JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Interstat) — The East Tennessee State Lady Buccaneers defeated the Samford Bulldogs 53-44 in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Friday afternoon at ETSU Athletic Center.

East Tennessee State built a commanding lead through three quarters, holding Samford to just 22 points entering the final period. The Bulldogs mounted a late rally with a 22-point fourth quarter but could not overcome the deficit. The Lady Buccaneers dominated inside, outscoring Samford 30-12 in the paint.

The victory improves East Tennessee State to 10-11 overall. Samford falls to 8-15. An announced crowd of 352 attended the Southern Conference matchup.