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| UNCG and ETSU contested the SoCon title for the second straight season in Asheville. |
Asheville once again played host to the the nation's oldest conference tournament, and the Spartans would take wins over The Citadel (72-57), Wofford (56-55) and East Tennessee State (62-47) to claim punch their ticket to the Big Dance.
Reflecting Back on 2001:
It had been just four years since UNC Greensboro's first Southern Conference tournament as a rookie member, and in 2001, the Spartans claimed a 67-66 win over Chattanooga on a David Schuck buzzer-beater at the BILO Center in Greenville, S.C., claiming the program's second NCAA Tournament appearance and first as the Southern Conference member. Until Monday night, it was the only basketball memory that many UNCG basketball fans didn't know they would experience again, unitl of course, Monday night in Asheville.
It seemed like a time long by the last time a UNCG team won a Southern Conference basketball title. That 2001 team was led by coach Fran McCaffery, who is now the head coach at Iowa. McCaffery had the likes of not only Schuck, but others like guards Courtney Eldridge and Jay Joseph, as well as another forwards, James Maye, Schuck, and Nathan Popp, who also had an outstanding career for the Spartans.
UNCG knocked off Western Carolina (91-69), Davidson (73-68) and Chattanooga (67-66) en route to winning the title in Greenville, S.C., at the BILO Center. The Spartans, who had a talented team the year before in Greenville, losing to Furman, 77-61, with the likes of all-conference big men Demetrius Cherry, Luke Boythe and Popp, would get their reward a year later in the same venue.
Int the title game against the Mocs, Clyde McCully would seemingly lead the Henry Dickerson-led Mocs to their first NCAA Tournament since the 1997 team that made the Sweet Sixteen, when he knocked down a jumper with 2.6 seconds remaining to give the Spartans a 66-65 lead. However, Air Force transfer David Schuck reeled in a long pass from Jay Joseph, and he proceeded haul in the 75-foot pass, and Schuck caught the ball just beyond the free throw line, and he went around Chattanooga's Michael Townsend and put up a shot as time expired, hitting the short jumper which sent UNCG fans off into wild celebrations in Greenville.
The play, interestingly enough, was not even meant for Schuck, as he was the last option. Joseph was supposed to hit a player streaking down the right or left wing for a potential layup attempt, however, when those players were covered, Joseph opted to throw the 75-foot pass to Schuck between the top of the key and just beyond the free throw line for the game-winning play.
UNCG would go on to make its second NCAA appearance, meeting Stanford in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, as the Spartans were a No. 16 seed out west, taking on the top-seeded Stanford Cardinal, dropping an 89-60 decision to the Cardinal in the Spartans' first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a Southern Conference member.
Reviewing The Spartans' 2018 Run To The Southern Conference Tournament Title:
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| UNCG opened its tournament run with a win over The Citadel |
UNCG opened Southern Conference play as the top overall seed, facing off against #8 seed The Citadel in Saturday's first quarterfinal matchup.
The high-octane Bulldogs under the direction of Duggar Baucom were looking to avenge a pair of regular season losses to UNCG, as the Spartans claimed a 72-58 win over The Citadel in Greensboro and an 82-66 win in Charleston. It would turn out to be more of the same trend on a neutral floor in Asheville, as UNCG opened its 2018 title run with a 72-58 win over the Bulldogs.
UNCG went to the halftime locker room with just a one-point, 29-28, lead. The Spartans would open the game up in the second half, using a 18-10 run in the opening 11 minutes of the half to open up some breathing room, taking a 47-38 lead following a three-pointer by Marvin Smith with 8:42 remaining in the game. Perhaps the more impressive thing is what the Spartans did defensively against the best scoring team in the Southern Conference, which was hold the Bulldogs to just 10 points in the opening 11 minutes of the second half.
In fact, the 58 points matched a season-low for the Bulldogs, which of course, UNCG held the Bulldogs to in one of the earlier regular-season meetings. The Bulldogs were limited to just 35.1% (20-of-57) shooting from the field in the contest, and 28.2% (11-of-39) from three-point range.
UNCG was led in the contest by five players in double figures, with Demetrius Troy leading the way with 14 points, four boards, three assists and two steals. Center James Dickey added 13 points and three blocks, while guards Francis Alonso, Marvin Smith and Isaiah Miller added 12 and 10 points, respectively, to round out the double figure scorers for the Spartans.
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| UNCG had to survive three-straight shots on the final possession from Wofford to make the title game. |
The semifinal clash with No. 5 seed Wofford proved to be the game of the tournament. It was a battle royale on both ends of the floor.
UNCG ended up surviving to get a 56-55 win over the Terriers, but the win certainly didn't come easy for the Spartans.
This one the one game of the 2018 Southern Conference Tournament that the Spartans were never really ever able to create any separation from their opposition.
UNCG won both regualr-season meetings, claiming a 71-67 win in the final game of 2017 at the Greensboro Coliseum, and the Spartans posted a 76-66 win over the Terriers on Feb. 20 at Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium. In the quarterfinals, Wofford was able to avenge a pair of regular-season losses to an opponent, when they were able to knock off red-hot Mercer, who came into the tournament winners of eight-straight, 73-53. The Terriers were hoping to spoil the party for the Spartans as well.
To open the game, UNCG was three-point happy, launching 16 of its first 25 shots from the field from long-range, hitting just four of those shots. The Spartans would work the ball inside more in the second half.
Wofford headed into the halftime locker room with a slim 27-26 lead. The opening half of basketball at the US Cellular Center saw neither team lead by more than seven points, which would be true of the entire game. UNCG got out to an early 11-4 lead before Wofford came roaring back, eventually taking their first lead of the game, at 18-17, following a Nathan Hoover drive to the basket and layup off the left side.
In the second half, things would continue to be intense in what was the most contested game of the 2018 General Shale Southern Conference Tournament. A crucial point in the game between the Spartans came just after the first media timeout of the second half. Sharp-shooting junior guard Fletcher Magee used a four-point play to give Wofford a 37-34 lead with 13:24 left. Then, less than a minute later, he canned another three, which bounced on the rim a couple of times before falling through the hoop, giving the Terriers a quick 7-0 spurt and a 40-34 lead--their largest of the evening.
That 7-0 run by Magee and the Terriers to take a six-point lead was met by a swift, 9-0 run by the Spartans, culminating with a Kylia Sykes still and layup, giving the Spartans a 43-40 lead with 8:10 remaining, leading to a Wofford timeout by veteran head coach Mike Young.
The Spartans and Terriers would battle it out the rest of the way, with the momentum of the game see-sawing back and forth. The game came down to Alonso doing what he has done to Wofford time and time again: hitting clutch shots. The junior from Malaga, Spain had ice water in his veins. Although he finished 5-for-15 from the field — including 3-for-10 from three-point range — and 13 points, his third triple of the night with 20 seconds left that proved to be Wofford’s dagger, and eventually proved the game-winner.
“All I have to say is it was a really tough game. But I have to say my teammates were the ones that gave me confidence at all times,” said junior guard Francis Alonso. “Even though I wasn’t shooting the ball well, when you have great teammates that have your back, you feel at the end of a possession, shots are going to go in. I knew I was feeling good. I’ve been working a lot this summer and I’m really happy we pulled it off.”
The Spartans had to hold off pesky guards Fletcher Magee and Storm Murphy to find their way back to Monday night’s title, surviving three shots — two from Magee — on the final possession.
Trailing 56-55 following a Mike Young timeout with 13 ticks remaining, the Terriers set up a play off a hand-off from Cameron Jackson in the corner, and Fletcher’s shot from the right corner was short, but he followed his own shot, tossing up a second shot from about 15 which was long.
That was when Murphy ran down the ball, and after pump-faking a UNCG defender, let a shot go from the right elbow that was short and clanged off front iron as the buzzer sounded. That would allow the Spartans to make their second-straight championship game.
The championship game of the 2018 Southern Conference Tournament would turn out to be a rematch from 2017, as UNCG took on East Tennessee State for the title.
The Bucs and Spartans battled in the first half, much like the Spartans had done the evening before against Wofford before surviving the Terriers and three final shots which could have and would have taken the Spartans out of a rematch with the Bucs in the title game.
But UNCG dug deep, and with the game 25-25 at the half, the Spartans would create some separation in the second half.
A key 10-0 run by UNCG after ETSU had taken a 28-27 lead was clutch, highlighted by a pair of Jordy Kuiper triples, and that proved to be enough for Miller’s club with the way it had locked teams down defensively all weekend. Kuiper’s back-to-back three-pointers were followed four made free throws from Isaiah Miller and James Dickey, helping the Spartans lead grow to nine (37-28) with 13:15 left.
Kuiper, a native of the Netherlands, would finish with 13 points and five boards to highlight his championship performance, and helped the Spartans create enough breathing room early in the second half, which allowed the Spartans to hone in defensively, as well as on the backboards.
“When I came in as a freshman, my coach in high school used to make me run sprints if I took a jump shot in a game. Starting from my freshman year, the coaches started working with me on my jumper. They gave me a lot of confidence and that confidence was huge for me,” said Kuiper.
UNCG’s Demetrius Troy would deliver the dagger with 1:37 remaining in the game, hitting a three from the top of the key, extending UNCG’s lead to 14 points (61-47), ensuring UNCG wouldn’t be caught.
The Spartans held the Bucs to an ice cold 30.6 percent shooting clip for the game, including just 18 percent from three-point range. The Spartans also held a 39-31 edge on the boards.
ETSU saw only one player reach double figures, which was senior and graduate transfer Jalan McCloud, while the Spartans held Southern Conference Player of the Year Desonta Bradford to just eight points in his final game for the Bucs.
UNCG’s Francis Alonso, who hit the clutch triple to defeat Wofford, 56-55, in the semifinals, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, while Troy (13 pts) and center James Dickey III (9 pts, 8 rebs) were named first and second team all-tournament, respectively.
“It was a defensive battle the whole game. I felt like the first team to get to 50 was going to get the chance to win, we just couldn’t get it going. They took us out of our rhythm. We got to the basket and again we couldn’t finish. So that has a lot to do with the way they played, they are very athletic around the basket and we just couldn’t finish. These guys, I am so proud of them. They really battled hard. When you put that much into it, it’s hard to lose like that. They got beat by a good team a really good coached team,” said ETSU head coach Steve Forbes.
“When I came in as a freshman, my coach in high school used to make me run sprints if I took a jump shot in a game. Starting from my freshman year, the coaches started working with me on my jumper. They gave me a lot of confidence and that confidence was huge for me,” said Kuiper.
UNCG’s Demetrius Troy would deliver the dagger with 1:37 remaining in the game, hitting a three from the top of the key, extending UNCG’s lead to 14 points (61-47), ensuring UNCG wouldn’t be caught.
The Spartans held the Bucs to an ice cold 30.6 percent shooting clip for the game, including just 18 percent from three-point range. The Spartans also held a 39-31 edge on the boards.
ETSU saw only one player reach double figures, which was senior and graduate transfer Jalan McCloud, while the Spartans held Southern Conference Player of the Year Desonta Bradford to just eight points in his final game for the Bucs.
UNCG’s Francis Alonso, who hit the clutch triple to defeat Wofford, 56-55, in the semifinals, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, while Troy (13 pts) and center James Dickey III (9 pts, 8 rebs) were named first and second team all-tournament, respectively.
“It was a defensive battle the whole game. I felt like the first team to get to 50 was going to get the chance to win, we just couldn’t get it going. They took us out of our rhythm. We got to the basket and again we couldn’t finish. So that has a lot to do with the way they played, they are very athletic around the basket and we just couldn’t finish. These guys, I am so proud of them. They really battled hard. When you put that much into it, it’s hard to lose like that. They got beat by a good team a really good coached team,” said ETSU head coach Steve Forbes.
UNCG held all three opponents to under 60 points and under 40% shooting from the field in the tournament, which could be recipes for success in the NCAA Tournament. In 28 of 34 games this season, the Spartans held their opponent to less than 70 points in a game, solidifying the Spartans as one of the best defensive clubs in Southern Conference basketball history, and maybe the best since the College of Charleston during the 1998-99 season.
Aside from the Spartans, there were other storylines in the 2018 Southern Conference Tournament.
What Else Happened at the 2018 SoCon Tournament:
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| Chattanooga provided the tourney's first upset |
The opening night of the Southern Conference Tournament, which also known to some as the play-in round, also saw some good basketball, with No. 8 The Citadel facing No. 9 VMI and No. 7 Samford taking on Chattanooga.
For the first time in its 105-year history of basketball, The Ciradel recorded wins in back-to-back seasons in the Southern Conference Tournament.
The Bulldogs had lost both regular-season games to VMI--the former destination of Citadel head coach Duggar Baucom--however, the Bulldogs would overcome an early first-half surge by the Keydets, as VMI hit its first four shots from the perimeter to run out to an early lead. By halftime, however, The Citadel assumed a 36-34 lead.
But the Bulldogs would pull away in the second half, taking as much as an 18-point lead, but would hold on for a 78-70 win. Eight of the first nine made field goals to open the second half for the Bulldogs came from beyonf the arc. Matt Frierson hit three-straight triples during that span to force a VMI timeout.
Najdawi was joined in double figures by guard Frankie Johnson and Matt Frierson, who added 12 points apiece, while Hayden Brown contributed 11. During the opening run in the second half, which saw the Bulldogs score 21-straight points on three-point field goals, Frierson had three consecutive treys, accounting for nine of his 12 points in that span. All told, he finished 4-for-8 from three-point range. Amazingly, the Bulldogs won a tournament game in consecutive seasons for the first time in its 105-year history of basketball.
In the second game of the opening night of action in Asheville, No. 7 Samford took on No. 10 Samford, and the game would produce the tournament's first upset. The Mocs came in to the Southern Conference Tournament and played some of their best basketball of the season.
Samford and Chattanooga split a pair of regular-season clashes, and in a game that featured high-flying dunks and some great guard play on both sides, it would be the Mocs that would end up out-lasting the Bulldogs, 89-79, in one of the most exciting games of the 2018 edition of the tournament.
London was one of four Mocs in double figures, as he was joined by guards Rodney Chatman and David Jean-Baptiste, who added 18 points apiece, while fellow backcourt mate Makale Foreman added 14.
Samford ran out to an early lead in the opening half of play, jumping out to an 8-0 lead, which was the largest of the game for the Bulldogs, but would see Chattanooga respond from that point. After carrying a 39-35 lead into the halftime locker room, the Mocs would use a 12-4 run down the stretch to post the upset win.
The Bulldogs took a 66-65 lead following a Kevion Nolan layup with 7:19 remaining, however, it would prove to be the final lead the Bulldogs would taste the rest of the way, as Chattanooga assumed as much as a seven-point lead (77-70) following a Foreman triple with 5:06 left. The Bulldogs would cut it to a three-point game (79-76) after a pair Justin Coleman free throws with 2:10 left in the game, however, that would be as close as Scott Padgett’s club would get the remainder of the game. Chattanooga was able to hit its foul shots down the stretch to claim the win.
Samford got a team-high 20 points from senior guard Demetrius Denzel-Dyson, as he led four Bulldogs in double-figures. Denzel-Dyson finished 7-of-12 from the field, including going 3-for-6 from three-point land and was 3-for-4 from the free throw line. Denzel-Dyson added four rebounds, two assists and a steal to his overall stat line.
The Bulldogs had two platyers garner double-doubles, with junior point guard Justin Colemanadding 19 points and a single-game school record 15 assists. Senior center Eric Adams added a double-double in his final game for Samford, posting 14 points and 10 boards, while fellow senior Alex Thompson chipped in 12 points and four boards.
The key stat of the game proved to be bench scoring, which saw the Mocs post an amazing 43-8 advantage in bench scoring.
It was the brutal end to a disappointing season for Samford, which featured a pair of injuries to significant all-conference players, in center Wyatt Walker and Christen Cunningham. It was a disappointing end to the careers of Demetrius Denzel-Dyson and Alex Thompson, who both transferred in from UMass and Auburn, respetively, for their final two years of basketball. After helping the Bulldogs to 20 wins last year and a CIT win, which marked Samford's first-ever non-conference sponsored postseason win.
After finishing the 2016-17 season with a 20-16 record, the Bulldogs finished with just a 10-22 mark this season. Add to that the fact that both Walker and Triston Chambers, who was a member of the SoCon's All-Freshman Team last year, have announced they will be transferring out of the program, making head coach Scott Padgett's job much tougher heading into 2018-19. Remember, the Bulldogs will picked to finish second in the SoCon in the preseason, however, I would be really surprised if the Bulldogs are picked to finish in the top six next season.
One of the most anticipated matchups of the 2018 Southern Conference Tournament came in the second quarterfinal of four on Saturday afternoon, as No. 4 Mercer took on No. 5 Wofford.
Mercer came into the tournament as the hottest team in the Southern Conference, and were playing very much like the team that was picked by the head coaches to win the league.
The two had squared off just six days earlier in Spartanburg, with Mercer winning a thriller on a late layup by Jordan Strawberry, and survived a last second three-pointer from Fletcher Magee, picking up a 69-68 win at the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium, as well as the SoCon's No. 4 seed.
However, for what was expected to be one of the best games of the tournament in Asheville, it turned out to be the second-biggest blowout of the weekend, as Wofford mashed Mercer, 73-53, at the US Cellular Center to move into the SoCon semifinals.
There was visible frustration for head coach Bob Hoffman and his coaching staff throughout the afternoon, as the Terriers were stout defensively all night in holding the Bears to just 53 points. The 53 points by the Bears were a season-low, and Wofford held the Bears to just 38.6% shooting from the field in what was a defensive masterpiece by the Terriers.
The key was a first half that saw the Terriers force 13 of the Bears’ 18 turnovers for the game. The Bears, who normally take care of the ball, ranked fourth among 10 teams in the SoCon in assist-turnover-ratio (1:2). However, the Bears dished out just nine assists compared to their 18 miscues.
Meanwhile, Wofford turned the ball over just five times, while issuing 11 assists as a team in the win.
Nathan Hoover continued his strong play over the latter half of the season, leading the Terriers with 22 points on 6-for-16 shooting from the field, including 4-of-11 from long range.
The only other player in double figures for the Terriers was Second Team All-SoCon performer Cameron Jackson, who added 18 points and 10 boards. Jackson also swatted away three shots and recored a pair of steals.
Mercer had three in double figures, led by Jordan Strawberry’s 18 points, while all-league performer Stephon Jelks added a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards. Desmond Ringer finished out his Mercer career with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Meanwhile, Wofford turned the ball over just five times, while issuing 11 assists as a team in the win.
Nathan Hoover continued his strong play over the latter half of the season, leading the Terriers with 22 points on 6-for-16 shooting from the field, including 4-of-11 from long range.
The only other player in double figures for the Terriers was Second Team All-SoCon performer Cameron Jackson, who added 18 points and 10 boards. Jackson also swatted away three shots and recored a pair of steals.
Mercer had three in double figures, led by Jordan Strawberry’s 18 points, while all-league performer Stephon Jelks added a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards. Desmond Ringer finished out his Mercer career with 11 points and nine rebounds.
East Tennessee State opened up its tournament in the night session of the quarterfinals, facing upstart Chattanooga in a Volunteer State battle. It was also a matchup between the two most successful current members of the Southern Conference.
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| ETSU upended UTC in hard-fought quarterfinal rivalry game |
Chattanooga would hang tough in the opening half against the No. 2 seed ETSU, who entered the tournament looking to snap a three-game losing streak.
The Mocs and Bucs had contested the Southern Conference tournament title just two years earlier, with the Mocs getting a 73-67 win in the championship to go dancing in 2016. But just two years later, ETSU head coach Steve Forbes' Bucs were heavy favorites, having won both regular-season matchups easily.
Rodney Chatman, Makinde London and Makale Foreman would keep the Mocs in the game in the opening half of play, as the Bucs carried just a seven-point, 38-31, lead into the halftime locker room.
After leading 38-31 at the break, the Bucs used an 8-0 run to take a 46-33 lead after the Mocs scored the first bucket of the second half, and ETSU was never really threatened again. The Bucs went on to cruise to a 77-59 quarterfinal win.
The Mocs were led in the contest by 13 points apiece from Makinde London and Makale Foreman.
The Mocs were led in the contest by 13 points apiece from Makinde London and Makale Foreman.
McCloud also added added five assists, two steals and a block in the win. Additionally, McCloud was joined in double figures SoCon Player of the Year Desonta Bradford (14 pts) and SoCon Freshman of the Year Bo Hodges (12 pts, 3 blks, 1 stl).
Though ETSU connected on just two of 13 three-point attempts, the Bucs posted an overwhelming 62-28 advantage in points in the paint. The Bucs shot a blistering 58.3 percent from the field for the game, while limiting the Mocs to just 41.2 percent.
After leading 38-31 at the break, the Bucs used an 8-0 run to take a 46-33 lead after the Mocs scored the first bucket of the second half, and ETSU was never really threatened again.
The final game of the four quarterfinals would see Furman face off against Western Carolina. The two had faced each other just eight days earlier, with the Paladins posting a 78-55 win in Cullowhee, sweeping the regular-season series.
The Catamounts would play well in the opening moments of the game, and even took their first lead of the season against the Paladins, 13-12, following a Devin Peterson jumper. However, that would be about the only drama that the Catamounts would provide for the rest of the night, as Furman went on to cruise to a 97-73 win.
The Paladins were held to a meager 4-for-26 (15.4%) shooting from three-point range. The Bucs were locked in defensively, posting a 15-4 advantage on points off 13 turnovers.
The Bucs’ lead was as high as 23 points midway through the half before Furman started to trim the lead.
Southern Conference Player of the Year Desonta Bradford (20 pts), Freshman of the Year Bo Hodges (6 pts, 4 asts) and Devontavius Payne (12 pts) were at the forefront of the ETSU successful semifinal. Among the the more exciting moments in the contest were a pair of highlight were a pair of highlight-reel dunks from Bradford and David Burrell. After getting a technical foul well for a windmill slam well after the whistle had been blown, Burrell redeemed himself by catching a deflected Hodge’s pass by Furman’s Clay Mounce, and hanging in the air for the dunk. The Burrell acrobatic act was a microcosm of the type of evening it was for Richey’s Paladins, who shot it at better than 58% in last night’s 97-73 win over Western Carolina.
The Bucs held Furman to 31.7 FG% — the Paladins’ worst mark since Dec. 22, 2015.
For Furman it was the end of an era for four seniors that have helped rebuild a tradition long-lost in Greenville, but it was Daniel Fowler, Devin Sibley, John Davis III and Geoff Beans that helped re-establish a foundation that had eroded. In the three-seasons, prior to the quartet’s arrival, the Paladins had just 34 combined wins.
Jordan Lyons was Furman’s lone player in double figures, scoring 17 points. The sophomore will now be one of those asked to carry the baton in the future as head coach Bob Richey tries to continue to build a winning culture in Greenville.
“These four seniors we have are the best role models and leaders, on and off the court, that I could have for my first two years here at Furman,” Lyons said. “They all bought in the day they got here and this class is legendary. No one can ever take away what they’ve done and how they’ve changed this program. What they’ve done for me is something I can use to keep the standard at where it needs to be for my last two years. I’m forever thankful for them. Basketball is fun, but it’s only temporary. The relationships that I’ve built with these four will last a lifetime.”
With the win, which was the Paladins’ seventh -straight, Furman matched a school record with 23 on the season. Western Carolina finished its season at 13-19.
Furman used an early 14-0 run to take a commanding 26-13 lead, following a Clay Mounce follow-up dunk with 9:13 remaining in the first half. A Geoff Beans four-point play started the run with 13:18 remaining in the half.
From that point, the Catamount deficit never got them inside double digits again, and the Paladins’ led by as many as 29 point.
The Paladins had five players in double figures and shot 55.6 percent from the field for the game. Senior swingman Daniel Fowler led the way with 18 points, which included going 6-of-7 from the field. The Paladins connected on 64.3 percent of their shots in the opening half to take a 50-31 lead into the halftime locker room.
Fowler was joined in double figures by Jordan Lyons (15 pts), Matt Rafferty (14 pts, 9 rebs, 5 stls, 5 asts), John Davis III (12 pts, 5 asts), and Alex Hunter (10 pts).
The Catamounts were paced by Marcus Thomas, who came off the bench to score 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field.
“I really liked our kids demeanor from the outset of this game, and you never how that’s going to go because now it’s tournament play,” Furman head coach Bob Richey said.
The Paladins had five players in double figures and shot 55.6 percent from the field for the game. Senior swingman Daniel Fowler led the way with 18 points, which included going 6-of-7 from the field. The Paladins connected on 64.3 percent of their shots in the opening half to take a 50-31 lead into the halftime locker room.
Fowler was joined in double figures by Jordan Lyons (15 pts), Matt Rafferty (14 pts, 9 rebs, 5 stls, 5 asts), John Davis III (12 pts, 5 asts), and Alex Hunter (10 pts).
The Catamounts were paced by Marcus Thomas, who came off the bench to score 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field.
“I really liked our kids demeanor from the outset of this game, and you never how that’s going to go because now it’s tournament play,” Furman head coach Bob Richey said.
Interestingly enough, it would turn out to be the final game as head coach of Western Carolina for Larry Hunter, who stepped down after 13 seasons following the 24-point loss to the Paladins. Hunter, who recently reached 700 wins as a head coach, took Western to some of its most successful seasons during his tenure, including a 2009-10 team that claimed a share of the Southern Conference regular-season crown.
He led the Catamounts to two postseason appearances, but never an NCAA Tournament appearance. It will be interesting to see the direction Western Carolina goes in its coaching search. The Catamounts finished the 2017-18 season with a 13-18 record. Hunter currently has 702-career wins.
Finally, the second semifinal game of the Southern Conference Tournament would feature a matchup between No. 2 East Tennessee State and No. 3 Furman.
The Bucs and Paladins had faced each other just a week earlier in Johnson City, TN, with Furman claiming a hard-fought, 79-76, win at Freedom Hall to claim the No. 3 seed for the SoCon Tournament.
But the penultimate stage of the 2018 SoCon Tournament matchup would belong to ETSU, which posted a 63-52 win over the Paladins in a game that was never really close.
The Bucs simply were locked in defensively for a second night in a row against the Paladins, and the 52 points bt the Paladins turned out to be a season-low output.
It would be a tough way to end for Furman's four seniors, who helped the program to 76 wins over a four-year span and helped the Paladins re-establish a basketball tradition.
Furman found themselves with the a season-low 19 first-half points, trailing 32-19 at the break.The Paladins were held to a meager 4-for-26 (15.4%) shooting from three-point range. The Bucs were locked in defensively, posting a 15-4 advantage on points off 13 turnovers.
The Bucs’ lead was as high as 23 points midway through the half before Furman started to trim the lead.
Southern Conference Player of the Year Desonta Bradford (20 pts), Freshman of the Year Bo Hodges (6 pts, 4 asts) and Devontavius Payne (12 pts) were at the forefront of the ETSU successful semifinal. Among the the more exciting moments in the contest were a pair of highlight were a pair of highlight-reel dunks from Bradford and David Burrell. After getting a technical foul well for a windmill slam well after the whistle had been blown, Burrell redeemed himself by catching a deflected Hodge’s pass by Furman’s Clay Mounce, and hanging in the air for the dunk. The Burrell acrobatic act was a microcosm of the type of evening it was for Richey’s Paladins, who shot it at better than 58% in last night’s 97-73 win over Western Carolina.
The Bucs held Furman to 31.7 FG% — the Paladins’ worst mark since Dec. 22, 2015.
For Furman it was the end of an era for four seniors that have helped rebuild a tradition long-lost in Greenville, but it was Daniel Fowler, Devin Sibley, John Davis III and Geoff Beans that helped re-establish a foundation that had eroded. In the three-seasons, prior to the quartet’s arrival, the Paladins had just 34 combined wins.
Jordan Lyons was Furman’s lone player in double figures, scoring 17 points. The sophomore will now be one of those asked to carry the baton in the future as head coach Bob Richey tries to continue to build a winning culture in Greenville.
“These four seniors we have are the best role models and leaders, on and off the court, that I could have for my first two years here at Furman,” Lyons said. “They all bought in the day they got here and this class is legendary. No one can ever take away what they’ve done and how they’ve changed this program. What they’ve done for me is something I can use to keep the standard at where it needs to be for my last two years. I’m forever thankful for them. Basketball is fun, but it’s only temporary. The relationships that I’ve built with these four will last a lifetime.”
The 2018 Southern Conference is over, but stayed tuned for updates on postseason bids, a well a full preview of the UNCG NCAA Tournament Second Round matchup in the NCAA Tournament.
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