Preview: East Tennessee State at Chattanooga, Men’s Basketball

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Interstat) — A surging East Tennessee State team visits a resurgent Chattanooga squad in a key Southern Conference matchup Wednesday night at McKenzie Arena.

The East Tennessee State Buccaneers (13-6, 4-2 SoCon) enter with momentum, having won six of their last seven games. Their most recent outing was a narrow 76-75 road victory at Samford on Saturday, secured behind a career-high 26 points from standout guard Blake Barkley.

Barkley has been the catalyst, averaging over 20 points per game in his last seven contests. His scoring prowess will be central to the Buccaneers’ attack as they look to solidify their position near the top of the conference standings.

The Chattanooga Mocs (9-10, 3-3), however, have found their rhythm after a slow start, riding a three-game winning streak. They are coming off an impressive 90-82 road win at Western Carolina, fueled by 19 points from guard Jordan Frison.

Frison has been equally vital for the Mocs, averaging 19.3 points over the last three victories. His backcourt duel with Barkley will be a focal point.

While ETSU boasts the better overall record, Chattanooga has the recent edge in conference play and the home floor. The Mocs will aim to leverage the home crowd at McKenzie Arena to continue their climb back to .500 and hand the Buccaneers only their third league loss.

The teams will meet again in Johnson City on Feb. 11, adding another layer to this mid-season rivalry clash. For now, Wednesday’s contest offers Chattanooga a chance to prove its winning streak is a true turnaround and provides East Tennessee State an opportunity to demonstrate its strong start is sustainable on the road.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.