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.
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| Wofford junior guard Fletcher Magee/Photo courtesy of Wofford athletics |
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.
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| 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.
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| Devontavius Payne (ETSU)/Photo courtesy of Johnson City Press |
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
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