Furman Garners First Win in Johnson City Since 2005

Furman Claims 22nd Victory With Win at East Tennessee State; Clinches No. 3 seed

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.--For the first time since 2005, Furman was able to claim a victory in Johnson City, as the Paladins closed the season with a sixth-straight win, defeating East Tennessee State, 79-76, in the Southern Conference regular-season finale Sunday afternoon in front of 5,908 fans at Freedom Hall.

Since the start of the 2015-16 season, Furman has won
64 games, which is tied for most in school history in
a three-year span.

With the win, the Paladins complete the regular-season with a 22-9 overall record and a 13-5 Southern Conference record and will be the No. 3 seed in Asheville at next week's Southern Conference Tournament. ETSU, which dropped its third-straight to close the season, fell to 23-8 overall and 14-4 in league action.

Furman will face No. 6 seed Western Carolina (13-18, 8-10 SoCon) next Saturday at approximately 8:30 p.m. at the US Cellular Center. ETSU will be the No.2 seed in Asheville and will face the winner of Friday night's No. 7 vs No.10 matchup between Samford (10-21, 6-12 SoCon) and Chattanooga (9-22, 3-15). The Bucs will face the Samford/Chattanooga winner Saturday at 6 p.m.

Devin Sibley, a senior guard from Knoxville, Tenn, led five Paladins in double figures, posting 17 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field, which included going 2-for-4 from three-point range. It was Sibley’s four-point play with 1:26 play proved to be the tide-turning play in the contest, and following Sibley’s made free throw, untied a 71-71 game, and gave the Paladins a 75-71 lead following the senior’s fifth made free throw of the day. In all, Sibley finished went 5-for-7 from the charity stripe. Additionally, Sibley provided six rebounds, one assist and a steal.

Joining Sibley in double figures for the Paladins were: Matt Rafferty (14 pts, 6 rebs), Daniel Fowler (12 pts, 5 ast, 2 stls, 3 rebs, 1 blk), John Davis III (12 pts) and Andrew Brown (11 pts, 4 rebs, 2 ast). Fowler finished 6-for-6 from the free throw line, and was part of an afternoon which saw the Paladins post one of their best shooting performances of the season from the charity stripe, connecting on 21-of-28 (75.0%) free throws in the win.

ETSU had an excellent look at a potential game-tying three-pointer as the buzzer sounded. After John Davis III knocked down his first free throw to give Furman a 79-76 lead with 5.0 seconds left, he missed the second one off the front of the rim, and it was rebounded by the Bucs’ Desonta Bradford who raced left and just before crossing the timeline, flung an over-the-head pass cross-court to Devontavius Payne at the right elbow, and Payne’s three-pointer at the buzzer rolled off the left side, as the Paladins held on for their 22nd win of the season.

Leading up to that point, ETSU threw several haymakers at the Paladins, but head coach Bob Richey’s club staggered, but always managed to get back to its proverbial feet. One of the haymakers from the Bucs came following a Mladen Armus layup with 4:15 remaining, as the Bucs matched what was their biggest lead of the night at five, 69-64. Armus’ layup capped a 17-4 run by the Bucs, which turned a 60-52 deficit into a five-point lead.

The Paladins’ response to that big run came on what was arguably their most important possession of the afternoon, with the raucous crowd inside Freedom Hall rising to its collective feet. Brown’s triple from straight-a-way with four minutes left cut the Bucs’ lead to two, at 69-67. Following Brown’s three, Rafferty came up with a big steal on the ensuing ETSU possession, and the 6-7 junior from Hinsdale, Ill., would receive a pass from Fowler at the left elbow and swished a three to give the Paladins a 70-69 lead with 3:18 left.

The Bucs would miss a three-pointer on its next possession, as Davis brought down the rebound off Bo Hodges missed triple attempt and he passed in transition to Sibley, who was fouled by Payne going to the basket. On the two-shot foul, Sibley made the first and missed the second, leaving Furman’s lead, 71-69, with 2:28 remaining.

After Jalan McCloud rebounded the Sibley miss on his second free throw opportunity, the Bucs’ Hodges was fouled by Brown, and he converted 1-of-2 at the stripe on the double-bonus, cutting ETSU’s deficit to one, 71-70, with 2:13 left.

The Bucs then forced a steal on Furman’s next possession, with McCloud coming up with the basketball and Davis would in turn foul McCloud. In continuing with the recent theme, McCloud connected on 1-of-2 shots from the line, tying the game, 71-71, with 1:43 remaining.

That set the stage for Sibley’s heroics and the four-point play. Sibley received a pass on the left wing from Fowler, where he was fouled by ETSU’s Bradford on a three-pointer, nearly falling into the Furman bench as he watched the ball go through the hoop to the tune of the referee Karl Hess’ whistle. He stepped to the line and calmly stroked home the free throw to give the Paladins a 75-71 lead with 1:25 to play.

ETSU’s Bradford enticed Brown into his fifth foul of the game, and the senior from Humboldt, Tenn, knocked down 1-of-2 foul shots with 1:05 to play, getting the Bucs back to within a possession, at 75-72.

Furman’s Fowler would be fouled on the inbounds pass, and extended Furman’s lead to five (77-72) as he calmly stepped to the stripe to connect on both double-bonus shots to give the Paladins some breathing room with 1:01 remaining.

The Bucs raced quickly up the floor and Bradford’s layup with 52 seconds left, cut Furman’s lead back to three, at 77-74, and prompted a Steve Forbes timeout to try and set up a press. The Bucs opted to play defense, allowing the Paladins to run precious seconds off the clock, Fowler would miss his shot on the clear-out, but got his own rebound, tossed it to Brown in the right corner, who found Davis, wasting a few more precious seconds before the senior point guard was eventually fouled with 15 ticks remaining. Davis went 1-for-2 from the line, giving the Paladins the 78-74 lead.

Payne would take the ball quickly to the basket, and as he was falling backwards, his shot rolled around the rim and fell off as he was being fouled by Brown to nearly give the Bucs a chance for a three-point play the old-fashioned way. Payne stroked home both foul shots, getting the Bucs to within a bucket, 78-76, with 5.0 seconds remaining.

Following a timeout by ETSU head coach Steve Forbes, the Bucs opted to foul Davis instead waiting until the ball was inbounded to foul. Bucs had shown some struggles from the line for the Paladins down the stretch, and after making the first to give Furman a three-point lead (79-76), the senior from Beechwood, Oh., missed the second and the ball was rebounded by Bradford before he tossed a cross-court pass to Payne, who would get a great look at the buzzer from the right elbow, however, the ball rolled off the left side of the rim and the Paladins held off the Bucs for their first win in Johnson City since early in the Murry Bartow era.

The first half saw the Paladins take a 40-39 lead into the halftime locker room, despite shooting just 38.7% (12-for-31) from the field, but took the lead to the break as a result of going a perfect 12-for-12 from the line and getting 13 points off of ETSU turnovers. The Paladins would rebound in the second half to shoot 54.5% (12-of-22) from the field and connected on 66.7% (6-of-9) from three-point range. The Paladins finished the day connecting on 45.3% (24-of-53) from the field and 50% (10-for-20) from three-point range.

Meanwhile, the Bucs finished out their final regular season contest by connecting on 50.9% (29-of-57) from the field, and 33.3% (6-for-18) from three-point range. The Bucs shot just 63.2% from the charity stripe, knocking down 12-of-19 free throws.

ETSU owned a huge advantage in points in the paint (44-20) and a narrow edge in fast-break points (13-11), but Furman struck back by owning advantages in bench scoring (30-25), points off turnovers (17-12) and second chance points (10-6). The game featured eight ties and 13 lead changes.

Furman owned a 33-31 advantage on the backboards, and used 12 assists to manufacture 12 made field goals. ETSU also used 12 assists to manufacture 29 made buckets. Furman turned it over 15 times, while ETSU committed 14 miscues. The Bucs blocked 11 shots to just two blocks for the Paladins.

ETSU was led by Bradford on senior day, as he paced all scorers in the contest with 19 points and was one of four Bucs in double figures. Bradford scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, and finished his final regular-season game in front of the home folks by connecting on 8-of-15 shots from the field and was 3-for-4 from the line. He also collected five rebounds, dished out a pair of assists, and recorded a steal and a block to round out his overall stat line.

Joining Bradford in double digits for the Bucs were David Burrell (15 pts, 6 rebs), McCloud (13 pts, 5 rebs, 3 ast, 2 stls) and Payne (13 pts, 3 rebs, 3 blks, 1 stl).

The win by the Paladins in Johnson City marked its first in the tri-cities since Furman claimed a 76-68 win over the Bucs at the mini-dome on Jan. 8, 2005. Interestingly enough, though the Paladins won the only regular-season meeting with the Bucs in 2004-05, ETSU knocked upstart Furman out of the Southern Conference Tournament, with an 87-84 opening round win over the Paladins at Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena.

The Bucs’ three losses to close the season marked the first time in the Steve Forbes era that the Bucs have lost three-straight games. Both teams open Southern Conference Tournament play Saturday.

Furman Claims Season Sweep in Battle For Purple Supremacy

Matt Rafferty (Furman) set to jump it up against Mike Amius (Western Carolina)

Cullowhee, N.C.--For a third-straight game, Andrew Brown led Furman in scoring, using a career-high 22 points to power the Paladins to a 78-55 win over Western Carolina in Southern Conference action Friday night at the Liston B. Ramsey Activities Center.

With the win, Furman improves to 21-9 overall and 12-5 in Southern Conference play, while Western Carolina drops to 12-18 overall and 7-10 in league action. Furman remained a game up on Wofford in the Southern Conference standings for the No. 3 seed at next week’s Southern Tournament, as the Terriers upset East Tennessee State, 75-71, in Johnson City this evening. The by the Paladins marked their fifth-straight, while marking Western’s fifth-straight defeat.

A win by Furman on Sunday at ETSU means the Paladins clinch the No. 3 seed, however, any tie-breaker between the Paladins and Terriers now would go to Wofford based on their win over the Bucs tonight. Both Furman and Wofford were swept by UNC Greensboro this season. Likely scenarios have Furman facing either Western Carolina or Mercer in the quarterfinal round of the Southern Conference next week, depending of course on Sunday’s results around the league.

Brown scored 16 of his 22 points in the opening half of play, pacing the Paladins to a 44-26 halftime advantage. For the first time in his Paladin career, Brown has led the Paladins in scoring in three-straight contests, and has totaled 57 points in the past three contests. Brown’s 22 points eclipsed his previous career-high of 21 points against Piedmont International, which came on Dec. 1, 2015.

The Travelers Rest native scored 13 of the Paladins’ first 29 points of the game. Brown is 20-for-36 from three-point range in the past six games. He finished his night connecting on 8-of-11 shots from the field, including going 6-of-9 from three-point land. His six three-pointers ties a career-high first established last season in a win over Navy. He is 13-for-20 from three over the past three outings.

In addition to what he did offensively, Brown added four rebounds, two steals and an assist. The only other Paladin in double figures in the contest was Devin Sibley, who finished 5-of-9 from the field, including 1-for-3 from long range in the win. Sibley also contributed six rebounds and had a pair of assists.

The Paladins were red hot from the field in the opening half of play, connecting on 52.9% (18-of-34) from the field and 43.8% (7-of-16) from three-point land. Meanwhile, the Paladins were just as stingy defensively, limiting Western Carolina to just 35.7% (10-of-28) from the field and just 18.2% (2-for-11) from long range. The Paladins went to the halftime locker room, with a comfortable, 44-26 lead.

An early six points on another pair of treys from Brown extended the Paladin lead to 50-28 a little over two minutes into the frame, prompting a Larry Hunter timeout with 17:42 left. Furman would extend its lead to as much as 24, at 74-50, with 1:40 left following a Geoff Beans triple.

Western Carolina was led in scoring by a pair of players in double figures, as Mike Amius led the way with 13 points and six rebounds, while Marc Gosselin finished with 11 points and seven boards.

Amius finished the night connecting on 6-of-11 shots from the field, and was 1-for-4 from the charity stripe. The junior from Lakeland, FL., also added two assists, two steals and a block to his overall stat line, while Gosselin finished with two blocks to compliment his other numbers.

Furman finished the night connecting on 54.4% (31-of-57) from the field, and were 40.7% (11-of-27) from three-point land. The Paladins were also 62.5% (5-of-8) from the charity stripe.

The Paladins held the Catamounts to 33.9% (21-of-62) shooting from the field for the game, including just 26.3% (5-for-19) from three-point land. The Paladins also held advantages in points in the paint (34-32), fast-break points (10-4) and bench points (32-25). The Catamounts owned advantages in points off turnovers (14-11) and second chance points (6-2).

Furman out-rebounded Western, 36-35, and both teams committed 14 turnovers. The Paladins used 14 assists to generate 31 made field goals, while the Catamounts had nine assists to compliment 21 buckets.

Both teams will be in action Sunday for their respective regular-season finales. Furman will be on the road at ETSU for a 2 p.m. contest at Freedom Hall. The Catamounts will host The Citadel in a 2 p.m. contest with The Citadel Sunday at the Ramsey Center.

Be sure to check out the full Southern Conference bracket release Sunday, as well as the Tournament preview coming up Thursday at midmajormadness.com. Included in the preview will be notes and quotes from each of the 10 Southern Conference programs.

ETSU Looking to Get Back on Track Friday Night Against Wofford

Wofford and ETSU Highlight a Big Friday Night of SoCon Matchups

As the Southern Conference Tournament picture begins to come more into focus, Friday night's matchups could go a long way in deciding the final bracket for the first weekend in March at the US Cellular Center.

Previewing Wofford at ETSU: 

The biggest matchup of Friday's slate will be in Johnson City, Tenn., as  East Tennessee State (23-6, 14-2 SoCon) plays host to Wofford in a huge Southern Conference clash.

The Bucs let a prime chance to claim a second-straight Southern Conference regular-season title slip through its proverbial fingertips last Wednesday night, with an 84-82 home loss to The Citadel Bulldogs. 

It is important to note that the Bucs were playing without Southern Conference Player of the Year candidate Desonta Bradford sidelined with a sprained ankle. Without him, the Bucs missed a beat, and The Citadel became the first Southern Conference foe to knock off the Bucs at Freedom Hall this season, and joined Troy as one of only two foes to win inside ETSU's home facility this season.

Meanwhile, Wofford (19-10, 10-6 SoCon) could have provided the Bucs at least a little bit of help Wednesday night, had the Fletcher Magee-led Terriers been able to knock off UNC Greensboro at the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. However, the Bucs would only find that their missed opportunity, coupled with UNCG's 76-66 road win at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium, brought the Spartans to within a half-game of ETSU in the Southern Conference standings. 

Wofford's loss combined with Furman's 76-54 senior night win over VMI took the Terriers to a full game behind Furman for third-place in the Southern Conference standings. If Wofford were to get a win at Freedom Hall and tie Furman in the standings, the Terriers would temporarily take over third place in the standings due to gaining a season split with the Bucs, and would depend on what the Paladins did on the road at Western Carolina and at ETSU to close out the season. 

The Bucs claimed the first meeting between the two this season, taking a 75-62 win in Spartanburg last month. The meeting between the Bucs and Terriers will mark the 46th meeting between the Bucs and Terriers, with ETSU holding a commanding 36-9 all-time series lead. With a Wofford win, it would give the Terriers 20 wins in a season, and would give the SoCon a fourth team with 20 wins this season. Only two other conferences--the ACC and the Big Ten--can make that claim so far this season. 

Who To Watch:

The Bucs should have the services of Desonta Bradford (15.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 3.5 APG) once again on Thursday night. Bradford missed the game against The Citadel with a sprained ankle, which he suffered in practice a couple of days prior to the matchup with the Bulldogs. 

Bradford has been the catalyst for Forbes' Bucs all season, and he is a leading candidate for Southern Conference Player of the Year due to the fact he does so many different things well on both ends of the floor. Bradford comes into the contest ranking fourth in the SoCon in scoring (15.3 PPG), seventh in rebounding (5.9 RPG), first in steals (1.9 SPG), ninth in free throw percentage (76.3%), fifth in minutes played (32.4 MPG), third in field goal percentage (47.3%) and eighth in assists (3.5 APG). 

In the first meeting with the Terriers this season, Bradford led the Bucs with a solid performance, posting 17 points, seven boards, three assists and had a steal in the win. Bradford will team with Devontavius Payne (9.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG) and defensive stallwart Jermaine Long (3.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG), whch should round out the starters for the Bucs in the backcourt on Friday evening. 

After having coming off the bench for much of the season, Payne looked good in the win at Western Carolina. He led the Bucs with 22 points in an 11-point win over the Catamounts, but was held to six points in the last outing against The Citadel. Payne only took four shots against the Bulldogs, and was 2-for-4 from the field, including going 1-for-1 from three-point range and 1-for-2 from the line. Payne will likely be making his seventh start of the season for the Bucs. 

Payne has been ETSU's most consistent shooter from three-point range this season, ranking fifth in the SoCon in three-pointers made (62) and 11th in three-point field goal percentage (39.5%). Jalan McCloud (11.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG), who was starting, has been coming off the bench of late. He had 16 points in the first meeting between the two SoCon rivals. 

Additionally, Bo Hodges (9.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG), who is a candidate for SoCon Freshman of the Year, led ETSU the last time out in the loss to The Citadel, posting 17 points. And for what it's worth, I'll add this. I would pay money to see UNCG's Isaiah Miller and ETSU's Hodges compete in a SoCon Freshman dunk contest.   

In the paint, the Bucs have continued to rely on their athletic stretch four David Burrell (7.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG) and center Peter Jurkin (7.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG). Jurkin has continued to be one of the best rim protectors in the league this season, but problems can present themselves for the Bucs if he gets in early foul trouble. Jurkin continues to rank among the league's top shot-blockers, averaging 1.6 swats-per-game. Burrell had a strong game the last time out, posting 15 points, three assists and a steal in the loss to The Citadel.

Wofford counters with a talented backcourt of its own, which of course, features Fletcher Magee (22.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.8 APG), but also has other performers capable of stepping up and scoring in the backcourt if opponents focus too much on Magee. Freshman point guard Storm Murphy (6.0 PPG, 3.8 APG) is capable of hitting shots from the perimeter and getting to the hoop if called upon to do so, and maybe the biggest surprise this season for Mike Young's Terriers has been Trevor Stumpe (11.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.2 APG). The 6-5 guard is versatile, and can score points in a variety of different ways. He enters Friday night's contest as Wofford's second-leading scorer. 

One of the toughest things about playing the Terriers is the amount of hand-offs they run offensively, which is probably among the highest in NCAA Division I basketball. It's no wonder the Terriers rank second in the Southern Conference in three-point field goals made this season, with 309 made triples so far this season. One of the elements of this matchup to watch Friday night will be how well ETSU is able to handle that particular aspect of the Terrier offensive scheme. 

In the first meeting, the Bucs held Wofford to just 8-of-25 (32.0%) shooting from three-point land in the initial matchup between the two. Wofford also has some sharp-shooters coming off the bench, and the best of those is sophomore guard Nathan Hoover (10.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG). Hoover's 57 triples this season ranks second on the team. Magee's 129 made triples this season continues to lead the nation. ETSU leads the SoCon in three-point field goal percentage defense (32.0%), while Wofford enters the contest leading the league in three-point field goal percentage (41.8%).

In the paint, the Terriers were without top big man Cameron Jackson (11.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG) in the first meeting with the Bucs, as he missed the game with a minor injury. Like ETSU's Jurkin, the Terriers are a different team when they are able to keep Jackson out of foul trouble, as opposed when they can't. Jackson is one of the quickest big men in the SoCon, as evidenced what he does on the defensive end of the floor, ranking second in the SoCon in steals (48/1.8 SPG) and second in blocked shots (1.4 BPG). 

Jackson is pretty much alone in the paint with the Terriers utilizing a four-guard offense. Keep an eye on Keve Aluma (2.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG) and Matthew Pegram (5.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG) off the bench for the Terriers. Aluma is young, but has outstanding athleticism. Pegram gives the Terriers size off the bench and has the ability to step out and hit shots from the perimeter.

Who Wins: ETSU 72, Wofford 68

Stay tuned for more of Friday's previews coming later today and tomorrow morning. 

Furman Tops VMI on Senior NIght at Timmons Arena

Andrew Brown scored 15 points and led four Paladins in double figures, as Furman knocked off VMI, 76-54, in Southern Conference action on Senior Night Tuesday evening at Timmons Arena.

With the win, Furman improves to 20-9 overall and 11-5 in Southern Conference play, while VMI dropped to 8-19 overall and 3-13 in league play. The win gave Furman its first back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1978-79 and 1979-80 campaigns when the Paladins won 20 and 23 games, respectively.  The win gives the Paladins the season sweep of the Keydets. The Paladins have now won 23 of their last 26 Southern Conference games in the friendly confines of Timmons Arena.

The Paladins celebrated the careers of four seniors in getting its fourth-straight win. Daniel Fowler, Devin Sibley, Geoff Beans and John Davis III all played t

Furman guard Devin Sibley was one of four seniors recognized on Senior Night this past
Tuesday Night at Timmons Arena/John Hooper

heir final regular-season home game in front of the home folks, as the quartet has posted a 73-59 and is tied for the second-most wins with three other senior classes in Furman basketball history. The four seniors have helped the Paladins register 62 wins since the start of the 2015-16 season.

Brown finished the night by connecting on 5-of-6 shots from the field, including going 3-for-4 from downtown in the win. Brown also went 2-for-3 from the free throw line to go with three rebounds, three steals and dished out a pair of assists. Jordan Lyons and Fowler added 12 points, while Sibley finished with 10 points and a team-leading nine boards.

Furman found itself down by as many as nine points (16-7) early, following a three-pointer by Bubba Parham with 12:35 remaining in the opening half of play. Furman would get rolling from that point, as a Clay Mounce layup with 2:44 remaining in the half gave Furman a 32-19 lead, capping a 27-3 run. VMI scored the final seven points of the opening 20 minutes, capped by a Keith Smith jumper with 34 seconds left, getting the Keydets within eight, at 34-26, at the half.

The Paladins opened the second half with a 20-5 run to open up a commanding, 54-31, lead following an Alex Hunter free throw to cap a three-point play the old fashioned way with 13:26 remaining in the game.  The Paladins would never look back in gaining their 20th win of the season.

Furman finished the contest connecting on 51.8% (29-of-56) of its shots from the field, including connecting on 42.3% (11-of-26) from three-point land. Meanwhile, Furman's defense was once again stingy, holding VMI to just 31.1% (19-of-61) shooting from the field and 34.6% (9-of-26) from three-point range. 

The Paladins owned advantages in points in the paint (34-16), points off turnovers (25-4), fast-break points (20-0) and bench points (38-30). VMI edged the Paladins in second-chance points (12-11). Furman held a 39-35 edge on the backboards, and used 18 assists to compliment 29 buckets. The Keydets finished with 12 assists on 19 made baskets. Furman connected on 7-of-10 (70%) from the free throw line, while the Keydets finished going 7-of-11 (63.6%) from the charity stripe. Furman forced 14 VMI turnovers, while committing 13 miscues of its own.

The Keydets finished with just one player in double figures, with guard Jordan Ratliffe coming off the bench to score 10 points. The Marston, N.C., product connected on 4-of-12 shots from the field, and finished 2-for-7 from beyond the arc. Ratliffe added four boards, two assists and a steal to his overall stat line.

Both teams return to action for the final weekend of Southern  Conference play. Furman will be on the road at the Ramsey Center Friday night to tangle with Western Carolina in a tip-off time set for 7 p.m. Meanwhile, VMI returns to Lexington, VA and Cameron Hall Friday night to host Samford in a 7 p.m. contest.

Southern Conference Recaps For Feb. 17

Furman was led by a season-high 20 points from junior guard Andrew Brown, as the Paladins went on the road to claim their third-straight win, with a 94-79 win over Samford in Southern Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Pete Hanna Center.

The Paladins, which claimed their 61st win since the start of the 2015-16 season, improves to 19-9 overall and 10-5 in Southern Conference play, while the Bulldogs fall to 9-20 overall and 5-11 in league action.

Brown was one of five Paladins in double figures in the game, and finished the contest connecting on 8-of-11 shots from the field, including hitting 4-of-7 from three-point land. Additionally, Brown added seven rebounds and four assists.

He was joined in double figures by Devin Sibley, who came off the bench for the third-straight game, adding 17 points and seven boards, while John Davis III (14 pts), Daniel Fowler (12 pts, 7 assists, 6 boards, 1 steal), and Matt Rafferty (12 pts, 10 rebounds 4 assists, 1 steal). For Rafferty, it marked his sixth double-double of the season, including his second-straight double-double.

The Paladins led the contest from wire-to-wire in the win, with the lead being double digits for a majority of the afternoon. The Paladins got out of the gates early, taking its first double-digit lead, at 18-7, following a Jordan Lyons triple with 13:14 remaining in the first half. The Paladins would extend their lead to as much as 16 points just a few minutes later, following a Brown triple, which extended Furman's lead to 30-14, with 8:38 remaining in the half.

Furman, which shot a blistering 59.5% (22-of-37) in the opening half of play, would take all the momentum to the halftime locker room, enjoying its largest lead of the half at 18 points, following another Lyons triple off a feed from redshirt freshman Clay Mounce, with 7.5 seconds remaining in the half, giving the Paladins a 51-33 lead. That lead would hold up as the two teams entered the halftime locker room.

After Furman started the half strong, getting out to a 21-point (54-33) lead following a Daniel Fowler three-pointer just 30 seconds into the second half, however, Samford would eventually get back into the game by 19-9 run over the next five-and-a-half minutes, as a Triston Chambers layup cut Furman's lead under double-digits, 63-54, with 14:07 left.

However, Furman would get the lead back to 15 over the next two minutes, following a 9-2 by the Paladins a 71-56 lead following a jumper by John Davis III with 12:07 remaining. The Paladins would never really be threatened again en route to the 15-point win, maintaining a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

Samford was led in the contest by five players in double figures. Fittingly, on Senior Day, Demetrius Denzel-Dyson posted 25 points to eclipse 1,000 points for his career, becoming just the third player in Bulldog history to accomplish the feat, and he did so in just two seasons. He finished the game hitting 9-of-13 shots from the field, including going 5-of-8 from three-point range. He also connected on 2-for-3 from the line. In addition to his scoring output, Denzel-Dyson also contributed four rebounds, an assist and a block.

Denzel-Dyson was joined in double figures in the contest by Triston Chambers (15 pts),  Justin Coleman (14 pts), Eric Adams (13 pts, 11 rebs), and Alex Thompson (10 pts).

The Paladins finished the contest connecting on 53.3% (40-of-75) from the field, including 47.4% (11-of-34) from three-point land. Furman got to the line just five times in the contest (3-of-5) and connected on 60% from the line.

Samford, meanwhile, managed to connect on 50% (28-of-56) from the field, and were 45.5% (10-of-22) from three-point range. The Bulldogs knocked down 68.4% (13-for-19) from the charity stripe in the loss.

The Paladins claimed advantages in points in the paint (52-28), points off turnovers (17-14) and second chance points (17-4). Samford held edges in bench scoring (31-28) and fast-break points (15-12). Furman had a sizable advantage on the backboards, out-rebounding Samford, 40-29. Furman had 24 assists on 40 made baskets, while Samford registered 15 assists on 28 made buckets.

Furman returns to Timmons Arena Tuesday night, facing VMI on Senior Night in a tip-off set for 7 p.m. The Bulldogs return to action next Friday night with a trip to Lexington, VA and VMI to face the Keydets in a tip-off set for 7 p.m. at Cameron Hall.

Magee's 45 Points Leads Wofford to Road Win and Season Sweep of Chattanooga

Junior guard Fletcher Magee scored a career-high 45 points and connected on 11 three-pointers to help Wofford to a, 74-64, Southern Conference road win over Chattanooga Saturday night at McKenzie Arena.

With the win, Wofford improved to 19-9 overall and 10-5 in Southern Conference play, while Chattanooga fell to 9-20 overall and 3-13 in league play. The Mocs tied for their worst home conference slate since the facility opened in 1981, as Chattanooga finished just 3-6 at home in league play. The Terriers recorded 10 conference wins for the fifth-straight season. 

Wofford junior guard Fletcher Magee/Photo courtesy of Wofford athletics

Magee, a junior from Orlando, FL., finished the night 17-of-26 field goals and 11-of-19 from three-point range, while three rebounds, an assist and a steal to his overall stat line. The 45 points by Magee marks first time a Terrier has posted 40 points in a game since Jan. 2, 2001, when Ian Chadwick did so in a win at Georgia Southern. At the time, Chadwick's 40-point effort marked the most in Wofford's Division I history. With his 11 triples Saturday night, Magee now has a nation-leading 125 made triples this season.  The 45-point effort Saturday night by Magee marked the sixth-highest individual scoring mark in an NCAA Division I basketball this season, and is the most in a Southern Conference game this season. 

His 11 three-point field goals are a career-high, and tied Seth Chadwick for the school record, when he connected on 11 triples on in a Feb. 15, 1997 game against Mercer. Magee's 11 triples in a game is tied for second in Southern Conference history for three-pointers made in a game, eclipsed only by Marshall's Keith Veney on Dec. 16, 1996, when he canned 15 treys in a win over Morehead State. Veney's three-pointers in a single game rank as an NCAA Division I record.  

Magee's 17 made field goals in the contest were also a personal record. With his 45-point effort, Magee has now scored in double figures in 74-straight games, and is now tied for ninth in Wofford history for scoring with former standout guard Spencer Collins, as the former teammates are tied with 1,696 points in a career for the Terriers. Magee was the only Terrier in double figures, with Trevor Stumpe and Cameron Jackson the next highest scorers for Wofford, posting seven points apiece. 

The first half saw a tight, nip-and-tuck affair, with neither team able to lead by more than four points, as the opening frame featured five lead changes and three ties, but it would be the Mocs on their home floor that would take the narrow, 32-30, lead into the halftime locker room.

The Terriers and Magee would turn it on in the second half, especially down the stretch, out-scoring the Mocs by 12 (44-32) in the second half to put Mike Young's club on the verge of fourth 20-win season in Wofford's NCAA Division I era, which began with the 1995-96 season. Magee registered 30 of Wofford's 44 second-half points. 

After both teams traded shots for the opening 11 minutes of the second half, it was a Magee three with 8:42 left in the contest put the Terriers up by four, and the Terriers would not relinquish the lead to Chattanooga the rest of the way. After the Mocs pulled within a point on two separate occasions, the Terriers were able to out-score Chattanooga 14-7 down the stretch to come up with the 10-point road win.

Wofford finished the contest shooting 48.1% (25-of-52) from the field, while holding the Mocs to just 40.4% (19-of-47) from the field. The Terriers also connected on 48.4% (14-of-29) from three-point range, including 52.9% (9-of-17) from long range in the second half. Meanwhile, the Terriers limited Chattanooga to just 38.9% (7-of-18) from three-point range in the game, including a meager 28.6% (2-of-7) from long range in the second half. 

Chattanooga had three players finish in double figures, with Makale Foreman's 18 points leading the Mocs, while Nat Dixon added 16 points, while Makinde London chipped in 12. 

Both Wofford and Chattanooga return to the hardwood this week, with the Terriers hosting second place UNC Greensboro, with tip-off time set for 7 p.m Tuesday night at the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. Chattanooga, meanwhile, will be on the road for a Friday night contest at UNC Greensboro, with tip-off for that contest slated for 7 p.m.

Mercer senior guard Jordan Strawberry/photo courtesy of Mercer athletics

Mercer's Jordan Strawberry Helps Lead Mercer to Big Win Over UNC Greensboro

Senior guard Jordan Strawberry continued his strong play of late, and scored a season-high 27 points, as he helped Mercer claim its fifth-straight Southern Conference victory, with a, 77-74, win over UNC Greensboro Saturday afternoon at Hawkins Arena. 

With the win, Mercer improves to 15-13 overall and 8-7 in Southern Conference play, while UNCG dropped to 21-7 overall and 12-3 in league play, ending what was a five-game winning streak for the Spartans. 

Strawberry, a native of Anaheim, CA., finished the afternoon by connecting on 8-of-14 shots from the field, and finished a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe, helping power what was an impressive 24-of-29 (82.8%) from the free throw line in the contest for the Bears. Strawberry also dished out five assists and added three rebounds and a crucial block of UNCG's Isaiah Miller on a dunk attempt to change the complexion of the game for the Bears. 

Strawberry was not alone in helping the Bears to the monster Southern Conference win over the Spartans, who would be the second seed in the Southern Conference Tournament if the proceedings in Asheville started tomorrow. Sophomore guard Ross Cummings, who has also stepped up big in the absence of injured leading scorer Ria'n Holland, as he posted 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, including 4-for-6 from three-point land and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. 

Mercer trailed 49-40 with a little under 14 minutes left before mounting an impressive comeback to post its most impressive Southern Conference win of the season. A 21-11 run over the next seven minutes saw the Bears take a 61-60 lead following a Cummings triple with 6:26 remaining. The Bears would never trail the rest of the afternoon, and won their first game over the Spartans since 2016, ending a four-game losing streak to the visitors. 

The turning point of the game came with 7:17 remaining in the contest, as Miller stole the ball for the Spartans and appeared to be on his way for a highlight-reel slam dunk, however, Strawberry sprinted down the floor and got a clean block on the Miller dunk attempt, and then kept going on the other end to get a layup and a foul to eventually make it a five-point swing. The three-point play the old-fashioned way would get the Bears to within two, at 60-58, and then after a UNCG turnover on its next possession, the Bears would take the lead on a Cummings three, which of course, they would never relinquish. 

In the opening half of play, Mercer jumped out to a 7-0 lead before the Spartans quickly made it 7-6. It looked as though the Bears might run away with it, using a 15-0 run to take a 25-9 on a Cummings jumper with 8:56 remaining in the opening half. A 21-6 run by the Spartans down the stretch in the opening half of play would eventually cut the Mercer lead to one, at 31-30, at the intermission. 

Cummings and Strawberry, who combined for 50 of the Bears' 77 points, were joined in double figures by senior Demetre Rivers, who posted 11 points. 

UNCG was led by talented junior All-SoCon guard Francis Alonso, who finished with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field, including 4-for-10 from three-point land and was 2-for-2 from the line. James Dickey added 11 points and three blocks, while point guard Demetrius Troy completed the double-double effort, with 10 points and 10 boards in the losing effort. 

Both teams jump back into Southern Conference action Tuesday night, with Mercer hosting Western Carolina on Senior Night at Hawkins Arena. Tip-off for that contest is set for 7 p.m. Meanwhile, UNCG will be in Spartanburg, S.C., to face the Wofford Terriers in a huge league matchup slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday night at the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.

ETSU Gets Back on Winning Track

East Tennessee State rebounded from having its 16-game winning streak snapped by UNC Greensboro last Monday night by getting a big, 72-61, Southern Conference win on the road at Western Carolina Saturday afternoon at the Ramsey Center.

With the win, ETSU improves to 23-5 overall and 14-1 in Southern Conference play, while Western Carolina fell to 12-16 overall and 7-8 in league play. 

Devontavius Payne (ETSU)/Photo courtesy of Johnson City Press

The Bucs built as much as an 18-point first-half lead, and got a game-high 22 points from Devontavius Payne. The Bucs led by as many as 23 points in the second half, however, saw the Catamounts make a late charge, but still won by a comfortable margin. 

Joining Payne in double figures in the contest were freshman guard Bo Hodges, who finished with 17 points and three steals in the contest, while Desonta Bradford was his usual self, adding another solid all-around performance, posting 10 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in the 11-point road win. 

The most notable advantages enjoyed by ETSU in the win were those which it enjoyed on the backboards, out-boarding the Catamounts, 44-24, and in bench points, posting a 26-15 advantage. ETSU shot 47% from the field in the contest, while holding the Catamounts to just 39% shooting in their home gym. 

The Bucs went to the break with a 40-25 lead, with the talented, athletic Hodges leading the way in the opening frame, posting 10 points, while Payne had eight, and Bradford finished the opening frame with six points and six boards.

In the second half, ETSU would increase its lead to 23 points, at 51-28, with 16:24 to play in the game, following a made three-pointer by Payne. The Bucs would never really be challenged the rest of the way.

Western Carolina would be led in scoring by guard Deriece Parks, who finished hitting 6-of-16 shots from the field and was was 2-for-7 from three-point land. He also finished going 3-for-4 from the charity stripe. Parks was joined in double figures by Marcus Thomas (12 pts) and Matt Halvorsen (10 pts). 

ETSU returns to the hardwood on Tuesday night, hosting The Citadel, as the Bucs end the season with three-straight home games at Freedom Hall, with tip-off against the Bulldogs set for 7 p.m. With a win on Tuesday night, the Bucs can clinch at least a share of the SoCon title. Western Carolina will be on the road in Macon, GA., to face the red-hot Mercer Bears Tuesday night at Hawkins Arena.

In the only other game of the day--between the league's two military schools--VMI gained the season sweep of The Citadel, taking a 75-71 Southern Conference at McAlister Field House in Charleston.

 The Keydets were led in the contest by freshman guard Bubba Parham, who finished the contest just one of his career-high, posting 24 points in leading the Keydets to just their second road win of the season. 

Updated Power Rankings Following Feb. 17 Results:

1. ETSU (23-5, 14-1 SoCon)

2. UNC Greensboro (21-7, 12-3 SoCon)

3. Furman (19-9, 10-5 SoCon)

4. Wofford (19-9, 10-5 SoCon)

5. Mercer (15-13, 8-7 SoCon)

6. Western Carolina (12-16, 7-8 SoCon)

7. Samford (9-20, 5-11 SoCon)

8. The Citadel (9-18, 4-11 SoCon)

9. VMI (8-18, 3-12 SoCon)

10. Chattanooga (9-20, 3-13 SoCon)

If The General Shale Brick Southern Conference Tournament Started Tomorrow:

Friday, Mar. 2, 2018

#8 The Citadel vs. #9 VMI--5 p.m.

#7 Samford vs. #10 Chattanooga-7:30 approx

Saturday, Mar. 3, 2018

#1 ETSU vs. The Citadel/VMI--12 p.m.

#4 Furman vs. #5 Mercer (tiebreaker as of now would go to Wofford because Furman has lost twice to UNCG already)--2:30 p.m. approx.

#2 UNCG vs. Samford/Chattanooga winner--6 p.m.

#3 Wofford vs. #6 Western Carolina--9:30 p.m. approx

Furman set to Face Chattanooga on Office Night

Furman (17-9, 8-5 SoCon) hosts Chattanooga (9-18, 3-11 SoCon) in a key Southern Conference clash at Timmons Arena. Furman comes in have won 22 of its last 25 league games inside the friendly confines, with only UNC Greensboro (twice) and ETSU having been able to knock off the Paladins in their own fortress.

Chattanooga came pretty close last season, as the Paladins needed a late surge to finally put away the Mocs, with a 60-56 win in last February's meeting at Timmons Arena. Earlier this season, the Paladins and Mocs met in the Scenic City, with Furman able to pull away midway through the second half and get a 73-55 win over the Mocs.

Of course, Lamont Paris' club is a completely different one than the one that were the preseason favorites and defending Southern Conference Tournament champions that came to Greenville last season.

While the Mocs are young, they are talented and have improved as the season has progressed. The Paladins, who come into the contest off one of their best performances of the season, getting a 76-52 win over Wofford this past Saturday, can't afford to rest on the laurels of that performance. In this league this season, that has proven to be detrimental. Despite the struggles of a young basketball team, the Mocs have done something the Paladins haven't this year, as they are one of only two teams in the SoCon to claim a triumph over UNC Greensboro. Furman lost both games to the Spartans.

Chattanooga comes into Thursday night's clash coming off an 84-75 loss vs. Mercer at McKenzie Arena, and the Mocs will be on the road for three of their final four league games. Chattanooga will celebrate Senior Day by hosting Wofford Saturday evening at the Roundhouse.

The Mocs have been without leading scorer Nat Dixon (14.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG) each of the past two games for undisclosed reasons. That has put even more pressure on others to step up for the Mocs. Remember earlier this season, the Mocs were without big man Makinde London (13.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG) for a few games, and also have suffered other injuries elsewhere on the roster throughout the season so far.

The Mocs leading scorer if Dixon doesn't play tonight will be Rodney Chatman (13.4, 4.4 RPG), who has really come into his own as both a leader and a scorer in his second season with the Mocs. Chatman is coming off a 24-point performance last time out in a loss at Mercer. Chatman comes into the contest ranking third in the SoCon and 86th nationally in assists-per-game, averaging 4.8 helpers-per-contest.

Makale Foreman (9.5 PPG, 1.8 RPG) and and David Jean-Baptiste (6.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG) will team with Chatman as starters in the backcourt for the Mocs. Foreman has had some big performances for the Mocs this season, and he posted two of his best games of the season against The Citadel this season, with a career-high 30 points in the loss down in Charleston, while posting 22 points in the win against The Citadel at home last week.

Rounding out the starters will be Joshua Phillips (9.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG) and James Lewis, Jr. (8.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG). Phillips, who also played football for the Mocs, is one of the team's best athletes. Phillips turned in a solid game the first time around against the Paladins, posting 12 points and three rebounds. He can be a good defensive presence as well, having posted 10 blocks this season. James Lewis Jr. has three 15-point performances this season, with two coming in non-conference play and a 15-point effort in league play in a loss to VMI.

If Dixon doesn't play, London will be the top player coming off the bench and might be the toughest matchup personnel-wise for the Paladins due to his ability to score inside or outside, and his ability to hit the boards hard. In a game earlier this season in non-conference play prior to his injury, he posted 25 points and 18 boards in a narrow setback to Marshall.

London has back-to-back double-figure scoring performances, with 16 and 15 point performances, respectively, against both The Citadel and Mercer. In conference play, London had 21 points and 16 boards in a loss at Samford. London, like UNCG's Kuiper, is one of the best long-range shooters for a big man in the SoCon this season, having connected on 38 triples. He also leads the team with 20 blocks.

Furman sits on the verge of its 60th win since the start of the 2015-16 season, which impressive considering where this program was at the start of the 2014-15 season. Furman's record is 59-37 since the start of the 2015-16 season.

The Paladins are one of the most experienced teams in the Southern Conference, with veteran leadership, which includes a core of four experienced seniors of Devin Sibley (14.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG), John Davis III (12.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 39 steals), Daniel Fowler (11.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG), and Geoff Beans (3.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG), who have combined to start 327 games in their respective careers. It will be the second-to-last home game for the Paladins.

Sibley, who did not start the last game due to a coaches decision, was the Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year and has remained one of the top players in the SoCon this season, despite struggle at times as an offensive threat.

While his struggles have come at times on the offensive end, Sibley has shown why his so highly thought of with his contributions in other areas, particularly as a defender, distributor and rebounder. The Knoxville, Tenn native 11 points in the first meeting this season with the Mocs, and had a season-high 26 points in a home win over The Citadel. Sibley ranks sixth in the SoCon in field goal percentage so far this season, connecting on 44.2% of his shots.

Fowler and Davis have been solid as always in the starting five for the Paladins in their respective senior campaigns, while Beans continues to excel in whatever role he has had to undertake this season, whether it be as a starter or a player coming off the bench. Those his perimeter shooting has been somewhat down, Beans has stepped up in other areas, most notably defensively, but also other areas that don't necessarily show up on a stats sheet, which includes things like charges taken.

In the paint, Furman has gotten its most solid and consistent season out of 6-7 junior forward Matt Rafferty (11.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG). The 6-7 junior from Hinsdale, Ill., has been not only a consistent scorer, but also as a rebounder, distributor and defender. Rafferty enters Thursday's matchup with the Mocs ranking second in rebounds-per-game (7.5 RPG) and fifth in steals (40 steals/1.5 SPG).

Fowler, too, has had an outstanding senior season and has continued to be one of the top one-on-one defenders in the SoCon this season. He has also been the model of consistency on the offensive end of the floor. He ranks tied for 11th in the SoCon in assists this season, averaging 3.0 helpers-per-game, while ranking as the career active leader and sixth overall in the league in steals this season, averaging 1.5 thefts per game.

Off the bench, the Paladins will rely on the athleticism of 6-7 forward Clay Mounce (4.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG) and center Jalen Williams (2.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG), while Jordan Lyons continues to be one of the top sixth men in the league, despite getting the start last time out against Wofford. Keep an eye on backup point guard and true freshman point guard Alex Hunter (2.9 PPG, 1.4 RPG) as well, who is emerging as one of Furman's best on-the-ball defenders, along with Fowler.

Furman will be in search of its first sweep of Chattanooga since the 2006-07 season.



  

UNCG Notches Big Southern Conference Win

UNC Greensboro Pulls Within a Game of League Leading ETSU in the Loss Column

UNC Greensboro blocked a school-record 14 shots en route to ending the nation's longest winning streak at 16 games, as the Spartans posted a 74-56 win over East Tennessee State in Southern Conference basketball action Monday night at the Greensboro Coliseum.

With the win, the Spartans improved to 20-6 overall and 11-2 in Southern Conference play, while the Bucs fell to 22-5 overall and 13-1 in league play. The 20th win by the Spartans marks the first time since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1993-94 that UNCG has registered back-to-back 20-win campaigns.

Francis Alonso went for 20 pts/photo courtesy UNCG athletics

The Spartans posted a 25-10 mark and qualified for the NIT last season. The Spartans also set a new school-record for home wins, having posted a 14-1 record at both the Greensboro Coliseum and Fleming Gym this season. It was the ninth win in the past 10 games for the Spartans, and was UNCG's fourth-straight win. The win by UNCG avenged what was a 68-58 loss to the Bucs back on Jan. 13, and the Bucs have won three of the past five matchups between the two programs, which dates back to the start of the 2016-17 season, with ETSU claiming one of its two wins in the 2017 Southern Conference championship game, with a 79-74 win.

The Spartans put on another defensive exhibition Monday night, as the nation's eighth-ranked scoring defense held the Bucs to a season lows for points (56), field goal percentage (30.3%), while also blocking a school-record 14 shots. Sophomore center James Dickey came into the game as the SoCon's leading shot blocker with 46 on the season, and on Monday night, he showed why, blocking a single-game school-record with eight blocks in the win. 

Dickey's eight blocks against the Spartans surpassed the previous record of seven swats set by former Southern Conference and Spartan great Kyle Hines. Hines blocked seven shots in a game five times in his standout career, which spanned from 2004-08. In addition to his eight blocks, Dickey also added eight points and seven rebounds to his overall stat line. 

The Spartans had three players finish with double-figure scoring efforts, with Francis Alonso leading the way with 20 points . Alonso finished the night connecting on 6-of-13 shots from the field, including 3-for-7 from three-point land and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. In addition to his point production, Alonso also posted two steals, two rebounds and an assist in the win. 

In addition to Alonso, junior guard Demetrius Troy and senior forward Jordy Kuiper and added 17 and 13 points, respectively, to the UNCG cause. 

The Spartans looked like they might break the game wide open in the opening half of play, using a 10-2 run to race out to a 23-11 lead after an Alonso layup with 10:33 remaining in the opening frame. However, the Bucs would eventually close to within two by the halftime break, at 33-31, after Jalan McCloud connected on a three as time expired in the half, as the Bucs closed the half on a 20-8 run to close the gap.

In the second half, the Spartans didn't let that momentum established by the Bucs on the McCloud triple, as UNCG would stretch its lead back to seven following a 7-2 spurt to open up a 40-33 lead following an Alonso triple and a Kuiper layup off the glass with 17:38 remaining in the game. 

After ETSU narrowed the UNCG lead to five, at 44-39, following a Devontavius Payne triple with 9:53 to play. However, the Spartans would score the next nine points of the game to open up a 14-point lead (53-39) after a Kuiper triple with 11:14 left. Over the final 11 minutes, the Spartans' lead would never dip below double digits, and the Spartans would extend their lead to as much as 20 points on a triple from Marvin Smith triple with 1:04 remaining, giving UNCG its largest lead of the game, at 74-54. 

That Smith triple completed a 17-8 run down the stretch to put the game out of reach. ETSU's Desonta Bradford capped the game with two of his game-high 21 points on an angry, emphatic dunk to set the final margin. 

 Bradford was the only Buccaneer player in double figures, posting 21 points on 8-of-22 shooting from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range. Bradford also connected on 4-of-5 shots from the charity stripe. In addition to his scoring performance, Bradford added six boards, four steals and an assist to round out his night. 

The Bucs had a season-low four assists on 20 made field goals, connecting on 20-of-66 shots in the game. The Bucs did hold advantages on the backboards (42-40), bench scoring (22-11), points off turnovers (17-10), and second-chance points (20-12). 

Meanwhile, the Spartans held a narrow advantage in points in the paint (28-26) and shot the ball at a 49.1% (27-of-55) clip from the field for the game, including an impressive 55% (11-of-20) from three-point land. The Spartans knocked down 69.2% from their shots from the charity stripe (9-of-13) for the game. The Spartans turned the ball over 14 times, while forcing 10 ETSU miscues. UNCG recorded 13 assists on 27 made baskets.  

UNCG returns to action Thursday night, with a trip to The Citadel's McAlister Field House in a tip-off time set for 7 p.m. ETSU will look to get back on the winning track on Saturday, with a short trek over to Cullowhee, N.C., to take on the Western Carolina Catamounts. Tip-off time is set for 2 p.m. for that contest. 

Mercer Claims Third Straight Win; Top Samford 74-69

Mercer claimed its third-straight Southern Conference win, as the Bears downed Samford, 74-69, Monday night at the Pete Hanna Center.

With the win, the Bears improved to 13-13 overall and 6-7 in Southern Conference play, while Samford fell to 9-19 overall and 5-10 in league action. The Bears put themselves in prime positioning to draw one of the top six seeds for the upcoming Southern Conference Tournament in Asheville next month. The win gives Mercer, who defeated Samford 81-50 at Hawkins Arena last month, the season sweep of the Bulldogs. 

Mercer's Ross Cummings/Photo courtesy of Mercer athletics

Sophomore sharp-shooter Ross Cummings continued his strong play of late, leading three Bears in double figures, as he posted a game-high 21 points in the win. For the game, Cummings connected on 7-of-15 shots from the field, including 4-for-10 from three-point range and was 3-of-4 from the charity stripe. He also added four boards, a steal and an assist to his overall stat line. Thirteen of Cummings 21 points came in the second half. 

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Jordan Strawberry and Demetre Rivers closed out the double-figure scorers for the Bears, adding 18 and 13 points, respectively. Strawberry also added six rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals in what was another solid effort, shouldering more of the load in the backcourt with the continued absence of top-scorer Ria'n Holland, who continues to recover from a wrist injury. 

Mercer ran out to the early lead in the opening half and never trailed. After Samford went on a 5-0 run to tie the game, 22-22, with an Alex Thompson layup with a little over four minutes remaining, the Bears ended the half on a 12-6 run to take a 34-28 lead to the break following a Ryan Johnson layup with four seconds remaining. 

In the second half, Samford opened the second frame in good form, racing out of the locker room with an 8-0 run to take a 36-34 lead following a Thompson triple with 17:41 remaining in the contest. But nine unanswered points by the Bears saw them take the lead back, at 43-36, following a Strawberry charity shot with 14 minutes to play. Despite a four-minute stretch without points, the Bears were able to not relinquish the lead, hitting some clutch foul shots in the process. The Bulldogs would tie the game once more, with a Thompson jumper with seven minutes remaining to tie the game, 57-57. 

However, despite the Bulldogs getting within one three times in the final seven minutes, an important 3:14 scoring drought from the field created by the Mercer's stout defense to close the game proved to be enough.

Samford was led in scoring by Triston Chambers, who finished with 16 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-for-7 from long-range. He was also a perfect 5-for-5 from the line with a steal to lead three Bulldogs in double figures. Thompson and sophomore point guard Josh Sharkey rounded out the double figure scorers for the Bulldogs, posting 15 points apiece. Sharkey led the Bulldogs with eight assists, while Justin Coleman dished out seven helpers in the losing effort.

Mercer returns to the hardwood in search of its fourth-straight win when it hosts VMI Thursday night at Hawkins Arena, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. Meanwhile, Samford will be back in action Saturday when it welcomes Furman to the Pete Hanna Center for a 2 p.m. tip-off.

If The General Shale Brick Southern Conference Tournament Started Tomorrow:

Thursday, Mar. 2, 2018

#8 The Citadel vs. #9 Chattanooga--5 p.m.

#7 Samford vs. #10 VMI--7:30 approx

Friday, Mar. 3, 2018

#1 ETSU vs. The Citadel/Chattanooga--12 p.m.

#4 Furman vs. #5 Western Carolina (tiebreaker as of now would go to Wofford because Furman has lost twice to UNCG already)--2:30 p.m. approx.

#2 UNCG vs. #Samford/VMI winner--6 p.m.

#3 Wofford vs. #6 Mercer--9:30 p.m. approx

Looking Back at Saturday's SoCon Hoops

Wofford raced out to an 11-2 lead, but Furman responded with a 37-10 run to end the half and never looked back en route to its biggest win over Wofford since the 2005-06 season, as the Paladins snapped a two-game losing streak with a 76-52 Southern Conference win over the Terriers in front of a raucous 2,552 fans  Saturday evening at Timmons Arena. 

With the win, Furman improves to 17-9 overall and 8-5 in Southern Conference action. Wofford fell to 17-9 overall and 8-5 in league play. The win pulls Furman into a tie for third with the Terriers in the Southern Conference standings. 

Furman was led in the contest by John Davis III, who posted 13 points, while Daniel Fowler added 12 points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds in the win. Davis finished the contest by connecting on connecting on 5-of-9 shots from the field and 3-for-6 from three-point range. Davis also added a pair of steals, two rebounds and dished out three assists. Matt Rafferty just missed a double-double, with nine points and a team-leading 10 rebounds. 

Furman won its third-straight game over Wofford at Timmons Arena/Photo by John Hooper

Furman held Wofford to just 35.2% shooting from the field and the 52 points by the Terriers matched a season-low, which South Carolina also managed to do in the season-opener in the debut at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium back in early November. 

The 21 first-half points by the Terriers were also a season-low, eclipsing the previous season-low mark of 22 points in an opening half, which came in a loss at Texas Tech earlier this season.

The Terriers got off to a fast start, and a tip-in by Matthew Pegram gave the Terriers an early 11-2 lead, prompting a Bob Richey timeout at the 16:46 mark. 

From there, Furman mounted an 18-0 run to take control of the game, with the run having been started by a John Davis III three-pointer at the 15:53 mark and ended with a Devin Sibley layup at the 9:31 mark to give the Paladins an 18-11 lead. After scoring 11 points in the first 3:14 of the game, the Terriers managed just 10 points over the final 16:46 of the frame, and trailed 39-21 at the break.

In the opening frame, Furman got an injection of adrenaline from its bench, and in particular, redshirt sophomore and redshirt freshman Clay Mounce, who combined for four thunderous dunks, a pair of blocks and 12 first-half points to ignite the Furman crowd. 

In the second half, Furman's lead would grow its lead to as much as 31 points in the second half, at 71-40, following a steal by Jordan Lyons and a layup by Alex Hunter with 5:23 left. The game was academic at that point. 

Defense was the name of the game, and a combination of Andrew Brown, Daniel Fowler and Alex Hunter limited prolific Wofford scoring threat Fletcher Magee to just 10 points, including just 1-of-4 from three-point land. 

Wofford was led in the contest by a pair of players in double-figure scorers, as Fletcher Magee and Nathan Hoover posted 10 points apiece in the loss.

UNCG hosts ETSU in a Battle of Top Two SoCon Teams Monday Night

The rivalry will be renewed tonight. East Tennessee State (22-4, 13-0 SoCon), which is tied for the nation’s longest winning streak travels to face another red-hot team in the SoCon tonight, in the UNC Greensboro Spartans (19-6, 10-2 SoCon).

The Bucs, who are tied for the nation’s longest winning streak with Cincinnati, face a UNCG team tonight that has claimed eight out of its last nine on the hardwood, including having posted a 13-1 record on its home floor this season, and a 12-1 record at the Greensboro Coliseum. UNCG played on its secondary home floor—Fleming Gym— on Saturday in a 65-48 win over Western Carolina.

Mladen Armus and Belgrade, Serbia native posted 13 points and six boards in the first meeting between the two rivals/Photo Courtesy of ETSU athletics.

Monday night’s game not only gives ETSU a chance for a school-record win streak, which would eclipse the 2003-04 Bucs, but it will also give UNCG a chance to produce consecutive 20-win campaigns for the first time since joining the Division I ranks in 1993-94.

Coming into the matchup, the Spartans have posted a 44-16 record since the start of the 2016-17 season, and ETSU has a 49-12 over the past two campaigns. The Spartans are 24-6 in SoCon games, and the Bucs are 27-4 in league games, having yet to taste defeat against a league foe this season.

After losing both regular-season meetings to the Spartans last season, ETSU has claimed two-straight wins since, including a 68-58 win in Johnson City back in early January, while also winning the 2017 General Shale Southern Conference Tournament title game by taking a 79-74 win over the Spartans in Asheville.

Matchups To Watch:

In a matchup between the SoCon’s two top defensive squads, it’s only natural to keep an eye on the big men, and the Spartans and Bucs have two of the best in the league in terms of rim protectors.

ETSU’s seven-foot center Peter Jurkin (8.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG) and UNCG’s 6-10 James Dickey represent two of the league’s very best centers. DIckey leads the SoCon in a pair of different categories, including blocked shots (47/2.0 BPG) and rebounding (8.4 RPG). The wildcard in the game for the Bucs might be Mladen Armus (5.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG), who played very well against UNCG in the first meeting between the two. The native of Belgrade, Serbia posted 13 points and six boards in the 10-point win by the Bucs over the Spartans earlier this season.

Then you also have the backcourt matchups to watch, and particularly the one between UNCG’s Francis Alonso and ETSU’s do-everything guard Desonta Bradford. Alonso will likely draw the defensive assignment of ETSU’s Jermaine Long, who, along with Furman’s Daniel Fowler, is probably the best on-the-ball defender in the SoCon.

Bradford, of course, is probably the league’s leading candidate for player of the year to this point, ranking in the top ten in several categories. He comes into tonight’s clash with the Spartans ranking third in scoring (15.2 PPG), eighth in rebounding (5.8 RPG), 10th in assists (3.5 APG), ninth in free throw percentage (75.2%), third in field goal percentage (49.1%) 10th in assists (3.5 APG), and second in steals (46/1.8 SPG).

Alonso has been one of the league’s most prolific three-point specialists and scorers this season. The junior from Malaga, Spain comes in second in the SoCon in scoring average (16.4 PPG) and third in three-point field goals made (86/3.4 PG).

Getting Defensive:

In nine of 11 conference games this season, the Spartans have held foes under 70 points in a game, and have only lost once to a conference foe when holding a team under 70 this season, with the only team claiming a win over the Spartans being ETSU early in league play.

As a team, Bucs come in ranking tops in the league in blocked shots (4.1 BPG), three-point field goal percentage defense (31.1%) and field goal percentage defense (39.6%), and rank second in scoring defense (65.2 PPG).

Meanwhile, the Spartans lead the SoCon in scoring defense (62.8 PPG) and rank second in field goal percentage defense (41.6%), tied for second in three-point field goal percentage defense (31.6%) and blocked shots (3.4 BPG). One item of note to keep an eye tonight will be rebounding, with the Spartans leading the league in rebounding margin, at +6.6.

Significance of a Victory:

—For ETSU, it would pretty much lock up a second-straight regular-season Southern Conference crown for Steve Forbes’ crew. It would also maintain the season’s longest NCAA Division I winning streak, and would mark a school-record 17th-straight win for a Buccaneer basketball tradition that rivals most at the Division I level.

—For UNCG, it mark a second-straight 20-win season and would mark the first time that has happened since joining the highest level of college basketball in 1993-94. It would also keep the Spartans in the running, at least, for a league regular-season title, but they would need help along the way.

Who Wins: ETSU 69, UNCG 66

Other League Notes:

—Furman’s 76-52 win over Wofford brought the Paladins into a tie for third-place in the league standings. It marked Furman’s first significant win over one of the league’s so-called upper-echelon foes, which includes ETSU, UNCG and Wofford.

—Samford’s 116-103 win over The Citadel gave the Birmingham version of the Bulldogs the season sweep of The Citadel. Zane Najdawi’s 33 points represent his second 30-point game of the season, with both coming in SoCon play.

—Mercer’s 73-65 win over Chattanooga at Hawkins Arena Saturday marked the Bears second-in-a-row. In the other huge SoCon matchup Monday night, Bob Hoffman’s Bears travel to the Pete Hanna Center to face Samford with huge Southern Conference Tournament seeding implications.

—Wofford’s 52 points in Saturday’s loss at Furman matched a season low. The 21 first-half points eclipsed a previous low 22 first-half points in a loss at Texas Tech earlier this season.

Power Rankings:

ETSU
UNCG
Furman
Wofford
Mercer
Western Carolina
Samford
The Citadel
Chattanooga
VMI

A Pair of Important SoCon Matchups Highlight Thursday Night in the SoCon

Western Carolina forward Mike Amius/Photo courtesy of WCU athletics

After last night's two games, which saw a pair of double-digit wins by Wofford and UNC Greensboro, respectively, tonight's two games figure to be closer contests.

Western Carolina travels to VMI for a key Southern Conference tilt at Cameron Hall, as the Catamounts could force a tie for fourth-place with Furman in the standings with a road win over the Keydets tonight.

The Catamounts sit in prime position to end up with a bye in the opening round of the Southern Conference Tournament in three weeks in Asheville. For a VMI, a win would do wonders for Dan Earl's Keydets, who look to make a run themselves towards the No. 6 seed in Asheville in three weeks, and a win would put the Keydets within a half-game of eighth-place Samford after the Bulldogs' loss at Wofford last night.

Western Carolina was able to take a 65-58 win over the Keydets in the earlier meeting this season in Cullowhee at the Ramsey Center.

In the second game, Chattanooga will host red-hot The Citadel in another key Southern Conference tilt. The Bulldogs have posted back-to-back wins over two of the SoCon's top five teams, with wins over both Wofford and in one of the best games of the SoCon season, a 100-92 overtime win over the Furman Paladins.

The Bulldogs face a Chattanooga team that has seemingly transformed itself into a competitive tough out for any league foe, as opposed to the one that started league play and struggled. Part of the reason the Mocs have improved is they are starting to get players back to 100% after some early season injuries. The other major reason the Mocs have seen such improvement under first-year head coach Lamont Paris has much to do with the team maturing as the season has progressed. It's no secret that the Mocs have one of the youngest teams in the nation, with an average age of 19.

From the middle of January until the present, the Mocs have steadily gained confidence. Despite the fact that the Mocs come in with two-straight losses at East Tennessee State (L, 61-81) and at Western Carolina (L, 68-70). That came on the heels of Chattanooga's signature win of the season, which came against UNC Greensboro, as the Mocs claimed a SoCon instant classic, 87-85, double-overtime win over the Spartans.

In the first meeting between The Citadel and Chattanooga this season, which was at McAlister Field House in Charleston, the Mocs dropped a 110-101 contest to the Bulldogs. The Mocs have played four overtime games this season, with three of those games coming in Southern Conference play. The four overtime games this season are most among any of the 10-member SoCon schools. A win by the Bulldogs tonight would put them a half-game ahead of Mercer in the standings for the sixth and final bye seed.

Players to Watch Tonight:

An argument could be made for Western Carolina's transfer big Mike Amius as newcomer of the year in the SoCon tonight. Amius is athletic, and his addition has transformed the prospects of Larry Hunter's Catamounts this season.

He comes in averaging 13.0 PPG and 5.9 RPG, and he has been instrumental in wins for the Catamounts in both conference and non-conference play this season. In a win over Appalachian State, Amius' dunk helped secure a narrow 72-71 win over their mountain rivals. In league play, Amius has posted several strong performances worthy of mention, including 13 points and 12 rebounds the last time out in the 88-71 win over Samford at the Ramsey Center this past Saturday.

VMI has been led by its own newcomer this season, in true freshman guard Bubba Parham, who should make a serious run for SoCon Freshman of the Year honors. Parham has led all freshmen in the Southern Conference in scoring for a good portion of the season, and comes into tonight's battle with the Catamounts averaging 15.0 PPG and 3.0 RPG. He currently ranks third overall in the Southern Conference in scoring.

The Citadel's Zane Najdawi has been one of the top scoring posts in the league over the past few weeks, and comes into this evening's game with Chattanooga as the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week. That's because the junior forward from Midlothian, VA., averaged 22 points and 8.5 RPG in wins over Wofford and Furman. Najdawi's 37 points in  the earlier win over Chattanooga in mid-January remains a SoCon season-high for points.

He comes into tonight's clash with the Mocs after having posted a double-double of 28 points and 10 rebounds in The Citadel's come-from-behind overtime win over Furman last time out. This season, Najdawi, who comes into the game with the Mocs averaging 14.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG, has posted double figures in 14 of 23 games for The Citadel, including having done so in each of the past nine outings for the Bulldogs.

For the Mocs, keep an eye on talented guard Nat Dixon, who comes in playing some of his basketball for Chattanooga of late. Dixon has posted double-figure scoring performances in 22 of 25 games for the Mocs this season, and the 6-4 junior guard had a streak of 14-straight games in double figures snapped last time out in a 20-point loss at arch-rival East Tennessee Ststge, posting just seven points. He posted a season and career-high of 30 points in the double-overtime win over UNC Greensboro a little over a week ago. He comes into the matchup against the Bulldogs averaging 14.9 PPG and 4.7 RPG.

Odds and Ends:

--East Tennessee State has won 15 games in a row and a win Saturday at VMI could mark a 16th-straight, which would tie the longest winning streak in school history with the 2003-04 Bucs. ETSU's 2003-04 team went on to win the Southern Conference crown that season, with a victory in the North Charleston Coliseum over the Jeff Lebo-led Chattanooga Mocs.

--Furman has only lost to three Southern Conference teams inside the friendly confines of Timmons Arena since the start of the 2015-16 season, or have won 21 of the last 24 inside the friendly confines against SoCon competition. UNC Greensboro holds the distinction of claiming a pair of those wins. The Spartans claimed a 73-52 win over the Paladins last season in late February, while also posting an 80-67 win last night. The only other Southern Conference foe to win at Furman since the start of the 2015-16 season is East Tennessee State, which claimed a 62-61 win over Furman at Timmons Arena in mid-January.

--A big SoCon matchup is directly ahead of us. The matchup Saturday between Furman and Wofford at Timmons Arena will go a long way in likely deciding the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds for the upcoming Southern Conference Tournament. With a Furman win, it can stay in the hunt for a No. 3 seed and would be tied with the Terriers in the league standings. A win by Wofford, and it would help the Terriers gain a stronger grip on No. 3 heading to Asheville in a few weeks. Wofford won the first meeting between the two this season, with a 79-70 triumph over the Paladins back on Jan. 13. After starting the SoCon with its best start since 1986-87 by winning their first four league games, the Paladins have gone just 3-4 since and have not beaten a top three squad in the league yet this season.