Furman Wins in Scenic City For the First Time Since 2011

Junior forward Matt Rafferty posted 17 points, while junior guard Andrew Brown added 16 points, as Furman knocked off a young, but game Chattanooga squad, 73-55, in Southern Conference action Thursday night at McKenzie Arena.

With the win, Furman improves to 13-4 overall and 4-0 in Southern Conference play, while Chattanooga falls to 6-11 overall and 0-4 in league play. Furman's win marks its ninth win in the past 10 games and marks the fourth-straight victory for the Paladins. With the 4-0 start to Southern Conference play, the Paladins are off to their best start in SoCon play since the 1986-87 season. The win also marked Furman's first over Chattanooga at McKenzie Arena since the 2011 Southern Conference Tournament.

Furman would lead by as many as 16 points (27-11) in the opening half of play, but the Mocs stormed back to cut the deficit to just five points (36-31), closing the half on a 20-9 run to carry some momentum into the halftime locker room.

In the second half, the Mocs would trim even more off the Furman leading margin in the second half, cutting the Paladin lead to 49-46 with 9:47 remaining following a Nat Dixon free throw. The Mocs mini run to cut the Furman lead to one possession came after the Paladins had increased their halftime lead from five to seven points early in the second frame.

Furman would respond, however, with a 7-0 run to take its lead back to double digits, highlighted by a triple from John Davis III and a layup by Brown, making it a 56-46 game with 6:19 remaining. After a Joshua Phillips layup cut the Paladin lead back to single digits, Davis used a behind-the-back bounce pass to a wide open Rafferty for three, extending the Furman lead to 11 points.

The Paladins would eventually increase the lead to as much as 18 points (66-48) following a Daniel Fowler layup with 3:42 left, capping a 17-2 run. All told, Furman went on a 26-9 run in the final 9:47 after the Mocs had trrimmed the Paladin lead to three points midway through the second half, closing out the 73-55 win.

Rafferty finished the contest connecting 8-of-11 shots from the field, and was 1-for-2 from three-point range to equal his 17 points. The junior from Hinesdale, Ill., also added four rebounds, three assists and three steals to his overall stat line for the evening.

Brown finished out arguably his best performance of the season by connecting on 7-of-10 shots from the field, including 1-for-3 from three-point land to total his 16 points. The Travelers Rest, SC native also added four assists, three rebounds and a steal to cap off his strong all-around performance.

Fowler and Devin Sibley each finished on the verge of double figures with nine points apiece.  Sibley helped Furman fashion a +13 advantage on the backboards, as his team-high 10 rebounds were part of a 34-21 advantage on the glass for the Paladins in the contest.

Chattanooga was led in the contest by Dixon's 21 points, while Rodney Chatman and Phillips added 13 and 12 points, respectively, to round out the Mocs in double figures.

Furman finished the game connecting on 55.4% of its shots from the field, while limiting Chattanooga to 45.1% shooting for the game. The Paladins'  nine steals led to a substantial 26-6 edge in points off turnovers, while the +13 rebounding margin led directly to a 44-34 advantage in the points in the paint category.

Furman remains on the road Saturday night, traveling to I-85 rival Wofford for 7 p.m. contest with the Terriers at the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Chattanooga will be in the Low Country of the Palmetto State Saturday, taking on The Citadel in a 1 p.m. contest at McAlister Field House.