JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 11, 2026) – In East Tennessee’s fiercest basketball rivalry, an East Tennessee player took center stage on Wednesday night.
Jordan McCullum scored a career-high 24 points to propel ETSU to a 73-61 win over Chattanooga in front of 4,854 rowdy fans at Freedom Hall to put ETSU two games ahead of the pack in the SoCon title race.
The Buccaneers (19-7, 11-2) led 15-13 after seven straight points from Jordan McCullum, but the Mocs (10-16, 4-9) got ahead during a 6:54 scoring drought during which ETSU missed 11 straight shots. Maki Johnson broke the drought with a left corner three early in the shot clock to put the Bucs back ahead and start an 11-3 run over 2:24. The Mocs fought back, but a Jaylen Smith up-and-under move to get to the basket put ETSU ahead by two scores at halftime, 32-27.
McCullum got back on the board with a pair of free throws to break a 34-34 tie with 17:47 left in the game and hit his second three of the night with 14:59 left to put ETSU up 43-39. McCullum struck again with a layup with 12:07 left, then blocked a shot two possessions later and fed Johnson on a run out that ended with a right-handed dunk to put ETSU up 50-45 as part of an 11-4 run that ended with McCullum at the free throw line putting ETSU up 59-49.
The Mocs fought back behind back-to-back baskets from Tate Darner, and a two-point jumper by Jordan Frison cut the lead to one possession before Johnson hit a three from the left wing, and Barkley hit two free throws after being fouled on a fast break. Jikari Johnson got the Mocs back within four with 3:29 left, but ETSU scored nine of the final 10 points to seal their first season sweep of the Mocs since 2019-20.
In addition to his 24 points, McCullum was the team’s joint-leading rebounder with six, along with Johnson and Cam Morris III. Morris, Barkley, and Johnson all scored in doubl figures, with Johnson reaching 10 or more points in consecutive games for the first time this season. Brian Taylor II led ETSU with four assists, and Morris had two steals and three blocked shots.
As a team, ETSU shot 39% from the field but 50% after halftime and were 74% (26-for-35) from the free throw line, marking the third time in five games the Bucs have hit 25 or more free throws. They outrebounded Chattanooga 37-25 and won turnovers 10-5, turning UTC’s 10 turnovers into 10 points and scored 11 second chance points on nine offensive rebounders.
With the win and Wofford’s loss to Samford, the Bucs have a two-game lead in the SoCon and the magic number for a SoCon championship is reduced to four. The Bucs host the Bulldogs Saturday at noon on ESPNU. Limited tickets are available at ETSUTickets.com or by calling 423-439-3878.
