JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Citadel men's basketball team made 17 3-pointers and shot a blistering 51.5 percent (17-of-33) from beyond the 3-point arc Thursday night inside Freedom Hall, but it was not enough as ETSU rebounded from a seven-point Bulldog lead to win, 91-83.

Game Information
Location: Johnson City, Tenn. (Freedom Hall)
Final Score: ETSU 91, The Citadel 83
Records: ETSU (20-7, 10-4 SoCon), The Citadel (11-13, 3-10 SoCon)
Series: ETSU leads, 45-17

KEY PLAYS AND STATS

• The two teams traded the lead back and forth nine times in the opening 10 minutes.
• With 10:49 to play in the first half, Kaiden Rice hit one of his game-high seven 3-pointers to give the 'Dogs a one-point, 19-18 lead.
• Lew Stallworth made it a seven-point, 27-20 Citadel lead with 8:07 to play in the half when he scored off a layup. The seven-point lead marked the Bulldogs' largest lead of the game.
• With 4:26 left in the opening 20 minutes, Isaiah Tisdale hit a 3-pointer that tied the game for the fifth time in the half, but Zane Najdawi matched Tisdale with one of his career-high five 3-pointers on the other end.
• Tray Boyd, III gave the Bucs a one-point, 37-36 lead with 3:09 left in the first half, but the Bulldogs went on to close out the period on a 10-3 run to take a six-point, 46-40 lead into the locker room at halftime. Stallworth scored seven of the Bulldogs' 10 points in the stretch.
• Despite trailing at the intermission, the Buccaneers came out in the second half and quickly ate into the lead, establishing an eight-point, 62-54 lead nearly eight minutes in. The Bucs used a 22-8 run over that period.
• From there, the Bulldogs made several runs at the Bucs, closing to within three points, 66-63, when Najdawi converted all three free throws with 10:09 to play, and again when Hayden Brown sank a pair of free throws with 44 seconds left.
• Despite finding ways to overcome a couple of double-digit deficits, the Bulldogs could not get over the hump and sent the Bucs to the free throw line eight times in the final minute of regulation, including six for Tisdale.
• The Bulldogs shot 49.2 percent (29-of-59) from the field for the game, including an impressive 54.8 percent (17-of-31) in the first half. The 'Dogs connected on 51.5 percent (17-of-33) of their attempts from long range.
• In comparison, the Bucs connected on 64.0 percent (16-of-25) of their shots in the second half to shoot 53.3 percent (32-of-60) from the field for the game.
• ETSU converted 16 free throws compared to eight by the Bulldogs, but the 'Dogs were more efficient from the charity stripe as they connected on 72.7 percent (8-of-11) of their free throws compared to 66.7 percent (16-of-24) for the Bucs.
• Najdawi and Tisdale led all players with 29 points each. Najdawi shot 10-of-16 (.625) from the field, while Tisdale converted 66.7 percent (10-of-15) of his attempts.
• Rice was second on the team with 21 points, while Stallworth added a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists.

NOTABLES

• The Bulldogs' 83-point performance was the highest point scored for the 'Dogs since scoring 84 against VMI at home on Jan. 26.
• The Citadel's 17 made 3-pointers Thursday night are the most by the 'Dogs since converting 17 on the road at Samford on Jan. 17.
• The Bulldogs' 51.5 percent (17-of-33) shooting performance from beyond the arc marked the highest completion percentage from three for the 'Dogs since converting 57.5 percent (23-of-40) against High Point on Nov. 27, 2018.
• The 46 points scored in the first half by The Citadel were the most since scoring 64 at home against Johnson & Wales on Dec. 5, 2018.
• Najdawi moved up in two statistical categories Thursday night, moving up to third in program history in both career free throws made and total career rebounds. The Midlothian, Virginia native boasts 378 made free throws and 691 rebounds for his career.
• Najdawi swatted away two shots Thursday, marking the 53^rd game in his career he has recorded multiple blocks in a game.
• Najdawi's five made 3-pointers are a new career high for the senior.
• Najdawi's 29-point performance marked the 22^nd time in his career, and third time this season, that he has scored at least 20 points. The 29 points are a season high for the big man.
• Rice's seven made 3-pointers were just one off his career high of eight set last season at Western Carolina (Feb. 25, 2018).
• Rice's 21 points scored mark the fourth time this season the sophomore has scored at least 20 points in a game.
• Stallworth recorded the seventh double-double of his career and sixth this season.
• The 10 assists by Stallworth mark the most since he had 10 in the Bulldogs' win over Johnson & Wales earlier this season on Dec. 5, 2018.
• With his 10 assists, Stallworth moved up into sole possession of fifth in program history for assists in a single season. The Los Angeles, California native boasts 147 assists on the year.
• Stallworth's three made treys are the most this season. His career high is five, set during the 2016-17 season.

COMING UP
The Bulldogs will close out a three-game road swing with a game against the Catamounts of Western Carolina on Saturday, Feb. 16. The game will feature a 2 p.m. tipoff.

For more information on The Citadel basketball team, please visit CitadelSports.com and follow @CitadelHoops and @CitadelSports on Twitter and Instagram.