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CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Citadel basketball team begins a three-game road swing with a contest against Southern Conference newcomer East Tennessee State on Thursday at 7 p.m.
 
East Tennessee State, a member of the league from 1978 through 2005, rejoined prior to the start of the 2014-15 season.
 
The Bulldogs (8-10, 3-4 SoCon) are looking to move to .500 in league play after a recent 74-62 setback to Furman. The last time that the Dogs were 4-4 through eight league games came during the 2004-05 campaign.
 
The Citadel is searching for back-to-back victories in the all-time series against East Tennessee State for the first time since it won three straight from Feb. 15, 1986 to Feb. 14, 1987. The Dogs captured an 80-76 victory in the last meeting between the two schools on Jan. 24, 2005.
 
The Buccaneers (11-6, 5-3 SoCon) enter the game with a 6-2 record at home, including a 90-52 non-conference win over Tusculum on Monday. East Tennessee State is averaging 79.4 points per game due in large part to the scoring trio of Jalen Riley (20.4 ppg), Rashawn Rembert (17.4) and Lester Wilson (13.4).
 
The game can be seen live on the Southern Conference Digital Network and can be heard on Fox Radio Sports 1450 with play-by-play announcer Mike Legg making the call for the Bulldogs.
 
The Citadel returns home on Feb. 5 to take on Mercer and quickly follows with a meeting against UNCG two days later. In that homestand Bulldog fans are encouraged to participate by donating non-perishable items at the games as part of the SoCon Hoops Against Hunger initiative.
 
Hoops Against Hunger, in partnership with the Brad Daugherty Foundation, brings together the basketball community along with public, private, and sports organizations as well as local and national sponsors to help provide meals for students who may not have enough to eat at home during the extended holiday breaks from school.