JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Interstat) — A surging East Tennessee State team looks to continue its Southern Conference dominance when it hosts a struggling Citadel squad on Friday night at ETSU Athletic Center. The Buccaneers (14-6, 5-2 SoCon) enter with momentum, having won five of their last six games, including a narrow 67-66 road victory at Chattanooga on Wednesday. They sit near the top of the conference standings. The Citadel Bulldogs (6-14, 3-4), meanwhile, are coming off a dramatic 77-75 overtime win against Furman but have lost 14 of their last 17 games overall. East Tennessee State handily won the first meeting this season, 74-49, at The Citadel on Dec. 30. The Buccaneers have won eight of the last 10 matchups. A key storyline will be the performance of each team’s standout guard. ETSU’s Cam Morris is averaging 17.4 points over his last five games, including a 21-point effort in the win at Chattanooga. For The Citadel, Sola Adebisi is coming off a season-high 22 points in 42 minutes against Furman, though his production has been inconsistent. Statistically, the Buccaneers are heavy favorites. National Statistical’s ELO system gives ETSU a 97.4% probability to win. Oddsmakers have installed East Tennessee State as a 17-point favorite, with an over/under of 140 points. The Citadel’s recent games have been tightly contested, with three of their last four conference outings decided by three points or less or in overtime. Replicating that resilience on the road against a superior opponent will be their challenge. ETSU, which boasts a potent offense averaging 78.2 points in SoCon play, will aim to control the tempo and avoid a letdown against a team it previously dominated. Following this game, East Tennessee State hosts Western Carolina on Jan. 29, while The Citadel returns home to face Virginia Military Institute on the same date.