Wikiwand AI

2025–26 East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball team

American college basketball season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2025–26 East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball team represented East Tennessee State University during the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Buccaneers, led by third-year head coach Brooks Savage, played their home games at the Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tennessee, as members of the Southern Conference.

ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record23–11 (13–5 SoCon)
Headcoach
Assistant coaches
  • Kris Arkenberg
  • Marcus Belcher
  • Cory Dixon
  • Miles Lester
  • Blake Sexton
Quick facts East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball, SoCon regular season champions ...
2025–26 East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball
SoCon regular season champions
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record23–11 (13–5 SoCon)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Kris Arkenberg
  • Marcus Belcher
  • Cory Dixon
  • Miles Lester
  • Blake Sexton
Home arenaFreedom Hall Civic Center
Seasons
← 2024–25
2026–27 →
Close
More information Conf., Overall ...
2025–26 Southern Conference men's basketball standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
East Tennessee State13–5 .72223–11  .676
Wofford11–7 .61119–13  .594
Samford11–7 .61118–14  .563
Mercer11–7 .61119–13  .594
Western Carolina10–8 .55615–16  .484
Furman †10–8 .55622–13  .629
UNC Greensboro9–9 .50015–19  .441
Chattanooga7–11 .38913–19  .406
The Citadel7–11 .38911–22  .333
VMI1–17 .0566–26  .188
† 2026 SoCon tournament winner
Close

Previous season

The Buccaneers finished the 2024–25 season 19–13, 12–6 in SoCon play, to finish in a tie for third place.[1] They were upset by #6 seed and eventual tournament champions Wofford in the quarterfinals of the SoCon tournament.[2]

Preseason

On October 1, 2025, the SoCon released their preseason coaches poll. East Tennessee State was picked to finish fourth in the conference.[3]

Preseason rankings

More information Place, Team ...
SoCon Preseason Poll
Place Team Points
1Chattanooga77 (5)
2Furman73 (5)
3Samford62
4East Tennessee State61
5UNC Greensboro43
6VMI41
7Western Carolina32
8Mercer30
9Wofford21
10The Citadel10
(#) first-place votes
Close

Source:[3]

Preseason All-SoCon Team

More information Player, Year ...
Preseason All-SoCon Team
Player Year Position
Jaylen Smith Junior Guard
Close

Source:[3]

Roster

More information Players, Coaches ...
2025–26 East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G 2 Maki Johnson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)186 lb (84 kg) JrHuntington Prep Huntington, West Virginia
G 3 Maddox Huff 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)190 lb (86 kg) FrHarlan County High School Baxter, Kentucky
G 4 Jaylen Smith 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)175 lb (79 kg) JrNorth Florida Ocoee, Florida
G 5 Allen Strothers 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)172 lb (78 kg) RS SrMenchville High School Newport News, Virginia
G 11 Brian Taylor II 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)175 lb (79 kg) SrSIU Edwardsville St. Louis, Missouri
F 13 Blake Barkley 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)220 lb (100 kg) RS SoNorthwestern Morgantown, West Virginia
F 14 Brayden Crump 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)220 lb (100 kg) RS SoElon Morganton, North Carolina
F 15 Cam Morris III 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)205 lb (93 kg) GSUMass Lowell Alexander City, Alabama
G 21 Gabe Sisk 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)207 lb (94 kg) JrBallard High School Louisville, Kentucky
G 23 Frederico Whitaker Jr. 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m)135 lb (61 kg) FrIMG Academy Pittsboro, North Carolina
F 24 Isaiah Sutherland 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)215 lb (98 kg) JrOrlando Christian Prep Orlando, Florida
G 25 Joseph Carter 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)190 lb (86 kg) FrAlcoa High School Louisville, Tennessee
F 30 Henry Sisemore 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)195 lb (88 kg) FrLago Vista High School Lago Vista, Texas
F 35 Jordan McCullum 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)180 lb (82 kg) SoMurray State Harriman, Tennessee
G 55 Milton Matthews III 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)200 lb (91 kg) SrFlorida A&M District Heights, Maryland
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster
Last update: October 23, 2025

Close

Schedule and results

More information Date time, TV, Rank# ...
Date
time, TV		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
October 29, 2025*
7:00 pm		 Wake Forest
Charity Exhibition		 L 70–89 
Freedom Hall Civic Center (6,392)
Johnson City, TN
Non-conference regular season
November 4, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 Converse W 102–50  1–0
 Freedom Hall Civic Center (1,378)
Johnson City, TN
November 8, 2025*
6:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Presbyterian L 64–68  1–1
 Templeton Center (279)
Clinton, SC
November 12, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 Northern Kentucky W 75–63  2–1
 Freedom Hall Civic Center (2,307)
Johnson City, TN
November 15, 2025*
3:00 pm, ESPN+		 at North Alabama
SoCon/ASUN Challenge		 W 78–74  3–1
 CB&S Bank Arena (2,256)
Florence, AL
November 21, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 Morehead State
ETSU MTE		 W 77–62  4–1
 Freedom Hall Civic Center 
Johnson City, TN
November 23, 2025*
4:00 pm, ESPN+		 Louisiana–Monroe
ETSU MTE		 W 97–55  5–1
 Freedom Hall Civic Center (2,267)
Johnson City, TN
November 29, 2025*
4:00 pm, ESPN+		 Central Arkansas
SoCon/ASUN Challenge		 W 80–57  6–1
 Freedom Hall Civic Center 
Johnson City, TN
December 2, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Dayton L 71–88  6–2
 UD Arena (13,407)
Dayton, OH
December 5, 2025*
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 South Alabama W 91–65  7–2
 Freedom Hall Civic Center (2,473)
Johnson City, TN
December 7, 2025*
2:00 pm, ESPN+		 Tusculum W 78–62  8–2
 Freedom Hall Civic Center (1,991)
Johnson City, TN
December 12, 2025*
8:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Austin Peay L 75–76  8–3
 F&M Bank Arena (2,101)
Clarksville, TN
December 16, 2025*
8:00 pm, ACCN		 at No. 12 North Carolina L 58–77  8–4
 Dean Smith Center (16,548)
Chapel Hill, NC
December 20, 2025*
4:00 pm, ESPN+		 Jacksonville State L 75–81  8–5
 Freedom Hall Civic Center (2,270)
Johnson City, TN
SoCon regular season
December 30, 2025
6:00 pm, ESPN+		 at The Citadel W 74–49  9–5
(1–0)		 McAlister Field House (1,109)
Charleston, SC
January 3, 2026
4:00 pm, ESPN+		 Mercer W 77–71  10–5
(2–0)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (3,122)
Johnson City, TN
January 7, 2026
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 VMI W 81–67  11–5
(3–0)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (3,074)
Johnson City, TN
January 10, 2026
4:00 pm, ESPN+		 UNC Greensboro W 86–60  12–5
(4–0)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (3,984)
Johnson City, TN
January 14, 2026
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 at Western Carolina L 68–72  12–6
(4–1)		 Ramsey Center (1,498)
Cullowhee, NC
January 17, 2026
2:00 pm, CBSSN		 at Samford W 76–75  13–6
(5–1)		 Pete Hanna Center (2,103)
Homewood, AL
January 21, 2026
7:00 pm, ESPNU		 at Chattanooga W 67–66  14–6
(6–1)		 McKenzie Arena (4,611)
Chattanooga, TN
January 24, 2026
4:00 pm, ESPN+		 The Citadel W 84–55  15–6
(7–1)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (3,765)
Johnson City, TN
January 29, 2026
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 Western Carolina L 88–90  15–7
(7–2)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center 
Johnson City, TN
February 1, 2026
7:00 pm, CBSSN		 at Wofford W 86–72  16–7
(8–2)		 Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium 
Spartanburg, SC
February 4, 2026
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 Furman W 75–71 OT 17–7
(9–2)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (4,072)
Johnson City, TN
February 7, 2026
1:00 pm, ESPN+		 at VMI W 87–70  18–7
(10–2)		 Cameron Hall (1,433)
Lexington, VA
February 11, 2026
7:00 pm, CBSSN		 Chattanooga W 73–61  19–7
(11–2)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (4,854)
Johnson City, TN
February 14, 2026
12:00 pm, ESPNU		 Samford L 72–82 OT 19–8
(11–3)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (5,138)
Johnson City, TN
February 18, 2026
6:30 pm, ESPN+		 at Furman W 78–69  20–8
(12–3)		 Timmons Arena (2,500)
Greenville, SC
February 21, 2026
4:00 pm, ESPN+		 at UNC Greensboro W 87–75  21–8
(13–3)		 Bodford Arena (1,498)
Greensboro, NC
February 25, 2026
7:00 pm, ESPN+		 Wofford L 69–72  21–9
(13–4)		 Freedom Hall Civic Center (5,306)
Johnson City, TN
February 28, 2026
4:30 pm, ESPN+		 at Mercer L 76–82  21–10
(13–5)		 Hawkins Arena (2,317)
Macon, GA
SoCon tournament
March 7, 2026
12:00 pm, ESPN+		 (1) vs. (9) The Citadel
Quarterfinals		 W 83–76  22–10
 Harrah's Cherokee Center 
Asheville, NC
March 8, 2026
4:00 pm, ESPNU		 (1) vs. (5) Western Carolina
Semifinals		 W 69–67  23–10
 Harrah's Cherokee Center 
Asheville, NC
March 9, 2026
7:00 pm, ESPN		 (1) vs. (6) Furman
Championship		 L 61–76  23–11
 Harrah's Cherokee Center (6,111)
Asheville, NC
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern.
Close

Sources:[4][5]

References

Related Articles

Timelines

Top Qs

Fact Checks