JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — November 11, 2026
The East Tennessee State Buccaneers are officially in the win column!
After opening the 2026-27 men's basketball season with back-to-back losses, ETSU returned to Freedom Hall on Wednesday night looking to get things moving in the right direction. The Buccaneers did exactly that, defeating the Campbell Fighting Camels 68-53 to improve to 1-2 on the young season.
It wasn't necessarily the prettiest start for ETSU, but a strong second-half performance, dominant rebounding effort, and timely three-point shooting helped the Buccaneers pull away for a much-needed victory.
A Tale of Two Halves
The opening 20 minutes were a defensive battle, with neither team able to establish much separation.
Both teams entered the halftime break tied at 25, leaving everything to be decided in the second half.
That's when the Buccaneers began to take control.
ETSU erupted for 43 second-half points while holding Campbell to just 28, turning a tightly contested matchup into a comfortable 15-point victory.
The Buccaneers led by as many as 16 points during the contest, showing significant improvement offensively after a relatively quiet first half.
Ingle Leads the Way
Rashawn Ingle delivered a strong performance for the Buccaneers, finishing with a team-high 20 points.
Ingle shot 5-of-13 from the field, including an impressive 5-of-11 from beyond the arc, while connecting on all five of his free-throw attempts.
Lance Waddles also played a major role in the victory, contributing 15 points and four rebounds while shooting 7-of-16 from the field.
However, the Buccaneers received contributions throughout the lineup.
Tyran Mason finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, putting together one of the most complete performances of the evening.
BJ Ward added 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Maki Johnson provided eight points and three rebounds off the bench.
Margus Marion also made his presence felt on the glass, finishing with six points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
ETSU Dominates the Glass
One of the biggest differences in Wednesday night's matchup was the rebounding battle.
ETSU finished with 41 total rebounds compared to just 20 for Campbell, giving the Buccaneers a commanding advantage on the boards.
The Buccaneers collected 16 offensive rebounds and 25 defensive rebounds, limiting Campbell's opportunities while creating additional possessions for themselves.
ETSU also finished with 15 assists, five blocks, and 12 fast-break points.
The Buccaneers shot 42.1% from the field, connecting on 24 of their 57 attempts.
Perhaps even more importantly, ETSU found success from beyond the arc, knocking down 12 of its 31 three-point attempts for a 38.7% shooting percentage.
The free-throw line was one area where ETSU struggled, finishing just 8-of-14 for 57.1%.
While there are certainly areas that still need improvement, the Buccaneers showed plenty of positives in their first victory of the season.
Campbell Unable to Keep Pace
For Campbell, the loss marked its third consecutive defeat to begin the season.
The Fighting Camels struggled offensively throughout the evening, shooting just 34.5% from the field and 20.7% from three-point range.
Campbell connected on only six of its 29 three-point attempts and was unable to match ETSU's offensive production in the second half.
The Fighting Camels were led by their defense early, but the Buccaneers eventually found enough offensive rhythm to pull away.
A Step in the Right Direction
For ETSU, Wednesday night's victory was about more than simply adding a win to the record.
After an 0-2 start, the Buccaneers needed something positive to build on, and they delivered in front of their home crowd.
The second-half offensive performance, the rebounding advantage, and the contributions from multiple players all provided encouraging signs moving forward.
There is still plenty of basketball left to be played, and this team still has areas that need improvement.
However, getting that first victory out of the way is an important step.
The Buccaneers now sit at 1-2 on the season, and Wednesday night's performance gives ETSU something to build on as the nonconference schedule continues.
The season is still young, but for the first time in 2026-27, the Buccaneers are walking off the floor with a victory.
