ETSU Bucs: Sink or Swim?

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Courtney Pigram understands perfectly well how it all works.

If East Tennessee State wins its next three games, the Buccaneers up-and-down season will suddenly smooth out. ETSU’s fans will rejoice and proclaim that they’ve known the Bucs had it in them all along. While current critics of ETSU’s basketball program will momentarily have nothing left to moan, worry or complain about.

Three big wins, and ETSU (18-12, 11-5 Atlantic Sun) will have won the A-Sun tournament and a trip to the prestigious NCAA tournament.

All wrongs will be forgotten. The future of Buc basketball will once again look bright, shiny and wide open.

But if ETSU loses just one of its possible next three contests – beginning with a 9:15 p.m. matchup on Thursday against Lipscomb in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Sun tournament in Nashville – the Bucs’ season will be viewed by many as a major disappointment.

Pigram, a junior shooting guard leading the team in points (15.9) and assists (3.5) per game, knows it.

"It’s just how it goes," Pigram said smiling. "It’s all about The Dance."

And Pigram plans to do everything he can to make sure ETSU’s season ends the way the Bucs want it to.

"We still control things," said Pigram, who was named first-team all-Atlantic Sun on Tuesday. "The biggest part is just getting focused now. We can still live up to [the expectations]. If not, it’s something we’ve got to work on next year. But we will, though. We will."

ETSU, whose 78.9 points on offense per contest ranks second in the Atlantic Sun, heads into the conference tournament with three consecutive wins under its belt. The Bucs are averaging 90.3 points per game during the stretch, while a wide array of ETSU stars and role players – led by junior point guard Jocolby Davis and senior shooting guard Travis Strong – have shared the load on offense.

"Our offense is working," Bucs coach Murry Bartow said. "Scoring usually isn’t a problem for us. We’re getting a lot more assists. We’re passing [the ball] better and we’re moving it better."

Defense is another matter, though.

ETSU is giving up an average of 77.6 points per game, which ranks next-to-last in the conference. Moreover, ETSU has given up 70 points or more 21 times this season. And the Bucs’ defense will most likely be the deciding factor as to whether ETSU reaches the semifinals of the A-Sun tournament.

Lately, Bartow and the Bucs have been plugging holes. ETSU’s thin roster and lack of reliable depth at the forward and center positions has forced Bartow to use up to six different defensive schemes.

"We’re trying to mix it, and I think that’s helped us," Bartow said. "No, I’m not comfortable with it. But I’ve got to be, based on, really, what I see. We’re just not good enough to line up – let’s say we play Lipscomb – we’re not good enough to line up for 40 minutes and play them man to man. We’re just not. We’ve got some issues."

Meanwhile, Pigram knows his time to shine has arrived.

The 2007 A-Sun player of the year has been forced throughout the season to battle inconsistency – both with his jump shot and ETSU’s constantly fluctuating rotation – and the weight of expectations.

"I’m feeling good about myself right now, and I’m feeling good about my team," Pigram said. "I’m looking forward to doing big things in the tournament.

"We have faith. I know we can do it. We know we can do it. I trust my teammates. And I know I’m going to perform – I’m looking forward to it."

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