JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The senior tandem of Cameron Jackson and Fletcher Magee scored 52 of Wofford's 78 points, combining for 14 in overtime as the Terriers edged out ETSU 78-76 at Freedom Hall Civic Center on Thursday night. The Terriers are now 20-4 overall, improving to a perfect 12-0 in Southern Conference play and winning its last 11 in a row.
"If there was a better game on tonight, I would like to see it," said Wofford head coach Mike Young. "That was a great ball game between two really good teams."
Magee led all scorers with a season-high 32 points, going 7-for-15 from three-point range, moving into third place all-time in Division I history with 452 career threes. Jackson totaled 20 points and eight rebounds, as the two seniors scored all 14 of Wofford's points in overtime.
"Cameron and Fletcher were terrific tonight," Young said. "Cam kept willing himself to the basket all night. Kevin Giltner asked me what we were going to run down the stretch there, I said I don't know, but I want it to be for Cam or Fletcher, and those two delivered all night,"
The Terriers return home on Saturday, hosting Western Carolina at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the Wofford IMG Sports Network.
It was back and forth right from the tip, with Storm Murphy putting the Terriers up 15-13 early after knocking down a three and finishing in the lane. The Bucs bounced back, scoring eight in a row to take a six-point advantage. Keeping ETSU within striking distance, Magee knocked down a pair of threes and finished at the rim to make the score 38-37 in favor of the Bucs as the two sides went into the break.
"We didn't play great defense early in the game," said Magee. "But we played hard and were able to hang around."
ETSU opened up the scoring in the second, but a three from Murphy at the top of the key cut the deficit to one. Around midway through the half, Hoover knocked down a corner three and Jackson scored in the paint to give the Terriers their first lead since 13:07 in the first half.
The Bucs regained the lead, but Jackson scored four more in the paint to keep the deficit to a point. At the two-minute mark, Jackson got the ball at the top of the key, dribbled and spun through two defenders to convert a 3-point play that put Wofford up 60-58.
ETSU would tie the game next time down the court, but a pair of Magee free throws made the score 62-60 in favor of the Terriers. With the shot clock winding down, Keve Aluma finished high off the glass as Wofford went ahead 64-61. Undeterred, the Bucs moved the ball around until they found Bo Hodges in the corner for a three that send the two sides to overtime.
"It's tough to play there," Young said. "But you go to Allen Field House in Kansas, you go to Mississippi State, you go to UNCG in January, that will put a callous on your backside and get you ready for games like tonight, and I thought our team handled it quite well."
In overtime, Jackson picked up right where he left off, spinning and finishing in the lane to put the Terriers ahead by two. Magee would extend the lead to three (71-68), but ETSU clawed back as Jeromy Rodriguez put the Bucs ahead 72-71.
After Jackson and Rodriguez traded free throws, Magee connected on his seventh three-pointer of the night to make the score 75-73 with 31 seconds to play. Wofford's defense forced a miss, setting up a pair of free throws from Magee that gave the Terriers the four-point advantage.
"The guy is possessed," said Young of Magee. "He lives for moments like tonight. I know he was disheartened that he missed the shot to end it in regulation, but he's a big league guy who is not going to shy away from big moments like tonight."
ETSU wouldn't go down easily, as Patrick Good knocked down a three-pointer to make the score 77-76. Jackson and Magee connected once again, as the senior from Winchester, Virginia, launched the ball downcourt to Magee who subsequently got fouled and hit the first free throw, as Jackson clinched the game with an offensive rebound to move Wofford's win streak to 11.
"Cam was huge down the stretch," Magee said. "It seemed like every time he got the ball he scored, so that really made it easy for the rest of us."
