas responded with a three-pointer from Cole McCormick at the 17:55 mark. Both teams exchanged leads through a series of outside shots. Camren Hunter of Central Arkansas, who has scored at least 10 points in seven straight games, closed the first half gap with a late three-pointer, but Morris III finished the half for ETSU with a buzzer-beating layup. The Buccaneers led 37-30 at halftime.
In the second half, ETSU kept control, starting with a dunk by Barkley just seconds into play. The Buccaneers’ defense recorded four blocks and six steals over the course of the game. Taylor contributed offensively and defensively for ETSU, including a layup at 15:07 in the second half. Jaylen Smith sparked a run for ETSU with several three-pointers; his final shot extended their advantage to 80-51 with just over three minutes left. Although Tyler Lee provided some late offense for Central Arkansas with consecutive layups and free throws, ETSU’s bench outscored Central Arkansas’s reserves 25-14 and helped secure a dominant second-half showing that included 43 points.
Individual performances for Central Arkansas included Luke Moore scoring 13 points (3-of-7 from beyond the arc) and adding three assists; Camren Hunter finishing with 10 points (2-for-2 on free throws) and four rebounds; Truman Byrne contributing nine points (3-of-6 on threes), seven rebounds, and setting career-highs with four assists; and Javion Guy-King recording five points along with two steals and three assists.
Central Arkansas will next face Little Rock at home on Wednesday, December 3rd. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas.
