ETSU women stymie Samford

Lady Bucs hold Bulldogs to just 14 first-half points in 53-44 victory

Jan. 30, 2026 at 6:23pm

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The East Tennessee State women's basketball team held Samford to just 14 points in the first half and went on to win 53-44 on Friday. Anala Nelson scored a game-high 16 points, including four straight free throws in the final 23 seconds to seal the victory. Meghan Downing had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds for ETSU, which improved to 10-11 overall and 3-3 in Southern Conference play.

Why it matters

The win extends ETSU's winning streak to three games and keeps them in the hunt for a spot in the Southern Conference tournament. Samford, meanwhile, falls to 8-15 overall and 1-5 in conference play, struggling to find consistency this season.

The details

ETSU held Samford to just 5-of-25 shooting (20%) in the first half, the lowest an opponent has scored against the Lady Bucs this season. The Bulldogs made a late push, cutting the lead to three points in the final minute, but Nelson's free throws sealed the victory for ETSU. Downing was a force inside with a double-double, while Carmen Richardson and Jaidyn Harper each added 8 points for the Lady Bucs.

  • The game was played on Friday afternoon at Brooks Gym.
  • ETSU led 23-14 at halftime.

The players

Anala Nelson

Scored a game-high 16 points, including 4 straight free throws in the final 23 seconds to seal the victory for ETSU.

Meghan Downing

Recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, including 8 on the offensive end, and added 4 blocked shots.

Brenda Mock Brown

The ETSU head coach said her team was well-prepared defensively after an extra day of practice.

Frances Morris

Led Samford with 14 points in the losing effort.

Sierra Godbolt

Scored 11 points for Samford.

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What they’re saying

“Free throws have been the biggest thing for me this season. They're a really big part of my game so I practice them when I'm warming up and when we're putting up shots, I'm usually at the free-throw line. I just trust my form and my routine when it's time to make them.”

— Anala Nelson

“We just had the energy today. It was going out and having fun. That's when we play our best. We play tough defense every single day and go over plays. We really lock into the small details. It's really coming together where everyone is understanding how good we can be.”

— Meghan Downing

What’s next

ETSU is scheduled to face Mercer on Sunday at 1 p.m. The men's basketball game at Wofford originally scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. is now Sunday at 7 p.m. and still to be televised on the CBS Sports Network.

The takeaway

ETSU's stifling defense was the key to their victory, holding Samford to just 14 first-half points. The Lady Bucs' ability to lock down on defense and get to the free-throw line late proved to be the difference, as they extended their winning streak to three games and kept themselves in the hunt for a Southern Conference tournament berth.