East Tennessee St. @ Wofford preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 7, 2019 ) Wofford 78, East Tennessee St. 76

Top-seeded Wofford puts its 18-game winning streak on the line Sunday when it plays No. 4 seed East Tennessee State in the semifinals of the Southern Conference tournament in Asheville, N.C. The No. 22 Terriers, who have won six of their last seven games by at least 11 points, routed Virginia Military Institute 99-72 in Saturday's quarterfinals and next meet one of the two teams that took them to overtime during their winning streak.

"We know that everyone is out to get us, but we have so much faith in each other," Wofford junior guard Nathan Hoover told reporters Saturday after scoring 14 of his 17 points in the second half. "We know everyone is going to give us their best shot, but we're ready for everybody." The Terriers, who haven't claimed a Southern tournament title since winning two straight in 2014-15, boast 11 players averaging at least nine minutes. "We talk about 1-A and 1-B," Wofford coach Mike Young told reporters. "I think I've got 11 starters on this team and this second unit just keeps doing it. There's an electricity about them that really raises our level of play." The Buccaneers held off No. 5 Chattanooga 68-64 on Saturday behind 21 points from junior guard Tray Boyd III and are one win away from reaching their third straight Southern tournament final, winning the title in 2017.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, CW 62

ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE STATE (24-8): The Buccaneers boast seven players who average at least 7.8 points led by Boyd (12.1), who has averaged 18.5 in his last four games. Junior forward Jeromy Rodriguez - the only Southern player averaging a double-double (11.5 points, 11.1 rebounds) - recorded 10 points and 15 boards versus Chattanooga for his 15th double-double of the season. Sophomore guard Bo Hodges (10.3 points) scored 12 on Saturday and is averaging 16.0 in his last four games while shooting 64.9 percent from the field during that span.

ABOUT WOFFORD (27-4): The Terriers had six players score in double figures Saturday with senior guard Fletcher Magee (team-high 20.4 points), the Southern Conference Player of the Year, scoring 11 - his lowest total since recording five in a 90-76 victory at VMI on Jan. 12. Senior forward Cameron Jackson (14.4 points, club-best 7.5 rebounds) recorded 11 points and eight boards Saturday and has grabbed at least eight rebounds in each of his last four games. Hoover (13.2 points), who made his 200th career 3-pointer Saturday, is the team's other double-figure scorer with 17 points in consecutive games - shooting 6-for-11 from the field and 4-for-7 from beyond the arc in each contest.

TIP-INS

1. Wofford's winning streak is the second-longest in the country behind No. 1 Gonzaga's 20 in a row.

2. Magee entered Saturday leading the nation in 3-pointers made (139) and was third in free-throw percentage at 92.7.

3. East Tennessee leads the series 36-11, but the Terriers have won seven of the last 10 meetings, including 78-76 on Feb. 7 as Magee scored 11 of his 32 points in overtime.

PREDICTION: Wofford 78, East Tennessee State 76