ETSU Bucs Ready to Host Rival Chattanooga Mocs

First-place Bucs look to sweep season series against struggling Mocs

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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East Tennessee State University's men's basketball team, currently leading the Southern Conference with an 18-7 overall record and 10-2 conference mark, is set to host rival Chattanooga on Wednesday night. The Bucs previously defeated the Mocs 67-66 on the road back in January. Chattanooga, the preseason SoCon favorite, has struggled to a 10-15 overall and 4-8 conference record so far this season.

Why it matters

This matchup between the top team in the conference and the preseason favorite carries significant implications for the Southern Conference standings and tournament seeding. The Bucs are looking to solidify their position atop the league, while the Mocs are fighting to improve their standing and keep their postseason hopes alive.

The details

ETSU is led by a balanced scoring attack, with Cam Morris III and Blake Barkley each averaging over 14 points per game. The Bucs have been playing well offensively, scoring 84 or more points in four of their last five games. Chattanooga, on the other hand, has been inconsistent, losing five of its last six games despite averaging 75.2 points per game. The Mocs are led by Jordan Frison, who is the only player averaging double-figure scoring at 14.9 points per game.

  • The teams will meet on Wednesday, February 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM.
  • ETSU previously defeated Chattanooga 67-66 on January 21, 2026.

The players

Cam Morris III

A key player for ETSU, averaging 14.7 points per game.

Blake Barkley

Another ETSU post player, averaging 14.3 points per game and making the game-winning free throws in the previous matchup.

Jordan Frison

Chattanooga's leading scorer, averaging 14.9 points per game.

Brooks Savage

The head coach of the ETSU Bucs.

Allen Strothers

ETSU's redshirt senior point guard with experience in the rivalry.

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What they’re saying

“We shared the ball great. You've got to move it. I thought we did a good job not settling for like the first, just okay, shot. We got good shots and, when we didn't turn it over, we scored.”

— Brooks Savage, Head Coach, ETSU Bucs (timesnews.net)

“That would be big if we could sweep them. I like the Chattanooga rivalry. It's real fun when we play. I think they will try to come out and be more aggressive and physical, but we'll see. That's regular that they should want payback.”

— Allen Strothers, Redshirt Senior Point Guard, ETSU Bucs (timesnews.net)

What’s next

The winner of Wednesday's game will take a big step towards securing a higher seed in the upcoming Southern Conference tournament.

The takeaway

This heated rivalry between ETSU and Chattanooga has significant implications for the conference standings, as the first-place Bucs look to complete the season sweep against the struggling Mocs, who were the preseason favorites.