ETSU Men's Basketball Still Controls SoCon Destiny Despite Loss

Bucs look to bounce back on the road against Furman after tough overtime defeat at home to Samford.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The ETSU men's basketball team is coming off a tough overtime loss at home to Samford, ending their three-game winning streak. However, the Bucs still sit atop the SoCon standings with an 11-3 conference record and control their own destiny heading into the final stretch before the conference tournament. Head coach Brooks Savage and forward Blake Barkley emphasized the need to focus on improvement rather than dwell on the loss, as ETSU remains in prime position to secure a top seed for the postseason.

Why it matters

ETSU's men's basketball team is having a strong season and is in prime position to earn a high seed for the SoCon tournament. The loss to Samford was a setback, but the Bucs still control their own destiny in the conference standings. How the team responds to the defeat could determine whether they are able to maintain their position atop the SoCon and make a deep run in the postseason.

The details

The Bucs lost a tough overtime game at home to Samford last weekend, ending their three-game winning streak. However, ETSU still leads the SoCon standings with an 11-3 conference record and ranks first in several key statistical categories, including field goal percentage, steals, blocks, and points allowed. Head coach Brooks Savage emphasized the need to focus on improvement rather than dwelling on the loss, as the team still has its goals for the season within reach. Forward Blake Barkley also noted that the loss has made the team more urgent in practice as they look to correct their mistakes and get better ahead of the final stretch of the regular season and the conference tournament.

  • ETSU lost to Samford in overtime last weekend.
  • The Bucs currently sit atop the SoCon standings with an 11-3 conference record.
  • ETSU will play its second matchup of the season against Furman on Wednesday, February 17 at 6:30 pm.
  • The SoCon tournament is just around the corner, with the final regular season games to be played in the next three weeks.

The players

Brooks Savage

Head coach of the ETSU men's basketball team.

Blake Barkley

Forward for the ETSU men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“You know, we have three weeks left before we play a game in Asheville. Like, you got to continue to get better. Everything that we want is still in front of us. For now, we still control our own destiny. You ain't got time to really be overly happy when you win, or overly down when you lose a year to get to the next game.”

— Brooks Savage, Head Coach

“Obviously, you don't want to lose in the games, but coming off a loss, I feel like everybody's a little more urgent. And just understanding where we messed up and where we need to grow and get better at. And I feel like that's going to be our main promise of practice.”

— Blake Barkley, Forward

What’s next

The Bucs will look to bounce back on the road against Furman on Wednesday, February 17 at 6:30 pm.

The takeaway

Despite the tough loss to Samford, the ETSU men's basketball team remains in control of its own destiny in the SoCon. The Bucs' strong overall season and position atop the conference standings mean they have the opportunity to secure a top seed for the postseason tournament if they can respond well to the defeat and continue improving in the final weeks of the regular season.