Part two of the 2023 schedule preview takes a look at Furman’s first five Southern Conference games of the upcoming campaign, which offers a tough stretch, beginning on Sept. 23 with a home test against Mercer and then ending on a day before Halloween, as East Tennessee State pays a visit to Paladin Stadium for a homecoming battle against the ‘Dins.

This portion of the slate is always the one that separates the good teams from the elite ones in the league.

The toughest test comes on Oct. 14 when the Paladins head to Homewood, AL, to face defending Southern Conference champion Samford. The Bulldogs figure to right in the thick of the Southern Conference race once again this season.

A week prior to that monumental test at Seibert Stadium, which could very well decide the 2023 Southern Conference regular-season title winner, the Paladins will face arch-rival The Citadel, who pays a visit to Paladin Stadium on Oct. 7 following Furman’s off week.

The Paladins take a trip to Cullowhee to face upstart Western Carolina on Oct. 21. Last season, Furman had to hold on to win a wild 47-40 contest in Greenville, while two years ago, the Paladins were 43-42 losers at EJ Whitmire Stadium, which snapped what was a five-game winning streak in the series for the Paladins.

The Paladins will face at least two Southern Conference title contenders in this portion of the 2023 slate, while also facing its most bitter rival during that span as well.

Sept 23. vs. Mercer (TBA)—Furman will open its Southern Conference slate on Sept. 23, welcoming the Mercer Bears to Paladin Stadium for a big-league showdown. The Paladins snapped what had been a two-game losing streak in the series last season, as the Paladins were able to go to Macon and come away with a 23-13 win last season in what was a battle between two ranked FCS foes. The Paladins entered that contest ranked No. 13 in the nation, while the Bears were the No. 11 ranked team in all of FCS football.

Up until that point, the Bears had looked like the top team in the Southern Conference at times, but then came a mid-season loss at Chattanooga, and the Bears would struggle for the remainder of the season, missing out on the FCS playoffs for a second-straight season.

The 2023 season will mark the 22^nd all-time meeting between the Paladins and Bears, with Furman holding the 11-8-2 all-time series advantage. Furman will welcome Mercer to Paladin Stadium on Sept. 23, with kickoff time for that contest still yet to be announced.

Mercer, which will be under the direction of fourth-year head coach Drew Cronic, will look to continue to keep the Bears in position to compete for a Southern Conference title and FCS playoff bid this fall.

In each of the past two seasons, the Bears have been on the doorstep of an FCS playoff appearance each of the past couple of seasons, having won seven games in each of the past couple of seasons. The Bears should be in good shape to be a strong competitor for the league crown this fall, returning key players on both sides of the football.

The key player that must be replaced on the offensive side of the ball, however, is quarterback Fred Payton, who has moved on as a result of graduation. He put together an outstanding 2022 season, which saw him complete 216-of-325 passes for 3,019 yards, with 32 TDs and only eight INTs. He ended up being a Walter Payton Award candidate last season. Payton was also an effective rusher in the Mercer offense last season, as he finished the season with 161 rushing yards and a touchdown on 59 rush attempts.

There are several candidates that could ultimately end up replacing Payton under center this fall. One of those candidates is Missouri State transfer Hess Horne, who was a consensus three-star recruit coming out of Eufala High School in Eufala, Alabama. Horne led all 6A players in the state of Alabama as a senior with 3,040 passing yards, with 35 TDs and only six INTs. During his time with the Bears, he redshirted in 2021 and didn’t see game action last season and comes to Mercer as a redshirt sophomore.

Another impressive freshman that could figure into the quarterback battle for Drew Cronic’s Bears this fall is Drew Moore, who comes to Mercer out of Goose Creek High School in Goose Creek, S.C. Moore was named the 6-AAAAA Player of the Year in his senior season. Moore passed for over 2,500 yards and 25 TDs in leading Goose Creek to its fourth-consecutive region championship during his senior campaign.

The veterans expected to compete for the starting job this fall will be redshirt sophomore Carter Peevy (3-of-5 passing, 38 yds, 1 INT) and redshirt freshman Daniel Shoch (4-of-6 passing, 52 yds, 1 TD). Shoch and Peevy saw some limited action in mop-up duty last fall.

Just like last season, the Bears should be very good at the skill positions, with viable big play options in both the running game and passing game. Expected to lead the ground attack this fall for the Bears will be James Madison transfer Austin Douglas (58 rush att, 403 yds, 5 TDs, 6.9 YPC). Douglas was also an effective receiving option coming out of the backfield, as he was able to haul in seven passes for 74 yards and a touchdown last season.

The top returning position on the offensive side of the ball is wide receiver, and this season the Bears should once again field a contingent of wideouts as good as any in FCS football. It all starts with All-America candidate Ty James (52 rec, 1,105 yds, 13 TDs, 21.2 YPR), who was a record-setting wideout for Mercer last season, and is back for his senior season looking to put up even more big numbers as a part of the Bears’ wide receiving corps.

James had been effective in two games against the Paladins previously, which both resulted in wins over the Paladins. However, in last season’s meeting between the two in Macon, James was ejected from the game for targeting after delivering a hit on Furman punt returner Cally Chizik late in the opening half of play. It proved to be a major turning point in the game, and one that saw Furman’s defense exert its dominance even more following James’ ejection from the contest. James exited the contest after having hauled in a pair of passes for 15 yards and a touchdown in the game for Mercer.

Returning alongside James as one of the top playmakers in all of FCS football is Devron Harper (78 rec, 987 yds, 10 TDs, 12.6 YPR). Like James, Harper returns as a potential Walter Payton Award candidate heading into the 2023 season for the Bears. Like James, Harper is a threat with his speed in both the passing and ground games for the Bears. Like James, Harper is a record-breaking wideout returning to the fold for the Bears and was a Walter Payton Award finalist last season. He finished the 2022 campaign with a school record 78 receptions for 987 receiving yards. His 1,878 all-purpose yards also set a school record and ranked fourth overall nationally in that category.

As far as the offensive line is concerned heading into the 2023 season, the Bears will welcome the return of three starters along the offensive front, with Riley Adcock, Tyzen Wilkerson and Ni Mansell all expected to return to the offensive front for the 2023 season. It’s a trio that helped the Bears finish the 2022 campaign ranking seventh nationally in total offense (470.5 YPG), sixth in scoring offense (38.2 PPG), 28^th in rushing offense (187.8 YPG), and 12^th in passing offense (282.6 YPG).

On the defensive side of the ball, the Bears were also solid. Mercer finished the 2022 campaign ranking 25^th nationally in total defense (337.4 YPG), 27^th in scoring defense (22.1 PPG), 21^st in rushing defense (120.2 YPG) and 54^th in passing defense (217.3YPG) last season. The Bears also finished third nationally in total interceptions last season, as Mercer finished the season with 17 INTs, with 204 return yards, which includes a couple of those being returned for scores.

The Bears should again be strong along the defensive front, returning two of three starters along the three-man front, with both defensive tackles Chris Hill (22 tackles, 5.0 TFL. 0.5 sack) and Savio Frazier (27 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 FF, 1 FR) set to return to the defensive front for the 2023 campaign. Both Frazier and Hill should be all-conference candidates entering the 2023 season.

Maybe the boon for the Mercer defense entering the 2023 campaign comes at linebacker, where the Bears return Isaac Dowling (99 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 INTs, 1 FF), who was one of the biggest playmakers on the defensive side of the ball for Bears last season. Dowling ended up finishing the season as Mercer’s leading tackler a year ago, and ended up being a first-team All-SoCon selection last fall. He will team with Ken Standley (85 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 PBUs) in the heart of that Mercer defense once again this fall, forming what is arguably the top linebacking duo in the SoCon heading into 2023.

On the back end of the Mercer defense, the Bears welcome the return of free safety Myles Redding (60 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 4 PBUs, 1 INT ), as well as senior All-America and Buck Buchanan Award candidate Lance Wise (58 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 INTs) to anchor what should once again be a strong secondary for the Bears.

As far as the special teams unit is concerned moving forward, the situation is a little more unsettled for the Bears. Trey Turk, who garnered all-conference recognition last season, is back to handle the punting duties and will likely also compete for the starting place-kicking duties this fall.

Brief Recap of the last meeting: Furman 23, Mercer 13 (Nov. 12, 2022/Five Star Stadium)

From the outset of mid-November contest, it was evident that the 2022 meeting between Furman and Mercer had major league title and FCS playoff implications at stake, and a physical football game would take shape from the opening kickoff, and one that would be dominated by the two defenses for the majority of the afternoon. The feeling that this was a big game was almost palpable as one entered Five Star Stadium for the final Mercer home game of the 2022 campaign.

Late in the opening quarter, Furman would break through in the second quarter and get the first points of the contest when Ian Williams came on to knock through what would be the first of his three field goals in the contest, as his 44-yard field goal gave Furman the early 3-0 lead with just 2:05 remaining in the opening quarter, capping what was a six-play, 58-yard drive.

Mercer would answer a little over four minutes into the second quarter, as the Bears showed signs of awakening from its hibernation. Mercer used 10 plays to cover 60 yards, with All-SoCon wide receiver and Walter Payton Award Ty James capping the drive with a 3-yard scoring catch from a nicely thrown pass from quarterback Fred Payton, as he put the ball where only James could catch it. The Bears led 7-3 with 10:54 left in the half.

With 3:19 remaining in the half, Trey Turk’s punt was fielded by Furman defensive back Cally Chizik, who was leveled by Mercer receiver Ty James after mishandling the punt. The ball was recovered by Mercer, however, James was flagged for targeting, which was upheld. James was disqualified from further action the remainder of the day, and due to the targeting penalty, the Bears were penalized 15 yards and fourth down was replayed, nullifying the Furman turnover.

Furman would seize the momentum for the remainder of the half and would relinquish it for the remainder of the game. Furman’s Tyler Huff got the Paladin offense going, and just as he did against Chattanooga, it was with his legs, which later opened up the Paladin passing game.

“If there’s a better player in our league at quarterback than him and there’s some good quarterbacks in our league, but if there’s a better quarterback in our league, I’d like to know who he is,” head coach Clay Hendrix said. “He’s a winner…He’s tough…He’s all those things you look for in a quarterback,” Hendrix added.

Facing a 2nd-and-10 play at the Mercer 42, Huff avoided a heavy rush from Mercer and found plenty of wide open turf to run into, scampering 35 yards all the way down to the Bears 7-yard line to set up a 1st-and-goal for the Paladin offense with time winding down in the half.

On 3rd-and-goal and following a Mercer timeout, the initial pass play broke down, and Huff was improvising once again, and this time pump-faked the Mercer DB at about the 4, and that allowed Huff enough space to dive inside the corner pylon for the score to give the Paladins a 7-3 lead with just 37 seconds left in the half.

After a squibbed kick, the Bears got the ball in excellent field position deep inside Paladin territory following a return of 22 yards to the Mercer 47, the Bears drove the ball down to the Furman 14 with five seconds left.

Mercer and Furman both burned timeouts, and then Devin Folser lined up for a 30-yard field goal attempt, however, the Paladins blocked their seventh kick of the season, as Jack Barton deflected the attempt and Furman maintained its three-point edge heading to the halftime locker room.

The Paladins got the ball to start the second half, but for the second time on the day, were stopped on 4th-and-1 at the Mercer 38, turning the ball over on downs.

The Bears got the ball back and were forced into a punting situation, but instead of allowing Trey Turk to set up good field position once again, the Bears opted to fake the punt, and Chris Hill rumbled five yards for a first down five yards for a first down to create a new set of downs for the Bears offense at their own 49.

Furman’s defense, however, came up big, as Braden Gilby tackled Brandon Marshall in the backfield for a three-yard loss on first down, and after Payton’s pass intended for James’ replacement Travion Solomon was incomplete on second down, Payton would be sacked by Alex Maier and Bryce Stanfield on third down, again forcing Turk on for a punt. This time, there was no fake, however, there was a notable change in momentum once again. What momentum was gained by Hill’s 5-yard gain on the initial fake punt, was quickly nullified by the Paladin defensive response.

Seizing upon that momentum, Furman’s offensive answer didn’t take long. On first down, Furman went deep, and Ryan Miller got both hands on the ball, but couldn’t come with it despite being interfered with by Mercer defensive back Richie Coffee. After the infraction was marked off, Kendall Thomas, who was in the game for an injured Devin Abrams, gained 14 yards to the Paladin 44. On the next play, Huff threw a bullet approximately 20 yards down field and between a pair of Bears defenders, who couldn’t bracket Harris on the play, and with the ball thrown slightly behind the sophomore wideout, it made for a big play opportunity for the quickly rising star on the Paladin offense.

Similar to Miller’s early second half TD catch against Chattanooga, Harris caught it, saw a defender bounce off, and then sprinted the final 30 or so yards to the end zone for the score. The only difference in Miller’s TD a couple of weeks ago against the Mocs is he didn’t have quite as far to run. The TD catch by Harris—56 yards in all—staked Furman to a 17-7 lead with 7:24 to play in the third quarter.

Mercer’s next drive would start promising enough, netting three first downs to reach the Furman 34. However, that’s where the Paladin defense once again seemingly had all the answers for an offense that has thrived in opposition territory the entire season. Payton completed a pass to Harper for a yard on first down, and on second down, saw his completion to the same player lose 10 yards, as Furman’s defense swarmed Payton, knocking his pass into the air, which was then caught by Payton for the sizable loss. That forced Turk on for another punt.

Furman would take over at its own 20, and after Thomas gained three on first down, Roberto hauled in a career-long 50-yard pass from Huff to get the Paladins to the doorstep of the red zone, at the Mercer 27. The Paladins eventually saw the drive stall, and had to settle for a 36-yard Ian Williams field goal and a 20-7 lead with just under a minute remaining in the third quarter.

After holding Mercer to a three-and-out on the ensuing drive, the Paladins would increase their lead to 16 points when Williams connected on a second-straight 36-yard effort to increase Furman’s lead to 23-7 with just 9:16 remaining in the game.

Mercer would make things interesting on its next possession, using a 52-yard pass from Payton-to-Harper to get the Bears to the Paladin 12. It took Mercer three plays, however, on 4th-and-9, Payton found Solomon for the score bringing the Bears to within 10 following the failed two-point run.

Furman’s offense did enough to chew up some of the 5:58 remaining on its next possession, and then eventually forced Mercer to turn it over on downs on the ensuing possession, with Gilby and Ryan providing the coverage on the final pass by Payton. Furman was able to close out the game in the victory formation.

“Our coaches challenged us to watch the film from the past two games with them {Mercer} the last two years and they said we were not the aggressor the past two years, and from the jump we we’re like we’re going to be the aggressor and coach Vaughn said he was going to call it aggressive and that’s how we played and we knew if we could stop the run we could make them one-dimensional just throwing the ball which they’ve done well this year but we trust our guys on the back end,” senior defensive lineman Matt Sochovka said.

The Prediction: Mercer will offer one of the stiffest challenges in Southern Conference play this fall, as the Bears should once again be one of the primary challengers for the Southern Conference regular-season crown. Furman will have its hands full when the Bears come to Paladin Stadium on Sept. 23 for the Southern Conference opener. The one question that really has to be answered for the Bears is what their plans are under center for the 2023 season, and coming to Furman with an unproven talent under center against what should be one of the better defenses in the SoCon and in FCS football could be recipes for a tough afternoon, and while I think this is a game that the Bears keep close, I think the Paladins will open Southern Conference play in solid fashion and post a 31-21 win over the Bears.

August-September Predicted Record: 3-1, 1-0 SoCon—The first month of the season is maybe the most important for any program, and the Paladins have a chance to get out of the gates quickly with a challenging, yet manageable schedule. Furman has the talent and experience to start and end the month ranked as a Top 10 team nationally, and we all know at the FCS level, it’s all in where you start. If the Paladins’ lone early-season loss is at South Carolina, given the way things are with how the voting goes in the FCS poll, the Paladins shouldn’t fall all that far. The important thing for Furman is a good showing in Columbia. If you’ll remember last year that strong showing at Clemson early last season was enough to get the positive mojo going forward towards what was an outstanding 2022 season. That same type of performance, though not required, would go a long way towards getting those same wheels turning towards what many feel could be another big season for Furman football.

Oct. 7 vs. The Citadel (TBA)— Following an off-week to start the season, the Paladins will welcome The Citadel Bulldogs to Paladin Stadium for the SoCon’s oldest gridiron rivalry, as they will take on a new look The Citadel team under the direction of a new head coach, as the Bulldogs will be led by former Green Bay Packers assistant and Bulldog Maurice Drayton, who is busy helping the revamp the suddenly archaic option offense in favor of a spread offense, which is a scheme the Bulldogs haven’t visited since the early portions of the Kevin Higgins era circa 2009 before transitioning to a triple-option offense in the latter part of Higgins’ time in Charleston.

Furman was able to come up with what was a hard-fought 21-10 win at Johnson Hagood Stadium last year. Not only is the Paladins-Bulldogs series on the gridiron the most-played Southern Conference rivalry, it’s also among the oldest and most renewed rivalry in all of Division I college football.

In Furman’s 11-point win in Charleston last season, it marked the return of Tyler Huff to the lineup after missing the game against Samford a week earlier, and despite throwing a couple of INTs in the win, he would end up helping lead a Paladin ground attack that enforced its will in the third quarter, as the Paladins put together back-to-back scoring drives early in the frame en route to holding off the Bulldogs, 21-10.

It would be a nice return to winning ways for the Paladins, who were coming off what would turn out to be their only Southern Conference loss of the season with a 45-34 home setback to eventual SoCon champion Samford a week earlier in the friendly confines of Paladin Stadium.

Highlighting that excellent ground attack for the Paladins in the win was the performance by Furman All-SoCon running back Dominic Roberto, who once again ran it extremely well against The Citadel Blue, finishing with a then season-high 133 yards to go along with a pair of third quarter touchdowns, as he led a Paladin rushing effort that saw Furman fight hard to roll up its 167 total ground yards in the contest, which accounted for a majority of Furman’s 280 yards of total offense, as Furman narrowly out-gained their bitter Palmetto State rival, 280-276.

The Paladins turned in one of the better defensive performances of the season, holding the run-happy Bulldogs to just 105 yards. The Citadel, which entered the game with a drought of nine-straight quarters of football without finding the end zone, would eventually end that streak late in the third quarter against the Paladins, as Ahmad Green connected with Ricky Conway for a 26-yard scoring toss, giving the Bulldogs their only score of the afternoon, cutting Furman’s lead to 11, at 21-10. However, that would prove to be the final points of the day for either team, as the Paladins escaped a place that has caused them plenty of nightmares in recent seasons with the 11-point win.

In what was the 102^nd all-time meeting between the two rivals, the win marked Furman’s 62^nd all-time in the series, as the Paladins assumed a 62-37 lead in the all-time series after capturing a second-straight win in the series. The Furman-The Citadel rivalry is the 16^th most-played rivalry in FCS football.

Knowing what to expect from the Bulldogs this season is hard to figure. In what turned out to be the final season at the helm for Brent Thompson, the Bulldogs finished out the 2022 season with a 4-7 overall, including a 3-5 mark in Southern Conference action.

New head coach Maurice Drayton will certainly have his hands full, especially not only installing a new offense, but quite frankly, finding some offensive success in general would be welcomed in the Low Country following a season that saw maybe the most challenging season offensively since maybe the Ellis Johnson or maybe even the Don Powers era. The Bulldogs weren’t necessarily horribly low in total offense last fall, ranking 89^th nationally (326.3 YPG), however, it was scoring points that seemed to be an eyesore all season. The Citadel ranked 101^st nationally in scoring offense, averaging just 18.7 PPG in 2022.

It’s not the first time Drayton has been in Charleston, and I am not talking about his standout career on the gridiron for The Citadel Blue, as he starred at defensive back for the Bulldogs from 1994-98. All told, Drayton has served as an assistant on The Citadel’s staff in two different stints previously, has logged a total of 14 years in the Lowcountry as both a player and assistant coach for the Bulldogs. During his four-year playing career for The Citadel, he was a two-year starter at cornerback, finishing his career with 145 tackles, 17 pass breakups and three INTs.

Drayton will be returning to the Lowcountry after spending the past seven seasons as an assistant in the NFL. Drayton has served as the special teams coordinator at Green Bay (2021) and the Indianapolis Colts (2016-17) and was most recently the assistant special teams coordinator with the Las Vegas Raiders. A lot of Citadel blood will be on the sidelines for the Bulldogs this fall, and even a little Purple mixed in as well, with former Paladin offensive lineman standout Patrick Covington hired as both the Bulldogs’ offensive line coach, as well as taking the reins of the Bulldogs’ offensive line coach.  

Former Bulldogs Joe Call (QB, 1998-2002) and Everette Sands (1990-93) will both serve as assistants on the offensive side of the football, while former Bulldog defender Raleigh Jackson (2003-07) will serve as the defensive coordinator, while another Bulldogs, Keith Jones (1971-75) will serve as the chief of staff.

The Citadel returns a healthy dose of experience on the offensive side of the football, however, as the Bulldogs were one of the youngest teams in the SoCon on that side of the football last season, as nine regulars are slated to return to the fold for the 2023 campaign. The first question to be answered will be quarterback, as the Bulldogs will be in search of a signal-caller that will fit the new scheme that the Bulldogs will be running this fall. The Bulldogs have some solid options to look to under center, with all three candidates for the job getting quality reps during the spring. One of those looking to make the transition from option quarterback to the spread offense had some success as a freshman against the Paladins last season, as Ahmad Green returns to the fold and he is the frontrunner to be the starter heading into the 2023 campaign.

Green saw some quality action under center last season as a freshman, finishing the campaign by completing 16-of-33 passes for 198 yards, with a touchdown and no INTs. Though elusive, Green wasn’t as much of a threat in the ground game. He saw action in seven games for the Bulldogs last season, starting three games. His 169 yards passing against Furman last season marked the fourth-highest total for a Bulldog freshman quarterback in their first-career start.

Competing for time alongside Green to assume the signal-calling duties as Graeson Underwood, who also saw plenty of action under center for the Bulldogs this past season, and that included leading The Citadel to a key road win over Western Carolina in Cullowhee. In what was his first-career start, Underwood finished out the contest by rushing 36 times for 129 yards and a score, while finishing out the game by completing 4-of-7 passes for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns. While Green is the more accomplished passer, the situation for both to see ample playing time under center this fall could be a real possibility. Underwood completed the 2022 campaign by rushing for 229 yards and a pair of scores on 67 rush attempts last season.

The Citadel’s ground attack will be re-structured of course, but the good news is two of the team’s top running threats return to the fold, with the return of both Cooper Wallace (75 rush att, 409 yds, 3 TDs, 5.5 YPC) and Braden Walker (68 rush att, 366 yds, 2 TDs, 5.4 YPC) to the fold this fall. One of the few replacements the new coaching staff will have to deal with on the offensive side of the ball is replacing Nkem Njoku (11 rush att, 45 yds, 1 TD, 3.6 YPC), who has moved on, out of the backfield heading into the 2023 season.

Ricky Conway (19 rec, 244 yds, 2 TDs, 12.8 YPR), who was The Citadel’s top receiver last season, is also back to add even more depth to the backfield for the Bulldogs. As a rushing threat for the Bulldogs in 2022, Conway finished the season with 194 yards and a touchdown on 40 rushing attempts, averaging 4.9 YPC. Conway has good speed and quickness and will once again be a potential big-play threat coming out of the backfield in 2023.

The good news for Drayton and staff is that the transition to the spread offense from the triple/double-option should be smoother than expected, with some talented wideouts that can stretch opposing defenses back in the Lowcountry this fall. The reliable options returning to the fold for the 2023 campaign include Christian Hilton (15 rec, 285 yds, 2 TDs, 19.0 YPR) and Tyler Cherry (10 rec, 146 yds, 2 TDs, 14.6 YPR), while the Bulldogs’ most vetted option at tight end will be rising senior Ben Brockington (1 rec, 29 yds, 1 TD, 29.0 YPR).

The Bulldogs were young along the offensive line last fall, and heading into the 2023 season, The Citadel is projected to return four of its five starters along the offensive line for the 2023 season, with the only departure being Tereis Drayton at right tackle. Drayton was a 2022 preseason All-SoCon selection. Sawyer Whitman (LG), Mike Bartilucci (C), Zach Blanchard (RG), and Cameron Moewe (LT) are all slated to return to the unit for the 2023 season.  

The defensive side of the football for the Bulldogs should be solid and that will be music to the ears of their defensive specialist head coach. Six starters are slated to make their return on the defensive side of the football for the Bulldogs this season. While six do return, the Bulldogs lost some pretty significant talent on the defensive side of the football from last season, including linebacker Marquise Blount and defensive back Destin Mack.

The good news is there is some high level talent returning on the defensive side of the football at all three levels, however. The Bulldogs will return two of their three starters along the defensive front from a year ago. Carson Hatchett (49 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks) highlights the returnees along the defensive front and he will likely be a preseason all-league selection. KJ Pierce (24 tackles) will return alongside Hatchett on the defensive front for the Bulldogs this fall.

Two starting linebackers will have to be replaced for the Bulldogs, with both Blount and Kyler Estes (60 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 INT, 1 FF) having moved on. The lone returnee coming back for the Bulldogs in the defensive backfield will be Hasan Black (82 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 2 PBUs, 1 QBH). Black, a senior, was a SoCon All-Freshman selection in 2019, and like Hatchett, will be a prime candidate to finish with all-conference accolades in 2023. Black was a second-team All-SoCon selection at season’s end last fall. Junior Je’Mazin Roberts (5 tackles) also returns to compete for time as a starter at linebacker this fall.

On the back end the Bulldogs’ defense, the unit returns one of the top cornerbacks in the Southern Conference, with the return of All-America candidate Dominick Poole (48 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 3 INTs, 2 FFs, 2 FRs). This secondary, however, is one that was hit hardest by graduation, and will be the greenest unit heading into the 2023 season for The Citadel.

The Citadel’s special teams unit will be highlighted by Poole, who is an outstanding punt return threat, having averaged 10.3 YPR last season, which included setting up Colby Kintner’s winning field goal in an early-season win over East Tennessee State last season. Junior running back Jay Graves-Billips (21.7 YPR) is slated to handle the kick return duties heading into fall camp. Kintner is slated to handle both the field goals (9-of-11 on FGs in 2022, 56-yd field goal was longest) and kickoffs (50.6 KO avg) once again for the Bulldogs this fall, while junior James Platte (38.0 YPP avg in 2022) returns to handle the punting duties in 2023.

Brief Recap of the last meeting: Furman 21, The Citadel 10 (Oct. 8, 2022/Johnson-Hagood Stadium)

Furman opened the game with an impressive drive, as Huff led the Paladins on a 70-yard, 11-play drive, which culminated with a 3-yard touchdown run from Devin Abrams to give the Paladins a 7-0 lead with 10:18 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Citadel had the ball inside Furman territory on its opening two possessions of the game—one on a 34-yard pitch-and-catch from quarterback Ahmad Green-to-wideout Christian Hilton, however, the Paladins held on a 4^th-and-1 play, as Kam Brinson came up and made the stick on Green, who called his own number on a quarterback keeper.

The next Citadel series inside Paladin territory was set up the next time by a Dominic Poole interception and returned to the Furman 40, however, the Paladins stood strong again on fourth down—this time on a 4^th-and-4 play after the turnover–as the Paladin defense broke through the line and stopped Green for a loss.

The Paladins would hold the Bulldogs on their third possession of the game, holding the Bulldogs to a three-and-out, and after a heavy rush on The Citadel punter was only just avoided by James Platte, the Paladins got the ball back at midfield late in the opening quarter.

Late in the half, the Bulldogs drove deep inside Furman territory, however, after reaching the Paladin 5-yard line, the Paladin defense again did its job, holding Bulldogs to a 22-yard field goal from Colby Kintner 22-yard field goal, ending a scoreless drought of nearly 10 quarters and making it a 7-3 contest with 3:12 remaining in the opening half.

The Paladins drove inside The Citadel territory just before half, threatening to score for a fourth-straight game on their final possession of the half, however, for a second time on the afternoon, Huff was picked off by Destin Mack to thwart the scoring opportunity, and Furman went to the half leading the rivalry game 7-3.

In the second half, the Paladins would essentially put the game away in the third quarter, and it was the defense that gave the Paladin offense possession in great field position.

On the first third down of the second half, it looked like the Paladins were going to yield their first touchdown of the day after The Citadel quarterback Ahmad Green connected with Ricky Conway for a 29-yard gain on 3^rd-and-8 to move the ball to out to the Bulldog 36 to bring The Citadel crowd to its feet and bring The Citadel cadet corps to its feet.

The first turnover caused by the ‘Dins came courtesy of the preseason All-SoCon cornerback Blackshear, who delivered a big hit on Bulldogs A-back Cooper Wallace, and the ball was recovered by Furman defensive lineman Bryce Stanfield to set the Paladin offense at the 32. Blackshear had a couple of opportunities to pick of his first pass of the season and ninth of his career, however, his play against the run this season on the perimeter continues to be exceptional. Blackshear, of course, tied with The Citadel’s Mack for the league lead with five INTs last season.

It didn’t take long for the Paladin offense and Roberto to capitalize on The Citadel miscue. After picking six yards on the first play of the drive, Roberto gashed the Bulldog defense for 26 yards and a Paladin touchdown, and with Axel Lepvreau’s PAT made it a 14-3 Paladin lead.

On The Citadel’s next possession, the Paladin defense came up big again, Green completed a short pass to Wallace, with Kam Brinson coming up to make the stick and then the ball came free, and he pounced on the loose ball as well, giving the Paladins great field position once again at The Citadel 19.

It took Furman just two plays to find the end zone and take a 21-3 lead, and it was Roberto’s number that was called twice, as Roberto gained 14 and 5 yards, with the latter of which producing his second scoring run in 95 seconds to give the Paladins the 18-point lead with 9:25 remaining in the third quarter.

After back-to-back three and outs by the Bulldogs and Paladins, The Citadel got the football back with 5:43 remaining in the third. It would end up seeing The Citadel snap an 11-quarter drought without scoring a touchdown, as Green avoided being sacked twice as he dropped back to pass, and then scrambled towards the Furman sideline before tossing a perfect 26-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone to Conway on a 3^rd-and-9 play to make it a 21-10 game following Kintner’s PAT.

That would turn out to be the final points of the contest, as the Furman defense would do the rest shutting the door in the fourth quarter, not allowing the Bulldogs to cross midfield in the final quarter, and the Paladins held The Citadel on two more fourth down plays, as the Paladins totaled four stops on the decisive down in Saturday’s win.

The Prediction: As many can attest, rivalry games are seemingly always close, hard-fought, physical battles and that’s not just a cliché’ when it comes to the Furman-The Citadel rivalry—it’s the reality of it. This game will be a tricky one for the Paladins given the Bulldogs have a completely new staff, made up of several former Bulldogs and one former Paladin, in offensive coordinator Patrick Covington. Look for Furman to capture a close one, capturing a third-straight win in the rivalry and move to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in SoCon action…Paladins win 28-24.

Oct. 14 at Samford (TBA)—The mid-October trip to Birmingham will mark a date that most around the Southern Conference will have highlighted on their respective schedules coming into the season, as a matchup that could potentially not only decide the 2023 Southern Conference title, but also a game that could be for a seed in the FCS playoffs in the fall.

Like Furman, Samford figures to be right in the mix for an FCS playoff bid and figures to be a team that will compete for a Southern Conference regular-season title once again this fall, as the Bulldogs return most of its top talent from a year ago.  

The Bulldogs went through Southern Conference play by finishing a perfect 8-0 against league competition, marking the first Samford team to capture an outright conference title on the gridiron since 1939 when the Bulldogs claimed the Dixie Conference title with a 5-3-1 record under the direction of William “Billy” Bancroft.

With its 8-0 league mark in 2022, the Bulldogs joined some pretty elite company in terms of teams that have finished a SoCon regular-season undefeated with an 8-0 league mark. It marked just the 10th time in 101 seasons that a team has finished the SoCon slate with an 8-0 ledger. In the modern era of the league, the Bulldogs became the eighth team to complete the feat, joining The Citadel (2016), Appalachian State (2008, ’09 and 1995), Marshall (1996), Georgia Southern (8-0) and Wofford (2003).

The Bulldogs are under the direction of head coach Chris Hatcher, who of course, heads into his ninth season as head coach of the Bulldogs’ football program. The Paladins and Bulldogs will be getting together on the college football gridiron for the 26^th time this fall in a series that first commenced on the gridiron back in 1961, with the Paladins getting a 21-14 win in Greenville.

The Furman-Samford rivalry is one that has gained some traction since the Bulldogs joined the Southern Conference as an official member in 2008. It is not only appealing due to the respect both should command nationally heading into the 2023 season, but also for some individual matchups that have us in the media absolutely salivating.

The quarterback matchup is one that sticks out for most when looking at the matchup, as both have two of the premier signal-callers returning to the fold in FCS football, with Furman’s Tyler Huff and Samford’s Michael Hiers ranking among the nation’s best.

Furman, which suffered its lone regular-season FCS defeat to the Bulldogs, with a 34-27 setback to the visiting Bulldogs last season, probably remember that matchup for all the wrong reasons.

A controversial call, which overturned a clear Furman interception inside Samford and somehow awarded forward progress to the Samford receiver on the play changed the complexion of a game the Paladins led by 10 points early in the second quarter. The Bulldogs would use it as momentum to score 24 unanswered points and would end up posting a huge, 34-27, road win of the season. The win would see the Bulldogs get within a game of the Paladins in the all-time series, with Furman holding the slight 13-12 edge in the all-time series.

It would have been hard to gauge just how significant that win was for the Bulldogs at the time, and how the loss likely cost Furman a seed in the playoffs and a regular-season SoCon title, as the two met in early October, and while the call wasn’t the reason Furman loss by any means, it certainly did alter the momentum of the football game.

That said, it turned out to be a positive for Furman, who wouldn’t let some of the game’s extra-curriculars become a factor in any of its remaining games in the 2022 season. The most notable fix was how Furman learned to respond to adversity in the remaining games on its schedule.

For teams picked to finish fourth (Furman) and sixth (Samford) in the Southern Conference coming into the campaign, the 2022 season was a major win for both, proving the SoCon didn’t have to have recent successful programs Chattanooga and East Tennessee State necessarily be strong to get the attention of the FCS nation. Unfortunately, the league still didn’t get the credit it deserved last season, and with both Furman and Samford expected to be strong this fall, the hope is that both will be able to carry the torch of the league nationally at least as well and hopefully even better in the postseason than they did a year ago. Both the Paladins and Bulldogs performed admirably in the FCS postseason.

Samford got a bye in the opening round and then posted an impressive 48-42 overtime win over Southeastern Louisiana in the second round of the playoffs and moved on to face eventual national runner-up North Dakota State in Fargo. Despite not having starting quarterback and SoCon Player of the Year Michael Hiers due to injury to start the game, the Bulldogs performed valiantly against an exceptional NDSU Bison defense. The Bulldogs played tough, with a less than 100% Hiers entering the game in the second half to try and spark the normally explosive Bulldogs offense, and it would cut the Bison lead to 24-9 in the fourth quarter before running out of time in their comeback efforts.

Furman of course, won its first round game over Elon (W, 31-6) and then went to Incarnate Word and put up a fight, taking the lead late before seeing the Cardinals score a touchdown with just under two minutes remaining, as Walter Payton Award winning quarterback Lindsey Scott tossed a scoring strike to Kole Wilson on a 32-yard strike, helping UIW re-take the lead, 41-38. An acrobatic interception of Huff by defensive back Elliott Davidson at his own nine yard line helped seal the win for UIW.

With all that said, the matchup between the Bulldogs and Paladins in mid-October is likely the one most will point to as the “Game of the Year” on the SoCon gridiron this fall. The two should both be ranked highly at the start of the season, and there’s a strong potential for that to be the case when the two meet mid-season at Seibert Stadium. Samford came to Greenville ranked 16^th last season, while Furman was right on the outskirts of the STATS FCS Top 25.

Samford’s win in Greenville last fall snapped a three-game winning streak in the series for the Paladins. Furman holds a slight 8-7 series edge since the Bulldogs joined the Southern Conference as an official gridiron member. The series has had just about everything, including referee controversy, blowouts on both sides, and thrilling, down-to-the-wire finishes.

So what do the Bulldogs return for the 2023 season as they go in search of an encore? The reigning Southern Conference champions, who finished an impressive 11-2 last season, which included an 8-0 Southern Conference mark, welcome the return of 15 regulars with starting experience, including nine on the offensive side of the ball. One of the real interesting things about Samford’s offense last season is that it was suited most to help accentuate Hiers’

overall skill set as a quarterback. The Bulldogs had the ability to go up-tempo on offense, or they could also string together multi-play drives that could eat up time off the clock. That’s ability or tweak to the already explosive Samford offense proved to be a big-time asset for Samford, as the Bulldogs would find themselves in several close games in last season and found themselves in situations in which they needed to run precious time off the clock. Prior to last season, the “Hatch Attack” had a negative effect in some respects because it actually helped the opposition either get back in the game or come from behind to get the win.

Hiers led a Samford offense that ended up closing out the 2022 season ranking 27^th nationally in scoring offense (32.8 PPG), 20^th in total offense (434.7 YPG), sixth in passing offense (304.4 YPG), 81^st in rushing offense (130.3 YPG), ninth in third down conversion percentage (.485) and tied for 32^nd in red zone offense (.851). Hiers put up some gaudy numbers last season, leading the Southern Conference in passing. He finished the campaign completing 353-of-461 passes for 3,544 yards with 36 touchdowns and only four INTs.

Hiers suffered a minor hand injury in the last game of the regular-season against Mercer in what was an overtime win and it came on Samford’s first play of the extra session, as Judd Cockett hauled in a perfectly thrown side-armed Hiers delivery on the run, bringing the ball down between two Mercer defenders for the score, giving the Bulldogs a 44-37 lead in the extra session. Hiers took a pretty hard hit as he let go of the football, and the off week allowed Hiers to heal a little more than he normally would have. The good news is the Bulldogs are in good hands when Hiers exercises the rest of his eligibility, the Bulldogs are in a great hands it appears, with Quincy Crittendon set to take over as soon as Hiers departs.

Not only was Hiers highly effective throwing the football, but he managed to be pretty proficient in the running game for Samford, finishing as the Bulldogs’ third-leading rusher last fall. He finished the campaign by rushing for 165 yards and three touchdowns on 109 attempts.

Crittendon was excellent last season, leading the Bulldogs to the round one win over Southeastern Louisiana. He ended the night by completing 26-of-40 passes for 314 yards, and four touchdowns, while adding 94 yards on the ground, which included the game-winning touchdown, as Samford held off a Southeastern Louisiana team that had defeated Idaho, 45-42, a week earlier in Hammond. Crittendon also posted the game-winning, 25-yard touchdown run against Mercer on the final day of the 2022 regular-season, capping off what was Samford’s most regular-season since 1991, when the Bulldogs matched this season’s record with a 10-1 regular-season mark as an FCS Independent under the direction of Terry Bowden.

Crittendon came up big for the Bulldogs when he had during the 2022 campaign, and he ended up finishing off the season by completing 38-of-63 passes for 413 yards, with four touchdowns and no INTs. Crittendon was most a threat with his legs. He finished the season rushing for 124 yards and a couple of touchdowns on 29 rush attempts, averaging 4.3 yards-per-carry.

At running back, Jay Stanton (176 rush att, 775 yds, 5 TDs, 4 TDs) and Jaylan Thomas (108 rush att, 612 yds, 7 TDs, 5.7 YPC) return as the primary ground threats for the Bulldogs. Samford ranked as the SoCon’s seventh-best rushing offense last season, averaging 130.3 YPG. Stanton and Thomas caught the ball well coming out of the backfield, with Stanton hauling in 35 passes for 177 yards and a touchdown in 2022, while Thomas caught 33 passes for 220 yards and four scores last season.

Both Stanton and Thomas had a profound impact in Samford’s win in Greenville a year ago. It was Stanton who would get the Bulldogs going against the Paladins, as he would haul in 36-yard pass from Hiers to get the Bulldogs started on a run of 21-straight points to take control of the football game. That Stanton touchdown reception was followed by a pair of Thomas touchdown runs, as he found the end zone on 28 and 14-yard runs to help the Bulldogs turn the 10-0 deficit into a 21-10 lead. Later in the game, Thomas would end up scoring his third rushing touchdown on a 44-yard scoring run.

As you most already know, Samford is a program known for its tremendous wide receiver options, and this year it should be another strong contingent for the Bulldogs. Leading the way in 2023 for Samford will be both Chandler Smith (100 rec, 1,071 yds, 11 TDs, 1 TD) and Judd Cockett (36 rec, 399 yds, 4 TDs, 11.1 YPR). The third option in the passing attack for the Bulldogs this fall will be another player that factored in big-time last season is D.J. Rias (51 rec, 588 yds, 6 TDs, 11.5 YPR). The biggest loss to the receiving corps heading into the 2023 season is Kendall Watson, who has exercised his eligibility. Ty King (20 rec, 249 yds, 1 TD, 12.5 YPR), who has battled injuries the past two seasons, is another homerun threat in the passing game for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs return four of five starters along the offensive line heading into the 2023 season. The lone loss is at right guard, where second-team All-SoCon selection Gavin Orr has moved on. The good news is the Bulldogs return Austin Gayse (LT), Chris Noble (LG), Jabari Brooks (C), and Luke Byrne (RG) to the offensive front for the 2023 campaign. They were a big reason why the Bulldogs once again fielded an offense that was among the nation’s best last fall.

While the Samford offense will once again be a potent unit and among the most exciting in FCS football once again this fall, it was the Bulldogs’ improvement on the defensive side of the football that had everything to do with why the Bulldogs had one of the best seasons in program history last fall. The Bulldogs, who ranked as the worst defense in all of FCS football in 2021, saw significant improvement under its new/former defensive coordinator, in Chris Boone last fall. Boone, who previously was the defensive backs coach for the Bulldogs in 2013—a season which saw the Bulldogs tie for the Southern Conference regular-season title, which was later vacated due to ineligible players—and he would return and provide the Midas touch to a defense, which returned plenty of talent, but needed new leadership.

The 2022 season would see the Bulldogs finish 45^th nationally in scoring defense (25.4 PPG), 101^st in total defense (435.2 YPG), 111^th in passing yards allowed (261.5 YPG), and 80^th in rushing defense (173.6 YPG). The rankings and numbers don’t necessarily do the improvement on that side of the ball justice, as the Bulldogs were aggressive, getting after opposing quarterbacks more regularity than the previous year, as well as turning over the opposition with much more frequency. The Bulldogs finished the 2022 season ranking in the FCS 13^th in turnover margin (+.69) and 85^th in team sacks (22.0/1.69 SPG).

That aggressiveness on the defensive of the football helped set up a key touchdown for the Bulldogs in Greenville as part of their 34-27 win over Furman in Paladin Stadium last October. With Furman having a little bit of momentum following a defensive stop and trailing 27-17 late in the third quarter, however, took over the football deep inside its own territory following a Brad Porcellato punt down to the Paladin 16.

With the Paladins deep in their own end, Boone dialed up a blitz, as All-SoCon linebacker Nathan East came free on the perimeter and got a clean hit on Furman quarterback Jace Wilson’s blind side, forcing the ball to pop loose and it would the ball was recovered at the Furman 8-yard line by nose guard Joshua Mathiasen. It took the Samford offense just three plays to double up the score, as Hiers found a wide open J.R. Tran-Reno in the back of the end zone on a 6-yard pass, as the Bulldogs went ahead 34-17. In a game of momentum shifts, it was that blitz and play made by the Bulldog defense that perhaps help seal the key road win for Samford.

There are a few more replacements to be made on the defensive side of the football for Samford heading into 2023, however, there is talent at all three levels returning for the upcoming season. The Bulldogs are slated just four starters for the upcoming season.

Up front, the Bulldogs will miss both Seth Simmer and Tay Berry, who have both moved on. However, Joshua Mathiason (20 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 2 QBHs, 1 FR) returns as one of the potential starters along the defensive front, and Elijah Rawlins—one of a total of 10 (FCS and FBS) transfers brought in during the offseason could provide some immediate support.  Rawlins comes to Samford from Mississippi Valley State, but the player to watch up front might be Joseph Mera (25 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 6 PBUs, 7 QBHs, 2 FFs, 1 FR), who has all-conference talent.

The good news for the linebacking unit is that it appears to be the most veteran unit for Samford heading into the 2023 campaign, with the return of Noah Martin (92 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 INT, 3 QBHs, 1 QBH) and Thomas Neville (36 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 3 PBUs, 1 QBH), which helps at least off-set the departure of Nathan East.

Traditionally, Samford has had good secondaries during its time as a Southern Conference member, as evidenced by guys like James Bradberry, Corey White and Jaquiski Tartt all going on to represent the Bulldogs in the NFL in recent seasons. The lone returnee for Samford on the defensive back line from a year ago is Fred Flavors (53 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 INT, 1 QBH, 1 FF, 2 blkd kicks) at cornerback. The good news for the Bulldogs is Kameron Smith—a transfer cornerback from Charleston Southern—will have a chance to come in and make an immediate impact this fall. Smith was an All-Big South selection last season after posting 37 total tackles, with 13 pass breakups and a forced fumble. His forced fumble came on a big hit against Furman last season in a game that the Paladins had to come from behind on the road in order to secure a 25-19 win.

The Bulldogs should in good shape on special teams, with the return of place-kicker Zach Williams (24-of-29 on FGs/51-of-53 on PATs) for his graduate season, while Brad Porcellato (42.6 YPP) also returns to handle the punting duties. Judd Cockett (23.0 yards per kickoff return/3.3 yards per punt return) once again figures to handle the primary kick return duties, while Chandler Smith (6.0 yards per punt return) and Cockett will be the candidates for punt return responsibilities once again this fall.

Brief Recap of the last meeting: No. 16 Samford 34, Furman 27 (Oct. 1, 2022/Paladin Stadium)

Jaylan Thomas rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 16 Samford converted a pair of Furman turnovers into 14 points, as the Bulldogs snapped a three-game losing streak in the series against the Paladins, with a 34-27 Southern Conference triumph before 9,507 fans at Paladin Stadium.

Things looked good through a little over a quarter of action in Saturday’s SoCon showdown between Furman and No. 16 Samford, as the Paladins held a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter, however, Samford found its offensive momentum midway through the second quarter, and out-scored the Paladins 34-7 to double up the score, leading 34-17 entering the fourth quarter.

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in Southern Conference play—their best start since 2016. The Paladins fell to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in league action.

Thomas was outstanding all day, whether catching the ball out of the backfield, or running the ball. He finished the contest rushing for 104 yards on just five carries, with three touchdowns. He ended the contest averaging a whopping 20.8 yards-per-carry.

Samford quarterback Michael Hiers, who was the reigning Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week, finished the contest connecting on 29-of-38 passes for 228 yards with a pair of touchdown passes and an INT.

His favorite target was once again Chandler Smith, which hauled in 11 passes for 83 yards. Kendall Watson hauled in five passes for 41 yards in the win.

The Paladin defense was able to limit leading running back Jay Stanton to just 17 yards on eight rush attempts, however, Stanton broke free to score in the second quarter on a 36-yard scoring reception on a wheel route.

All told, Stanton hauled in three passes for 66 yards, and has now posted two huge plays in the opening two league games for the Bulldogs. Along with a 36-yard scoring catch today, Stanton broke off a 49-yard scoring run in last week’s win over Western Carolina, which capped off a 35-12 win over the Catamounts.

Furman was led under center by Jace Wilson, who made his first start of the season under center for injured starter Tyler Huff, completed 38-of-59 passes for 329 yards, three touchdowns and no INTs.  Wilson also rushed for 38 yards on 14 attempts and got sacked three times. All told, the sophomore from Missouri City, TX., accounted for 367 yards of total offense.

Wilson’s favorite targets were Kyndel Dean, who turned in his best game as a Paladin, and two-time All-American tight end Ryan Miller. Both hauled in 10 passes. Dean made 10 catches for 97 yards, while continued his outstanding season to-date, hauling in 10 passes for 87 yards and a TD. Joshua Harris, who caught six passes for 43 yards, hauled in his first two scoring passes of the season.

The Paladins ended being led on defense by safety Kam Brinson’s eight tackles, while Jalen Miller’s first quarter INT was Furman’s ninth as a defense this season, and Miller’s second in three-week span. The INT by Miller was his second in a three-week span, and the redshirt junior has shined as a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball this season. He also forced a key fumble in last week’s win at Charleston Southern.

The Paladin defense recorded five sacks and seven tackles-for-loss in Saturday’s loss. Luke Clark finished the contest with two of the team’s five sacks and totaled six tackles.

The Paladins out-gained the Bulldogs 457-360 in the contest, while holding big advantages in total plays (97-66), first downs (26-16), and time of possession (37:34-22:23).

Two Reviews…One Play

While the play below didn’t decide Saturday’s contest, as a decision made by an officiating crew never really does, it without question changed the momentum of the contest. Furman’s response defensively to the adversity was not the type of response that a team in hopes of winning a Southern Conference title should have.

That said, despite the decision rendered by the officiating crew following an unheard of “double-review” and a 20-plus minute stoppage of play, Samford won the game on its merits, playing an excellent football game on both sides of the ball. So, you be the judge of the play below. I think it speaks for itself.

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Furman opened the game in a much different fashion against No. 16 Samford than it did against a winless Charleston Southern last Saturday, as the Paladins scored 10 points in the opening quarter, with Axel Lepvreau splitting the uprights on a 19-yard field goal for the first points of the afternoon, while Joshua Harris hauled in his first TD pass of the season on a 10-yard strike from Jace Wilson, and the Paladin defense would hold the Bulldogs scoreless in the opening quarter, which included forcing their first turnover of the day on Jalen Miller second INT in a three-week span.

Early in the second quarter, Ivan Yates appeared to intercept a second Michael Hiers pass in the contest, however, after the initial review gave the ball to the Paladins at the 28, another replay gave the football back to the Bulldog offense, nullifying the Paladin offensive possession just outside the Samford red zone, and that would give the Bulldog offense the momentum they needed to find their first points of the afternoon.

Hiers then tossed his first scoring pass of the afternoon on a 36-yard pass to Jay Stanton out of the backfield with 10:35 remaining in the half. Matt Sochovka blocked the Samford PAT, keeping the Paladin lead at four.

After a Wilson fumble gave the ball back inside Furman territory at the Paladin 44, the Bulldogs would assume a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the afternoon.

Two plays later, Thomas found the end zone for the his first of three times in the contest, bolting 28 yards for a score, giving the Bulldogs a 13-10 lead with 7:05 to play in the opening half.

Following another Paladin punt with a little over six minutes remaining in the opening half, the Bulldogs would take over at their own 30 following a 38-yard punt by Furman’s Ryan Leahy.

The Bulldogs made the most of the possession, to find the end zone for the second time in the second quarter, as Thomas scored on a 14-yard run to give Samford a little bit of a cushion with a 20-10 lead with 2:36 left in the opening half.

Following a 21-yard return by Wayne Anderson Jr. on the ensuing kickoff, the Paladin offense made the most of its final possession of the opening half. Wilson engineered an 11-play, 70-yard drive, which he capped by tossing a perfectly lofted 4-yard pass to Ryan Miller with just five seconds left in the half, and the Paladins went to the locker room trailing 20-17.

With the ball to start the second half, the Bulldogs needed just five plays to stretch their lead back out to double digits. The final 44 yards of the drive came from Thomas, who was untouched as he raced through the middle of the Paladin defense to give the Bulldogs a 27-17 third quarter lead.

The Paladins officially playing catch-up.

The Samford defense held the Paladin offense on their next two offensive drives of the second quarter, and then on Furman’s third offensive drive of the third quarter, the Bulldogs came up with another big play from their defense to force Furman’s third miscue of the day.

After Furman took over the football at its own 16 following the Brad Porcellato punt, All-SoCon linebacker Nathan East came free on a blitz and got a clean hit on Wilson’s blind side, forcing the ball to pop loose and it would the ball was recovered at the Furman 8-yard line by nose guard Joshua Mathiasen.

It took the Samford offense just three plays to double up the score, as Hiers found a wide open J.R. Tran-Reno in the back of the end zone on a 6-yard pass, as the Bulldogs went ahead 34-17.

Furman concluded the third quarter the same way it the second, which is by scoring the final points of the frame. After 42-yard return by Wayne Anderson Jr., the Paladins took over the football in great field position at their own 45. However, the Bulldog defense was able the Paladin offense out of the end zone, forcing the Paladins into a Lepvreau 34-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Trailing by 14, the Paladin defense would give its offense some good opportunities to come back in the final frame, holding an opponent scoreless in the final frame for the fifth-straight game to start the season.

The Paladins only score came late in the game, as Wilson tossed his third scoring strike of the game, with Harris being on the end of his second TD reception, as he hauled in a 2-yard pass with 2:03 left to conclude what was a 15-play, 90-yard drive that got the Paladins within a touchdown, at 34-27.

That would end up being the final score, however, as Furman opted to kick off with a pair of timeouts to work with, but the Bulldogs were successfully able to run a minute off the clock, forcing Furman to burn both of its remaining timeouts. From there, the Paladins took over at their own 22-yard line, however, the Paladins turned it over on downs after gaining just nine yards in four plays, effectively ending any chance at a game-tying touchdown. The Bulldogs took the final knee of the game, running off the final three seconds to snap a three-game skid against the Paladins.

The Prediction: The Paladins and Bulldogs should be set to deliver us another outstanding football game when the two get together in the middle of October in a game that could very well decided the 2023 Southern Conference champion. With that said, I think Furman has a point to prove, and I think Tyler Huff provides just what the Paladins need on the road in getting a crucial league road win…Paladins 35, Bulldogs 31.

Oct. 21 at Western Carolina (TBA)—­­Next up for the Paladins is a trip to Cullowhee in what could be a tricky road game for head coach Clay Hendrix’s Furman Paladins. Trips to Catamount country are certainly never easy games, and it was the Paladins who pulled out a wild 47-40 win over the Catamounts last season in Greenville in a game in which the Paladins nearly squandered what seemed to be a comfortable fourth quarter lead, as the Paladins needed a stop late, as Ivan Williams stopped WCU wideout Censere Lee at the five and the clock expired as Paladin fans breathed a collective sigh of relief following what was quite literally a near disastrous occurrence.

With that said, the Paladins and Catamounts have played a couple of down-to-the-wire, high-scoring affairs in each of Kerwin Bell’s two seasons at the helm of the Western Carolina football program. When the Catamounts and Paladins get together on the gridiron, the rivalry has normally been referred to as the “Battle for Purple Supremacy” due to the fact that both teams sport their primary color as purple.

The rivalry, which has largely been dominated by Furman, has seen a resurrection of sorts under Bell, who helped lead Western Carolina to a 43-42 win over the Paladins in his first season at EJ Whitmire Stadium, which snapped what had become a five-game losing skid in the series for Western Carolina.

The 2023 meeting between the Catamounts and Paladins will mark the 51^st all-time clash between the two football programs, with the Paladins holding what is a commanding 35-13-2 record all-time in the series between the two. The Paladins dominance in the series can be noticed with one glance at the all-time series results between the two programs, with Furman having won 22 of the past 27 meetings between the two programs, dating back to 1996. The Catamounts and Paladins first met on the college football gridiron back in 1971, with the Paladins taking what was a 21-14 in Greenville.

The Catamounts’ 1983 win over the Paladins in the Division I-AA semifinals remains one of the biggest wins in program history. The Catamounts handed the ’83 regular-season Southern Conference champions a 14-7 setback on the home turf, and in what might be the first occurrence of a visiting team tearing down a home team’s goalposts, that would be exacly what happened in Greenville as Catamount fans celebrated in sheer jubilation.

Without having ever won a Southern Conference regular-season crown since joining the SoCon in 1976, the win over the Paladins afforded the Catamounts a trip to the national championship game to meet Southern Illinois at Johnson-Hagood Stadium in Charleston, and by default, remains one of if not the biggest win in program history. With an 0-62 all-time mark against FBS competition, I think it would be hard to argue another win with as much significance to Catamount football fans as the one that occurred against a very good Furman team back in 1983. The Catamounts ended up being on the wrong end of a 43-7 setback to the Salukis, however, the 11-win ’83 season remains the best in school history and is the only time the Catamounts have qualified for the FCS playoffs.

While there hasn’t been much of a tradition set in winning championships in the mountains of Cullowhee, N.C., it could be argued that the Purple and Gold is a program that has been at the doorstep of a conference title and a postseason invite only to squander that seeming opportunity late in the season more than any other program in FCS football.

Thinking back to even the Steve Hodgin era, the Catamounts squandered either a chance at a Southern Conference title or a potential at-large trip to the FCS playoffs for three-straight seasons from 1992-94. The 1992 team, which finished 7-4 overall and 5-2 in league play only needed to beat arch-rival Appalachian State in its final game of the regular-season to claim a share of the Southern Conference title along with The Citadel. However, the 14-12 loss to the Mountaineers in the regular-season finale saw the Mountaineers, who posted an identical 7-4 record and 5-2 mark in SoCon play chosen for the playoffs over the Catamounts.

In recent years, the Catamounts produced seven-win campaigns in 2014, ’15 and ’17, but like that string of three-straight seasons in the early-mid 1990s, faltered late in the season to miss out on a potential playoff invitation. In Furman head coach Clay Hendrix’s first season as the head coach of the Furman Paladins, it was the Paladins’ 28-6 win during a driving rain in Cullowhee, which was seemingly the beginning of a late-season swoon that saw Western go on lose two of its remaining three games of the season to finish on the outside of the FCS playoff bubble. The loss to the Paladins was damaging, however, a 35-33 home loss to Mercer proved to be the final nail in the coffin for the 2017 campaign.

For head coach Mark Speir, who had a beginning much like Bell has had in his two seasons at Western Carolina, helping turn the program around and create a winning culture, however, what Speir and so many others have failed to do since Bob Waters took the Catamount football program to unprecedented heights during the decade of the 1980s before tragically seeing his life cut short due to Lou Gehrig’s disease on May 30, 1989, is help the program take the next step from improved to a championship contender and a playoff qualifier. The Catamounts have had some good coaches, as well as some not so good ones give it a try in the years since Waters roamed the sidelines, including both Speir and Hodgin, who had arguably as much or more success as anyone since. Bill Bleil lead the Catamounts to a 7-4 mark in 2001 before being fired following a “lack of institutional control” following the fallout from the Toren Gordon incident at a local night club in Cherokee, N.C.

Kent Briggs would end up leading the Catamounts to a pretty successful 2005 season, with the Catamounts having a game canceled with Nicholls State during Hurricane Katrina, and with only 10 games scheduled, Western Carolina would finish with a 5-4 record. Had the Catamounts been able to defeat Appalachian State in Boone in the regular-season finale, the Catamounts could have forced a four-way tie atop the Southern Conference standings between Furman, Western Carolina, Georgia Southern and App State, which could have potentially seen the Catamounts included in the FCS playoffs. However, the point was made moot when App State delivered a 35-7 beat down in Boone and what had been a potentially noteworthy season, which included a 41-21 win over No. 2 Furman, ended on a sour note.

That would ultimately be the peak for Briggs during his time as head coach, and like Hodgin and Bleil, never could manage to get the Catamounts to that next rung on the ladder of conference success. Briggs was succeeded by Dennis Wagner, who was easily the worst coach in recent history for Catamount football, finishing his three seasons in Cullowhee with a 8-36 record. Speir had to almost build the program from scratch when he assumed the reins of the program in 2012 and had made a turn similar to what Bell had in two seasons, however, could never get past the seven-win threshold. That is now the challenge for Bell, which is get the Western Carolina program past the seven-win threshold, which no coach has been able to do since Waters.

There is a feeling that under the direction of Bell, however, the Catamounts might be able to finally be able to kick through what most seem like a steel door that has been closed on their playoff aspirations ever since that ’83 appearance. The Catamounts ended the 2022 season as one of the hottest teams in FCS football, winning their final three games to finish up 6-5 overall and 4-4 in SoCon play. Western Carolina produced its 13^th win all-time against a ranked FCS foe and first since 2017, downing No. 15 Chattanooga, 32-29, in the final home game of the regular-season, capping what was a three-game winning streak.

Nine players return from an offense that was among the most prolific in the FCS last season, however, the Catamounts will have a new starter under center, as Carlos Davis has moved on to become the new UMass starting quarterback. The Catamounts ranked sixth in the nation in total offense, averaging 485.4 YPG last season. The Catamounts finished the season with 43 offensive touchdowns and averaged 31.9 PPG, finishing the season ranking 31^st nationally in scoring offense last season. Western Carolina finished the season ranking seventh nationally in passing offense (301.1 YPG).

In line to start for Western Carolina under center this fall will be Cole Gonzales (102-of-161 passing, 1,336 yds, 11 TDs, 7 INTs), who had a pretty effective outing against the Paladins last season, played exceptionally well over the latter half of his freshman campaign. Gonzales was responsible for helping get the Catamounts back in the game in the second half after Davis exited in the third quarter with an injury following a big hit by Bryce McCormick. Gonzales came in and completed and was a big part of the 462-yard passing day, as he finished the contest by connecting 12-of-16 passes for 253 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Gonzales will again have a good contingent of receivers to throw the football to, even without the services of All-SoCon wideout Raphael Williams, who has transferred to San Diego State. Gonzales will have some talent speed merchants to rely on in 2023, however, with Censere Lee (36 rec, 634 yds, 6 TDs, 17.6 YPR), Calvin Jones, and David White Jr. (20 rec, 384 yds, 5 TDs, 19.2 YPR) slated to return this fall. Lee ended up having a huge day against the Paladins last season, hauling in a career-best five passes for 164 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Central Florida transfer Terrance Horne Jr. also figures to be in the mix as a big-play threat for the Catamounts. The overall depth the Catamounts possess at the receiving corps in the Southern Conference is unmatched, and while both Mercer and Samford have more prolific options among their starting wideouts, neither team possesses the depth at the position that the Catamounts have.

As for the running game, the Catamounts will have one of the SoCon’s top ground threats in 2023, with the return of Desmond Reid (), who claimed the SoCon’s Freshman of the Year honor, according to the league’s head coaches last season. Reid was a dual threat in that he was also a threat in the passing game for Western Carolina, hauling in 21 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown last fall, averaging 10.1 yards-per-reception.

Ajay Bellanger (20 rec, 176 yds, 1 TD) returns as the Catamounts’ primary tight end, and he has a chance to establish himself as one of the league’s premier pass-catching tight ends this season.

The other good news for Western Carolina is they should have one of the most talented offensive fronts in the Southern Conference this fall. Returning to the offensive front for head coach Kerwin Bell this fall will be four of five starters, highlighted by a player, in Tyler Smith at left tackle, that should compete for the Jacobs Blocking Award in the SoCon this fall. The 6-8, 300-lb rising redshirt senior is one of the most physically-imposing offensive linemen in the Southern Conference.

Smith will team with Christian Coulter (RT), Neyland Walker (LG), and Blake Whitmore (C) along the offensive front this fall, with the lone player the Catamounts need to replace along the offensive front being right guard Dalton Tomlison, who has moved on. It’s an offensive front that will also be one of the largest in the Southern Conference this fall, averaging 305 lbs among the four starters returning this fall. The Catamounts ranked 32^nd in the FCS in rushing offense last season, averaging 184.3 YPG on the ground last season.

The area where the Catamounts must improve is on the defensive side of the ball, and in 2022, towards the latter half of the season, the Catamounts certainly made some inroads in that particular area, however, there is much work to be done.  For instance, in the previous six seasons under Clay Hendrix, the Paladins have had their leading rusher go for 100 or more yards on five occasions, including twice for over 200 yards. Furman’s leading rusher in the Clay Hendrix era against Western Carolina is going for an average of 159 yards, with Dominic Roberto putting together one of the best rushing performances in program history last season against the Catamounts, finishing with 253 yards and a pair of TDs on 25 rush attempts. The rushing effort by Roberto was the third-highest in program history and highest in 22 years since Louis Ivory rushed for 301 yards in a 45-10 win over top-ranked Georgia Southern.

Even before Hendrix took over as the head coach of the Furman football program in 2017, the Paladins have been feasting on WCU defenses via the ground attack for quite some time. Back in 2016, the Paladins had a pair of 100 yard rushers, with Kealand Dirks going for 171 and Antonio Wilcox 105 en route to a 387-yard effort on the ground, as the Paladins blitzed the Catamounts, 49-21, in Bruce Fowler’s last season as the head coach of the Paladins.

However, as a whole, the Catamounts were much improved on the defensive side of the football last season, and that point was proven by the fact that the Catamounts finished the season only nine places lower in the final season statistical rankings in the FCS for total defense, as the Catamounts ranked 71^st nationally in total defense last season, surrendering 390.5 YPG. The Catamounts steadily improved on the defensive side of the football as the season progressed in 2022. The Catamounts were decent against the run a year ago, but still have plenty of room for improvement, as the Purple and Gold finished the season ranking 91^st in total defense (182.7 YPG). The Catamounts were a little better against the pass last fall, completing the season ranking 43^rd nationally in passing yards allowed (207.7 YPG) last season.

The Catamounts have much more to replace on the defensive side of the football heading into the 2023 season, however, but there is still enough continuity and talent returning at all three levels for defensive coordinator Chazmon Scales. One of the strengths of the Catamount defense a year ago was its defensive front, and it’s a unit that ended up ranking second in the Southern Conference in total sacks last season, posting 32 quarterback takedowns (2.91 SPG), which ranked 11^th nationally and second to only Chattanooga (35 sacks/3.18 SPG) last season.

Western Carolina will utilize a 4-2-5 alignment on the defensive side of the football once again this season, which served the Catamounts well last season, especially in the final four games of the season. The one major loss from the defensive front heading into the 2023 season is do-everything, All-SoCon defensive end KJ Milner, who has moved on after a 2022 campaign, which saw him post 45 tackles, seven tackles-for-loss, and six sacks. The Catamounts will look to some new blood to fill Milner’s position this fall, with rising senior Jayelin Davis (7 tackles) most likely being the one to step into that role this season.

Also returning along the defensive front for the Catamounts will be nose tackle Marlon Alexander (25 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FR)—a player that has a chance to garner all-conference honors in the middle of that Catamount defensive front this fall—as well as Jaquarius Guinn (21 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 PBU, 3 QBHs, 1 FR) and Micah Nelson (35 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 4 QBHs, 1 PBU), who return at defensive tackle and ‘bandit’ respectively.

At linebacker, the Catamounts return both of their big hitters in the middle of the defensive unit, with Va Lealaimatafao (52 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 2 FFs, 1 PBU) and EJ Porter (31 tackles, 6.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 QBH) return to the fold, as does Hayward McQueen III. McQueen might have been the most talented linebacker on the Catamount squad last season, finishing out the season with 59 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, one sack and three quarterback hurries. His 59 stops ranked second on the Catamount defense in 2022. McQueen was named to the SoCon’s All-Freshman team last season, finishing the season with a career-high 10 tackles in the upset win over Chattanooga, which was good enough for an honorable mention nod for FedEx FCS Freshman of the Week, which is awarded weekly by STATS FCS.

Western Carolina has one of the up-and-coming defensive backfields in FCS football, and that unit is slated to be anchored by junior Andreas Keaton (72 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 2 INTs, 5 PBUs, 7 PDs), who returns as the hard-hitting safety and a player that could compete for SoCon Defensive Player of the Year honors this fall. Joining Keaton on the Catamounts’ defensive back line will be Samaurie Dukes (33 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1 FR, 1 FF), who plays as a nickel defensive back/linebacker and was a SoCon All-Freshman team selection last fall. The Catamount depth in the secondary will be somewhat be altered with the loss of Jacob Harris (36 tackles, 1 INT), who has opted to transfer to Valdosta State.

The special teams unit will be in great shape with the return of Richard McCollum (17-of-19 on FGs last season/40-of-41 on PATs) from the transfer portal. The rising senior place-kicker will likely compete for All-America honors this fall. Western Carolina must find an adequate replacement for Brandon Dickerson at punter (43.7 YPP in 2022), with Paxton Robertson, who handled to kickoff duties for the Purple and Gold last fall, expected to compete for the job.

Brief Recap of the last meeting: Furman 47, Western Carolina 40 (Oct. 15, 2022)

When Ryan Miller hauled in his second TD pass of the game on a 14-yard strike from Tyler Huff and Axel Lepvreau’s PAT with 46 seconds left in the third quarter, it looked like Furman would coast to its fifth victory of the season and third Southern Conference win, as the Paladins led 44-20 and with the Catamounts relying on freshman quarterback Cole Gonzales having to replace an injured Carlos Davis under center, it certainly didn’t look good for Western Carolina.

But things looked a lot worse last Saturday in Macon, when Western Carolina trailed 42-0 at the half against No. 11 Mercer. Kerwin Bell even quipped to Mercer head coach Drew Cronic following that contest that he wished the Catamounts could have just one more half against the Bears. With the way things were going down the stretch in Greenville on Saturday at Paladin Stadium, just five more minutes might have been enough to escape with a win.

Just as the Catamounts did last season in Cullowhee to charge back from an 11-point deficit to garner a 43-42 win over Furman at E.J. Whitmire Stadium, these Cats coached by Kerwin Bell proved they have nine lives and were going to use every one of them once again.

Following Miller’s 14-yard scoring catch, which increased Furman’s advantage to 24 late in the third quarter, the Catamounts, who were now led by Gonzales, would scratch the scoreboard for the first of three scores in the fourth quarter when TJ Jones scored on a 9-yard jaunt to make it a 44-27 game and conclude an 8-play, 75-yard drive with 12:42 remaining.

After allowing one first down on Furman’s ensuing drive, Western Carolina would get the football back following a Ryan Leavy 43-yard punt gave the ball back to the Catamounts at their own 44. Gonzales needed just two plays to get Western Carolina to within 10 points with just under eight minutes to play, with both passes going to Lee.

After an initial 14-yard catch along the Catamount sideline on the first pass to get Western Carolina to the Furman 42, Gonzales threw a deep spiral down the right sideline for a 42-yard score to make it a 44-34 game following Richard McCollum’s PAT with 7:54 remaining.

It still seemed to be a comfortable lead, however, for Clay Hendrix’s Paladins. Furman would use heavy doses of Dominic Roberto and Devin Abrams to drive inside Catamount territory and faced a 3^rd-and-6 play from the Western Carolina 31. The Paladins would turn the ball over for their only turnover of the game, as Roberto coughed up the football after a hard hit by Jaylen Floyd and the ball would be recovered by Catamount linebacker Samaurie Dukes with 2:26 remaining.

On the first play from scrimmage, the Gonzales again found a streaking Lee behind the Furman secondary, and he ran under the perfectly thrown pass in stride for a 69-yard scoring connection, sending the visiting fans from Cullowhee into wild celebrations in the visiting stands—a small sample size of what it was probably like in 1983—as Western Carolina cut it to a four-point game following the six-point play, at 44-40, with 2:18 remaining.

Just as he did in helping the Paladins generate the game-changing momentum last week by forcing a turnover following a big hit at The Citadel, Furman All-SoCon cornerback Travis Blackshear broke through and blocked McCollum’s PAT, which could have cut Furman’s lead to just a field goal. His blocked PAT helped Furman keep intact a 44-40 lead.

The Catamounts lined up for an onsides kick on the ensuing kickoff and it was Blackshear who caught the ball off one bounce, showing why he was part of the Paladin “hands team” and after fielding the football cleanly off the bounce, he returned it 20 yards to the Western Carolina 25, which was crucial because it gave the Paladins the football in excellent field position.

The Paladin offense, which took over with 2:13 remaining, was able to use four plays and run 1:06 off the game clock and force the Catamounts to use all of their timeouts, as Ian Williams lined up for his second field goal attempt of the afternoon, which would be from a yard closer than his 38-yarder in the third quarter. He hit the ball cleanly, however, it caromed off the left upright, but down through the goalposts for a successful attempt, giving the Paladins a 47-40 lead with 1:07 remaining.

The Catamounts got the ball back with 1:03 left and no timeouts following a 13-yard return by Blue Monroe to the Western Carolina 36 following a squib kickoff by Williams.

A 1-yard rush by Gonzales on first down was negated by a holding penalty, and after a pair of incompletions, Western Carolina faced a 3^rd-and-20 from their own 26. Gonzales completed a 19-yard pass to Raphael Williams to bring up a 4^th-and-1 at the Catamount 45. Gonzales found Williams over the middle once again for a gain of 14 yards down to the Furman 41.

Gonzales quickly rushed to the line of scrimmage and spiked the football to stop the clock with 10 seconds remaining. His deep pass to the right corner of the end zone intended for Terrence Horne Jr. was incomplete, however, the Paladins were flagged for pass interference and a 15-yard penalty and automatic first down placed the ball at the 26 with three seconds remaining.

On the final play of the game, Gonzales connected with a leaping Censere Lee at the Paladin 5, however, Blackshear sealed the win for the Paladin with a sure tackle, providing the ending to what was a wild Saturday at Paladin Stadium.

Leading 27-20 at the half, Furman opened the second half in electrifying fashion, as Wayne Anderson Jr. took the opening kickoff of the second half and raced 97 yards for a score to highlight what would end up being a 17-point third quarter for the Paladins.

A little over midway through the third quarter, the Paladins would increase their lead to 37-20 when Ian Williams connected on the first of his two field goals, connecting on a 38-yard field goal with 6:36 remaining in the frame to conclude a 10-play, 59-yard drive which ate up 5:44 off the game clock.

Furman would force a Western Carolina punt on the Catamounts ensuing possession, and after a Brandon Dickerson punt was fair caught at the Paladin 6, Huff and the Furman offense went to work with 2:20 remaining and needed only three plays to cover the 94 yards. After runs of 32 and 48 yards from Roberto netted the first 80 yards of the drive, Huff found Miller on a short 14-yard scoring strike in the far corner of the end zone to make it a 44-20 Paladin lead. That would ultimately be the final points until Ian Williams’ field goal with a little over a minute left, which increased the Furman lead back to a TD after a furious fourth quarter rally, which saw the Catamounts score 20 unanswered points to make things interesting down the stretch.

Furman held jumped out to a 27-10 lead in the opening half of play before the Catamounts closed to within 27-20 at the half. The Paladins would win the opening coin toss and defer until the second half. The Catamount offense went to work on their record-setting offensive day against the Paladin defense almost immediately.

Western Carolina looked like it was going to put points on the board on its first possession of the afternoon, driving down to the Furman 10, the drive stalled to force a Western Carolina field goal attempt, however, Richard McCollum’s 25-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Matt Sochovka to give the Paladins the momentum and keep points off the board for the opening possession of the game.

On Furman’s first play from scrimmage, running back Dominic Roberto, who rushed for 196 yards and four scores in a 43-42 loss to the Catamounts a year ago, rumbled 62 yards on the Paladins’ opening play from scrimmage to make it a 7-0 Paladin lead following Axel Lepvreau’s PAT.

The Catamounts would respond behind quarterback Carlos Davis, driving back down the field to find their first points of the game and tie the football game in the opening quarter. as Davis connected on a 6-yard scoring strike to Raphael Williams., tying the game 7-7 and concluding an 11-play, 74-yard drive with 7:27 remaining in the opening quarter.

Both teams would be forced to punt on their next respective drives, and it would be Furman that would put the final points on the board for the opening quarter. Following a 75-yard punt by Brandon Dickerson, the Paladin offense would take over the football at their own 27.  

Roberto found the end zone for the second time on the day and first time in his career via TD catch, as he hauled in a beautifully flighted pass from quarterback Tyler Huff for a 20-yard scoring connection to conclude a 5-play, 73-yard scoring drive to make it a 14-7 Paladin lead with 21 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Furman would force the first turnover of the afternoon, as Bryce Stanfield got pressure on Davis and forced a hurried, under-thrown pass, which was intercepted by Paladin safety Hugh Ryan and returned 39 yards to the Catamount 11. From there, the Paladins needed just three plays to cover the needed yardage and take a 21-7 lead on Roberto’s third TD of the day.

For the second-straight week down near the opposing goal line, a Furman running back took the direct snap in shotgun formation from center—last week Devin Abrams vs. The Citadel and this week Roberto—as the Paladins held a two-score lead following the redshirt junior’s 1-yard scoring plunge with 13:17 remaining in the opening half.

The Catamounts would answer on the ensuing drive by answering with a 10-play, 65-yard drive, however, had to settle for a Richard McCollum 20-yard field goal to cut the Paladin lead to 11, at 21-10, with 10:49 left in the half.

Furman’s final points of the frame would come on its ensuing offensive possession, as the Paladins used 11 plays to cover 65 yards, as Huff connected with tight end Ryan Miller for the first of the two touchdown connections between the two in the contest on a 13-yard touchdown scoring toss with 5:55 remaining in the half, giving the Paladins a 27-10 lead.

That lead would be brief, however, as the Catamounts needed just a one-play rebuttal, as Davis found David White Jr. in the flat, and he needed to outrun just one Paladin defender on his way to a 75-yard score, making it a 27-17 game just 12 seconds after Miller’s scoring catch for the Paladins.

Furman would put together a nice drive on its next possession—one that seemed it might yield points—however on a 4^th-and-1 play from the Catamount 29, Dominic Roberto was stopped inches short of the first down marker, and the Paladins turned the ball over on downs with 1:38 remaining in the half.

From there, the Catamounts used 10 plays to cover 61 yards to set up a 27-yard McCollum field goal as the first half clock expired, getting Western Carolina to within a touchdown, at 27-20, at the half.

The Prediction: Games in Cullowhee are never easy, even though the Paladins hold a 16-7-1 record in games played in Cullowhee. The past two meetings between the Paladins and Catamounts have been decided by a combined eight points, which includes a thrilling 43-42 win by the Catamounts over the Paladins in 2021. It remains one of the most significant wins of Kerwin Bell era. This should be a tough test for Furman, and the Paladins should slide past this tricky challenge en route to a close, 31-27, win at EJ Whitmire Stadium.

Oct. 28 vs. East Tennessee State (TBA)— Furman will close out the month by celebrating homecoming on Oct. 30, as East Tennessee State will pay a visit to Paladin Stadium.When the Bucs arrive, a familiar face will be on the other sidelines, with former Paladin assistant coach George Quarles slated to lead the Bucs in his second season as the head coach of the ETSU football program.

Quarles, who took over for Randy Sanders on the heels of a historic 11-win season and SoCon title in 2021, had a tough act to follow, and in Quarles’ first season in Johnson City, the Bucs failed to live up to some lofty preseason expectations, with many predicting ETSU to repeat as Southern Conference champions last fall.

Despite 17 returning starters for the 2022 season, the Bucs would finish just 3-8 overall and posted just a 1-7 conference record. In eerily similar fashion to how ETSU followed up its 2018 SoCon title-winning campaign, the Bucs would go 1-7 in league play in 2019, losing many of its league tilts during that ’19 season by one score or less.

It was seemingly like that for the Bucs and first-year head coach George Quarles last season. The Bucs were in a lot of fourth quarter games a year ago, including ones against both upper echelon finishers Furman and Chattanooga last season. After dropping their league opener on the road at The Citadel (L, 17-20), the Bucs opened their home SoCon slate against rival Furman at William B. Greene Stadium, only to see the Paladins avenge the heartbreak of what was a late game-winning drive by ETSU, which saw them leave Greenville with a 17-14 win in 2021 en route to a SoCon title, as the Paladins posted a 27-14 win in 2022 in Johnson City.

The Paladins and Bucs have enjoyed a solid rivalry with the Paladins having been dominant in the rivalry since its start back in 1957, with Furman holding the 28-9 all-time series edge. Despite the dominance the Paladins have exhibited, the rivalry between the Paladins and Bucs has yielded some outstanding football games. The Bucs also hold the distinction of handing Furman its second-largest margin of defeat in a homecoming game in program history, with only the 45-0 setback to Samford (2014) eclipsing the 58-28 thrashing the Bucs handed the Paladins back in 1997.

ETSU’s last appearance on homecoming at Paladin Stadium came just two years ago, getting the aforementioned 17-13 win over the Paladins on homecoming. ETSU also holds the unique distinction of being Furman’s first-ever opponent in Paladin Stadium history, as Furman opened its new facility on Sept. 19, 1981 by blanking the Bucs, 21-0, in Greenville. In the 37 previous meetings between the two, 12 have been decided by a touchdown or less, including four of the last five, with only Furman’s 13-point win in Johnson City last season being the exception. The four-point win a couple of years ago by ETSU in Greenville marked just the third win all-time in Greenville for the Bucs, and it was the first win over the Paladins in Greenville since that blowout win back in 1997.

Other than winning in 2021 and 1997, the only other ETSU win in Greenville came back in 1979, as the Bucs handed the Paladins a 28-24 at their former home of Sirrine Stadium. That was a year following Furman’s first-ever Southern Conference title season of 1978 and also marked ETSU’s third season as a member of the SoCon.

Most of ETSU’s football success has come since bringing football back, as the Bucs resurrected their football program following a 12-year hiatus in 2015 before re-joining the Southern Conference a year later. The Bucs football program has already claimed more titles (2/2018 and ’21) and playoff appearances (2) in its seven seasons back in the SoCon than it did in its 27 seasons as a league member previously. In fact, only the 1996 Bucs, which won 10 games and finished second overall in the league and managed an at-large invite to the FCS (formerly Division I-AA) was the one season which Bucs fans can look back to with a measure of comparable success in ETSU’s first stint as a league member.

With the expectations now at an all-time high for the program since its reinstatement, the pressure on Quarles to win and win now in 2023 will be increased. The Bucs should be in pretty good shape to do that this fall, despite the departure of a 1,000-yard rusher for a second-straight season on the offensive side of the ball. However, on defense, significant losses due to the portal will make veteran defensive coordinator Billy Taylor’s job all the more difficult.

Just three starters return for the Bucs on defense, with seven starters slated to return on the offensive side the ball. The Bucs won’t have Jacob Saylors, who finished up his ETSU career this past fall, finishing his career in strong fashion, rushing for 1,307 yards and 15 TDs. After eclipsing the 3,000-yard rushing plateau for his career, it led to Saylors signing a free agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals following April’s NFL Draft.

The good news is the Bucs do get quarterback Tyler Riddell (151-of-279 passing, 1,950 yds, 15 TDs, 11 INTs) back under center. Riddell, who returns as the veteran-most quarterback in the SoCon returning for the 2023 season, initially tested the transfer portal before opting to return to ETSU for another season. In his ETSU career, Riddell has passed for well over 5,000 yards in his Bucs career, and his savvy and know-how in the Bucs offense will be key this fall. Riddell will have his head coach calling the offense this season,  with Quarles firing offensive coordinator Adam Neugebauer. The Bucs were at times too predictable on the offensive side of the football last season.

ETSU finished the season with a very mediocre offense, following a campaign which saw them rank among the nation’s top ground attacks. The Bucs ranked 68^th nationally in total offense (364.0 YPG), which by comparison to the Bucs offense, which ranked in the top third of FCS football last season, was a disappointment.  The 11 INTs thrown by Riddell last season were six more than he threw in two more games in during ETSU’s 11-win campaign in 2021.  In terms of rushing offense, the Bucs finished the 2022 season ranking 42^nd nationally in rushing offense (170.4 YPG).

The Paladins did a solid job against the Bucs ground attack last season, limiting ETSU to just 80 yards on the ground, which included holding leading running back Jacob Saylors to just 54 yards on 19 carries, which was one of his lowest rushing totals of the 2022 season. Riddell ended up being a decent threat to run the football a year ago, as he finished the season rushing for 161 yards on 50 attempts.

The big question mark heading into the 2023 season for ETSU offensively is who replaces Saylors as the main rushing threat for the Bucs. Junior Bryson Irby appears to be the main candidate to step into that role this season for the Bucs, and he comes off a 2022 campaign in which he was ETSU’s second-leading rusher. Irby finished off the 2022 season by rushing for 155 yards and a pair of scores on 35 attempts. Others that could figure into the mix at running back for ETSU this coming fall could be Amir Dendy or Trey Foster. Dendy and Foster both saw some limited action last season, with Dendy completing the season with 68 yards on 15 carries, while Foster completed the 2022 campaign with 14 carries for 34 yards.  University of Idaho transfer Zach Borish is one to keep an eye on in the ground game for the Bucs this fall as well.

One of the best playmakers returning on the offensive side of the football and certainly Einaj Carter (30 rec, 436 yds, 4 TDs, 14.5 YPR). Carter, who transferred into ETSU from Savannah State, and in his first season with the Bucs, ended up being a threat as both a runner and a receiver with his tremendous speed in his rookie campaign with ETSU. Carter also posted 46 yards and a touchdown on just three rush attempts last season. Against Furman last season, Carter was the one offensive threat the Paladin defense seemingly had no answer for. Early in the game, Carter posted one of ETSU’s biggest offensive plays of the season, as hauled in a 75-yard scoring pass from Tyler Riddell to give the Bucs an early 7-3 lead in that contest. Carter finished the game against the Paladins hauling in three passes for 87 yards and a pair of scores and it remains one of his best games to date as a Bucs player. He will line up at as the ‘W’ wide receiver for ETSU once again this fall.

Joining Carter at wide receiver will be Will Huzzie (42 rec, 541 yds, 6 TDs, 12.9 YPR). Like his quarterback, Huzzie had originally entered the transfer portal before deciding to return to ETSU. With another big season, Huzzie is on pace to finish his outstanding career in the Blue and Gold as the school’s all-time leading receiver and already has 1,980 receiving yards in his Bucs career. In his final season with the Bucs, Huzzie will need 823 receiving yards to set a new career receiving yards record, surpassing the 2,802 receiving yards recorded by ETSU Hall-of-Fame wideout BJ Adigun. His 148 receptions over the past four years means he needs just 25 catches this fall to surpass Adigun’s career mark of 172 career grabs. His 16 career scoring grabs are 10 less than Adigun’s school-record of 26, which he established from 1994-97. Against Furman last season, Huzzie ended up hauling in four passes for 65 yards.

With Isaiah Wilson having transferred out of ETSU to Richmond, there are several candidates to step in and fill the role at the X receiver. One of those is Southern Illinois transfer wideout Tanner Corum. The redshirt sophomore had to sit out last season, however, will be ready to go this fall and could be one those in line to replace Wilson. Quinn Caballero (8 rec, 130 yds, 1 TD, 16.2 YPR) also returns to the fold and should be in the running for a starting job at wideout this fall for the Bucs.

The good news for Quarles and ETSU is the fact that Noah West (10 rec, 128 yds, 1 TD, 12.8 YPR) returns at tight end. Quarles knows how to use a tight end with some effectiveness on the offensive side of the ball, and that can be evidenced by how he was able to use Ryan Miller during his time at Furman. Miller, of course, parlayed that into a free agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. West has good hands and look for him to be an even more utilized asset within the Bucs offense this fall with Quarles now at the controls of the ETSU offense.

The offensive line will have a new leader this fall, as Jay Guillermo comes over from the University of Virginia where he was an offensive grad assistant last season. Prior to that, Guillermo was a standout offensive lineman for Clemson, and during his prep career, played for Quarles at Maryville High School. Guillermo takes over as the offensive line coach for Dru Duke, who was the offensive line coach for the Bucs last season after coming over from Furman.

The Bucs lost some key pieces along their offensive front from a year ago, including Blake Austin and Fred Norman Jr., who have both decided to move on. The good news for Bucs fans is that Joe Schreiber returns along the offensive front for the Bucs this fall at center, as does Cason Setzkorn, who returns as the starter at right tackle. Those offer two solid building blocks for Guillermo as he takes over controls of the Bucs’ offensive line this fall. Western Kentucky transfer Luke Slusher could get some immediate aid to the offensive line this fall.

On the defensive side of the football, the 2022 season for the Bucs could best be described as one that was topsy-turvy. The Bucs finished the 2022 campaign ranking 85^th nationally in total defense (411.1 YPG) and 81^st in scoring defense (30.4 PPG). Those numbers were significantly increased from a 2021 season, which saw the Bucs surrender just 22.7 PPG and just 383.0 YPG, and when you consider the Bucs had seven starters returning on defense, the Bucs should have been better, especially when it comes to scoring defense.

The Bucs were pretty good against the run in 2022, ranking 39^th nationally, surrendering just 138.8 YPG on the ground, which was actually better than the 153.8 YPG the Bucs had given up in their 2021 championship season. The drastic drop-off came in the passing defense department, which was an area the Bucs surrendered 229.2 YPG through the air in 2021, but last season, ended up surrendering 271.5 YPG through the air, ranking 114^th out of 123 teams in FCS football.

Veteran defensive coordinator Billy Taylor will have some key pieces returning on the defensive side of the football, however, when it comes to losses, the Bucs had some significant ones to the transfer portal as well as graduation, which includes the four leading tacklers from a year ago, in linebacker Chandler Martin (99 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 4 PBUs), linebacker Erek Campbell (61 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PBU), defensive back Alijah Huzzie (59 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 6 INTs, 16 PBUs) and defensive back Sheldon Arnold II (53 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 4 PBUs, 2 INTs). Other significant losses to the portal include defensive lineman Davion Hood (23 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 5 QBHs, 1 FR, 1 FF), defensive lineman Rodney Wright and linebackers Jalen Porter (34 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 PBUs, 3 QBHs, 2 FFs) and Stephen Scott (40 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1 PBU, 4 QBHs) have all decided to move on as well.

Billy Taylor’s 3-4 defensive scheme will be getting a massive overhaul to say the least. The good news is the Bucs will be getting some help from the transfer portal, as its not just all outgoing talent. The Bucs will get a talented defensive lineman, in Hot Rod Fitten, who comes over from South Carolina, as well as a couple of DBs that have a chance to make some noise right away, in Khalil Anderson (Pittsburgh) and Jamison Collier (Ohio University).

The Bucs do have some talent returning to the fold as well, in guys like Mike Price (43 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 5 PBUs, 1 INT) and Chris Hope (48 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 6 PBUs, 1 INT, 1 FR) at the two safety positions, while Max Evans (34 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 2 FFs) and Deven Brantley (14 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks ) are slated to return along the defensive line.

As far as the special teams unit is concerned for the Bucs, it is much the same scenario as on defense, with ETSU needing to replace Tyler Keltner (17-of-23 on FGs/38-of-38 on PATs) at place-kicker.  Ewan Johnson is set to try and replace the all-conference Keltner, while Trace Kelley (40.6 YPP) returns to handle the punting duties for the Bucs.

Brief Recap of the last meeting: Furman 27, No. 18 East Tennessee State 14 (Sept. 17, 2022/ Greene Stadium)

Furman picked up what was a big win over defending Southern Conference champion East Tennessee State, downing the Bucs 27-14 in a game that was close throughout, with Dominic Roberto’s late touchdown rumble finally enough to give the Paladins the cushion they needed to escape with a two-score win.

urman got on the board first in the contest utilizing Hugh Ryan’s fifth-career interception off a tipped ball. That set up the Paladin offense at the ETSU 27. After three incompletions from Tyler Huff, Ian Williams came on and knocked through a 44-yard field goal to make it a 3-0 contest with 13:48 remaining in the first quarter.

On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Furman brought an all-out blitz and the Bucs burned the Paladins for the longest play surrendered this season by the Paladin defense, as quarterback Tyler Riddell hooked up with Einaj Carter for a 75-yard score to give ETSU a 7-3 lead.

After three turnovers, two of which came from the Bucs on a Jalen Miller INT and a Kam Brinson fumble recovery forced by Ryan, the Paladins got their second field goal of the night early in the second quarter, as Williams knocked through a 43-yard attempt to get within a point with 12:20 left in the half.

Furman’s offense would squander one major second quarter opportunity to put more points on the board, getting stopped on a 4^th-and-2 at the ETSU 17, as Dominic Roberto was brought down after gaining only a yard. Furman, which already had two long field goals from Williams on the evening, could have attempted a third, however, head coach Clay Hendrix instead opted to attempt it on fourth down instead of attempting a third Williams field goal. It left the Paladins behind by a single point with 6:38 remaining in the opening half of play.

ETSU saw the ensuing offensive possession end with a missed field goal of its own, as the Bucs drove the ball down to the Paladin 28, however, had to settle for a 45-yard field goal attempt from Tyler Keltner, which he missed wide left with 3:27 left in the half.

After both teams were forced to punt on their ensuing possessions, Furman would get the ball back with just 1:05 remaining in the half, with excellent field position at its own 47 following a 15-yard punt return from Cally Chizik. Huff completed a 20-yard pass to Wayne Anderson Jr. on first down and then hit Kyndel Dean on a 9-yard pass to get the Paladins to the Bucs 24-yard line with under a minute left.

Huff’s 9-yard got the Paladins deep in the Bucs red zone and down to the 15. Two plays later, Huff fired a 15-yard strike to Anderson for the Paladins’ first touchdown of the night, giving Furman a 13-7 lead following the Axel Lepvreau PAT with 22 seconds remaining in the half. The Paladins had stolen momentum and taken it into the locker room.

ETSU’s defense made notable adjustments at the break and came out and played some inspired football to open the second half. The Bucs halted Furman’s momentum it had carried into the half, forcing Furman into a three-and-out on its opening drive of the second half.

Furman’s defense was also strong to start the second half, forcing ETSU to punt the ball on its opening drive of the second half after the Bucs reached their own 45.

The Paladins would make the most of their next possession, as they increased their advantage to double digits for the first time all night. Furman used 14 plays to cover 89 yards, with Huff completing 7-of-10 passes for 66 yards on the drive, with the key completion coming to Harris on a 23-yard connection to get the Paladins a first-and-goal from the ETSU 3. On the next play, Huff found Miller for his second scoring toss of the night, giving the Paladins a 20-7 lead with 6:13 remaining in the third quarter.

The Bucs’ response would be swift, as they showed why they were the defending Southern Conference champions and had won nine games in a row in the friendly confines of William B. Greene Stadium. The Bucs, nine-play, 75-yard drive, would also be aided by a pair of 15-yard penalties—a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike penalty—which yielded a combined total of 30 of yards for what would be ETSU’s second trip to the end zone of the evening. Riddell capped the drive with his second scoring toss of the night, finding Carter for a second time, with this one coming on a beautifully lofted 11-yard pass to the left corner of the end zone, pulling ETSU to win six again, at 20-14, with 3:14 left in the third quarter.

It would ultimately turn out to be the final points the Bucs would score in the contest, as Furman’s defense did the rest, surrendering just 41 yards on ETSU’s final 23 plays of the game, which combined the Bucs final possession of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter.

The Paladins would put the game away in the final two minutes. Trailing 20-14 and facing a crucial 3^rd-and-9 play from its own 11, it appeared Riddell had completed a 22-yard pass out to the Bucs 33 to standout all-league wide receiver Will Huzzie, however Huzzie was flagged for offensive pass interference to negate the potential big play and first down. Riddell’s pass intended for Huzzie was dropped on the ensuing 3^rd-and-19 play, and then on 4^th-and-19, Furman cornerback Dominic Morris picked off Riddell’s pass at the ETSU 46 to give the Paladins the ball back with 59 seconds left.

On the first play on the ensuing possession, the Paladins put the game on ice, as Dominic Roberto took the hand-off from Huff, who also helped pave the way with a down field block, as the second-team All-SoCon selection Roberto rumbled 46 yards for a score to put the Paladins back up by two scores, providing the final margin.

“It feels really good to win one like this and it took every single body we brought up here and we made the trip up here today, which some people would say is not an easy trip, but our kids managed that really well and I thought our coverage was great and I was even going to let him kick the last one if would have run a little time, but we scored there and we were pretty solid kicking the football tonight…We came in and kicked those two field goals and I felt like that was huge…But I think there was a lot of adversity out there and it was kind of who’s going to blink…who’s going to flinch and our kinds didn’t flinch, they just kept playing,” Furman head coach Clay Hendrix said

The Prediction: Furman finishes off a tough four-game stretch against East Tennessee State in a game that will see George Quarles make his first return to Paladin Stadium since becoming the ETSU head coach in 2022. Quarles, who both played and coached at Furman, saw his Bucs drop what was a 27-14 contest in the first meeting with his alma mater as Bucs head coach last season. I expect the Bucs to come in and give Furman all they can handle for three quarters, however, I think Dominic Roberto and the Paladins eventually wear down the Bucs in the fourth quarter en route to a 31-17 win.

August-September Predicted Record: 7-1, 5-0 SoCon— While Furman’s record might look impressive at the end of October, as I predict they will have just one blemish on their record her entering the final month of the regular-season, I also predict it will be a 7-1 record in which the Paladins wouldn’t be going and running over the competition either. Furman will likely win all four games in the month of October in close fashion, with none of the teams the Paladins are slated to face from Sept. 23-Oct. 28 having seen the Paladins defeat by more than two scores a year ago, while Samford actually defeated the Paladins last season. Nonetheless, it looks as though the Paladins could enter the final month of the regular-season potentially ranked as a top five team in FCS football.

November to Remember?

Paladins post a 5-2 record in opening month of the 2022-23 season, highlighted by an 89-74 win over Belmont

All season, Bob Richey’s Paladins were forced to confront one overriding reality, which was could the return of Bothwell and Slawson for a fifth year be enough to put the Paladins over the top and right the wrongs of “the shot” from a year earlier. 

Could Furman exorcise its demons and lift the NCAA Tournament curse? It was a question, that as head coach Bob Richey broached several times during the season, and after the Paladins cut down the nets in Asheville, told the media how all season this team knew “the world was watching our response.”

There aren’t too many times in college basketball in which November is a month that is going to determine the outcome of a college basketball season, but it’s still an important month. It’s first the time the coaches get to see what they’re really made of. 

The Paladins have made the most of November in recent seasons. Who could forget the 12-0 start to the 2018-19 campaign, which saw the Paladins ultimately end up defeating defending national champion Villanova (W, 77-69) in overtime en route to the school’s first-ever Top 25 ranking. Or what about the ‘Dins last season, which handed Louisville its first November home loss,

No more preseason closed scrimmages. Prior to the season, I was able to catch up with Furman sixth-year head coach Bob Richey to ask him how his team was preparing for the season, and how they were mentally preparing to manage some rather “weighty” expectations. 

“When you look at this group and what they’ve built and what they’ve done in the last four full seasons…I mean 22-to-25 wins…These guys understand what it takes to win and they understand the process that leads to winning,” Richey said. “We have our own expectations, and when you have your own expectations and your own belief and your own culture and what it’s supposed to look like and how you are supposed to do it, you don’t have to really depend on the outside world to set their own expectations for you.”

“Yes, there is an individual element to [expectations], but right now it’s about what we do collectively and how we get better as a team, and are we able to play connected basketball, and can we play complimentary basketball because both sides affect one another. Six practices in and one intra-squad scrimmage down, I am pleased with our effort and I am pleased with how hard they’re playing, but we have to get a lot cleaner and I know that will come.” 

With that said, Furman would have a challenging slate in November. The Paladins would open up the season with a non-Division I game before hosting Belmont in a game that was one of the biggest games of the mid-major non-conference slate in the early season.

Add to an intriguing in-season tournament, in the ESPN Events Charleston Classic, as well as a trip to Appalachian State at the end of the month, and the first month of the season would no doubt offer the kinds of tests that help the Paladins get a good idea what kind of team the 2022-23 Paladins would.

Even though both Bothwell and Slawson returned, there was no guarantees. Opponents weren’t just going to lay down for the Paladins. Every team has its differences from season-to-season.

A couple of losses to UNC Asheville and Lipscomb in preseason closed scrimmages could have been cause for concern, however, both of those foes proved to be good baskertball teams, including an Asheville team, which like Furman, would find itself as a part of March Madness.

With that said, Furman was picked by first by the coaches, as well as by the media at the league’s annual preseason media day in late October. It marked the first time the Paladins had ever been picked to win the SoCon by the league’s head coaches, and just the third time it had been expected to win the league by the media.

What fans got in the season-opener against North Greenville this season was a different type of blowout than the Paladins had levied against their rival just 13 miles up the road in Tigerville, S.C. The play was solid at times, and sloppy at others. This wasn’t a team that was going to break any single-season Southern Conference records for single-season three-pointers made, however, it was still a team that was gping to be able to score points.

There were plenty of reasons for excitement, too. New players like Wake Forest transfer Carter Whitt, would for at least the start of the season, be part of a Paladin three-pronged attack at point guard, combining with sophomore JP Pegues and Joe Anderson. At least that would be the plan to start out the season, however, by the end of the month, a clear picture would begin to emerge.

Freshman Ben VanderWal was a more athletic version of Matt Rafferty, and is one of the highest-touted incoming recruits for the Paladins since Stephen Croone signed a national letter of intent some 11 years ago. 

The 2021-22 team, which featured standout sharp-shooters Alex Hunter and Conley Garrison, who combined to connect on 186 of the team’s Southern Conference record 402 three-pointers, were no longer around. The duo also combined to shoot over 40% from three-point range. In what was a 118-66 win to open the season a year earlier against the Crusaders, the Paladins posted school records of made three-pointers (22) as well as team assists (34) en route to the 62-point season-opening win. 

A year later, the Paladins were no doubt talented, but some that watched the game saw a Furman team that was a great offensive team, but probably some drew unfair comparisons to an outstanding perimeter shooting team of the previous season. 

Most would come to realize that the shooting acumen of the 2021-22 season probably won’t be duplicated any time soon.  Still, the Paladins made relatively easy work of the Crusaders in the opener, topping their local non-Division I visitor, 91-55.

North Greenville head coach Chad Lister, who is the father of Furman senior walk-on guard Rett Lister, had a gritty team that battled the Paladins from tip-off to buzzer, though it wouldn’t be at all evident from the score. 

The 2022-23 season opener against the same opponent was more like watching a someone finish out the rough edges on some soft stone sculpture in the process of refinement, yet you know at some point the finished product is going to look a lot better from the business end of the project than it does from the front end.

Game 1: vs. North Greenville (W, 91-55)

That’s probably an accurate description the season-opening 91-55 victory over North Greenville, which also happens to be Furman head coach Bob Richey’s alma mater.

Furman, which saw reigning SoCon Defensive Player of the Year Jalen Slawson exit the contest just over two minutes into the second half following an apparent hand injury of some type following a hard foul going to the basket, actually ended up leading six Paladins in double figures with 17 points to go with three steals and a rebound before leaving the game with the aforementioned injury. No word was provided on the extent of the injury. Slawson finished the night connecting on 6-of-9 shots from the field and was 5-for-6 from the line before leaving the game after his only missed free throw of the evening.

His fifth-year senior teammate–Mike Bothwell–finished the contest with 16 points, while Tyrese Hughey added a career-high 15 rebounds. Two new Paladins–Ben VanderWal and Carter Whitt–were seeing their first action in a Paladin uniform, and both showed why there was a buzz around them during the off-season, as both showed they had that ‘it’ factor.

The freshman VanderWal added 11 points in his collegiate debut, while Whitt, a sophomore and former four-star recruit added 10. Rounding out the double-figure scorers for the Paladins in the season-opening win was Marcus Foster, who matched VanderWal with 11.

The Crusaders were led by one player in double-figures for the night, in Greenville, S.C., native C.J. Jamison, as he posted a game-high 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field and 2-for-5 from three-point land and was 2-for-2 from the line. He also added eight rebounds, three assists and three steals to his overall solid statistical line for the evening.

Garrett Hien, who is now in his junior season with the ‘Dins, looked more polished and stronger in the paint, while also playing with a new aggression and physicality, which he struggled to find a year ago. He ended up fouling out, but while that’s not often a positive for most players, it was a good sign for Hien and good things to come as the season progresses. His 12 rebounds were a career-high, while also added five points, two assists, two blocks and an assist in 25 minutes of floor action.

Game 2: vs. Belmont (W, 89-74)

Much anticipation surrounded Furman’s next game against Belmont. The Bruins had come from behind late to force overtime in the 2021-22 season, eventually handing the Paladins a 95-89 heartbreaking loss.

This time around, Timmons Arena, to no one’s surprise, was rocking and it was similar to the way the atmosphere when Furman had welcomed Loyola Chicago to Timmons Arena for a huge matchup. The Bruins were now coming into a conference that the Ramblers had left. as the 2022-23 campaign would mark Belmont’s first as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, which is one of the most prestigious mid-major basketball conferences in the nation.

Much of that team that had handed the Paladins that heartbreaker a year earlier had graduated, however, there was still plenty of talent on the roster, including dynamic guard Will Sheppard.’
‘
On this night, however, the Bruins would run into a Furman team at its best, and this one of those handful of nights during the 2022-23 season that Furman played with the type of synergy that would have made a tough out for almost anyone in the nation.
Furman dunked its way to an 89-74 win over the Bruins before a near-capacity crowd inside one of the toughest venues in mid-major hoops.

The Paladins finished the contest shooting 58.3% from the field (35-of-60), while holding the Bruins to just 45.3% (29-of-64) shooting for the game, d Furman showed why it was the preseason SoCon favorite for a majority of the evening against a good opponent from the Missouri Valley Conference, and the win resembled in some ways the Paladins’ 87-63 win over former Missouri Valley foe Loyola-Chicago some three years earlier at Timmons Arena.

Leading the way for the Paladins were four players in double figures, with Mike Bothwell leading all scorers with 25 points, while Jalen Slawson added his first double-double of the 2022-23 season and the 11th of his career, totaling 17 points and 12.

The native of Summerville, S.C., also dished out five assists and recorded three steals. Among the many highlights for the Furman’s above-the-rim display on Friday night was Slawson’s aerial array of dunks, with one of those being an alley-oop reverse slam off a lob from Bothwell late in the opening half of play.

Rounding out the Paladins in double figures were Garrett Hien and Marcus Foster, who added 13 and 11 points, respectively to round out the double-figure scorers for the Paladins.
Bothwell finished the contest connecting on 10-of-17 shots from the field and was 5-for-6 from the charity stripe to equal his game-high 25 points. Bothwell also added six rebounds, dished out three assists and tallied a steal.

Slawson finished by scoring 13 of his 17 points in the second half of play and finished connecting on 6-of-10 shots from the field and like Bothwell, connected on 5-of-6 free throws. Hien came up particularly impressive in the second half for the Paladins in one stretch, which saw the Paladins take control of the game down the stretch. He finished the contest by connecting on 5-of-6 shots from the field.

Belmont also finished the game with four players in double figures, with Cade Tyson and Ben Sheppard leading the scoring totals for a second-straight game for the Bruins, posting a team-high 18 points. Drew Friberg, a graduate transfer from Princeton, added 17 points and freshman guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 points.

The Paladins won the game on the scoreboard as a result of winning some key statistical battles in decisive fashion, including winning owning the boards, as Furman claimed a 42-22 advantage on the backboards, including 11 offensive rebounds, which led to a 12-5 advantage in second chance points. It helped the Paladins overcome an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers, as the Bruins ended the night owning a 15-10 advantage in second-chance points.

The Paladins also owned a decisive advantage in points in the paint (52-32) and added advantages in total assists (20-8) and fast-break points (16-7) Belmont held a slight advantage in bench scoring (23-21).

Furman came out running and was the aggressor of the game from the opening tip, racing out to an early 10-5 lead over the opening 4:11 of the contest, and established a fast and furious pace from the outset of the matchup between a pair of high-caliber mid-major programs. It was a pace that Belmont head coach Casey Alexander and his Bruins had to figure how a way to slow down.

The Paladins used a Slawson jumper in the paint, and a J.P. Pegues layup in transition to help establish the pace of the game. Belmont got points on a layup from Ja’Kobi Gillespie and a three-pointer from Drew Friberg in the opening four minutes, to equal its first total at first media timeout. Slawson got the Paladin fan base off its feet for the first of several Timmons Arena.

The Bruins would trim an 11-point Furman lead to just two over the next three-and-a-half minutes, with Sheppard coming to life shooting the basketball from the perimeter, as nine of the next of 11 points for the Bruins came on three-pointers, with two from Sheppard. Sheppard added a layup and Cade Tyson provided another three during the 11-2 Bruins run, as Sheppard’s second triple in the flurry cut Furman’s lead to just one possession, at 21-19, with 8:13 remaining.

After Mike Bothwell stretched Furman’s lead back to four on the next possession, the Bruins continued to put the pressure on from three-point range, with Drew Friberg canning one of his four three-pointers in the game, cutting the Paladins’ lead back to a point, at 23-22.

After nearly scoreless minutes, Belmont assumed what was its first lead since the score was 5-2 when Sheppard connected on one of his four first-half threes with 5:42 remaining to give the Bruins a 25-23 lead. The Paladins tied the game moments later when Garrett Hien got his own rebound off a missed initial shot and put it in off the glass, tying the game, 25-25, with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.

The Bruins wouldn’t go away easily, however, as Friberg pump-faked Slawson to free up space to hit a three from the top of the key with 4:37 remaining in the half to make it a 28-25 Belmont lead. That lead wouldn’t last long, as Marcus Foster hit one of the bigger shots of the night to tie the game, 28-28, with 4:20 remaining. Evan Brauns scored on a layup in the lane with 3:55 left to put Belmont back up two.

Carter Whitt responded with a three from the left elbow just in front of the students section on the opposite side of the court 15 seconds later, giving the Paladins the lead back by a single point, 31-30.

Slawson came up with one of his three steals on the day and he found Mike Bothwell in the open floor with the pass, and he converted the layup to increase Furman’s lead back to three, 33-30, with 2:52 left. 

After the Bruins got a layup in the paint from JaKobi Gillespie, it set the stage for one of the highlights of the night, as Bothwell returned the favor to Slawson, lobbing a perfectly time alley-oop to Slawson, who caught it baseline before converting the reverse slam and bringing the better than 2,000 in attendance to a loud roar and giving the Paladins a 35-32 lead.

Belmont promptly tied the basketball game when Isaiah Walker connected on three with 1:29 remaining. Friberg and Bothwell would trade baskets to close out the half as the two teams headed to the half all tied, 37-37.

In the second half, the two teams play a tense opening eight minutes, with Furman never able to assume larger than a four point lead, and actually trailed 44-42 at the first media timeout of the second half following a Cade Tyson layup to make it a 44-42 game with 15:42 remaining. With the Paladins leading 52-50 with a little over 10 minutes remaining, Furman’s Carter Whitt answered a Sheppard layup with one of the home team’s eight triples in the contest, increasing the lead to five.

A big defensive stop from the Paladins, and a pair of Slawson foul shots after he was fouled on a jumper in the lane increased the Paladin lead to its largest to that stage of the second half, at 57-50, with 9:43 remaining. Friberg then answered with a three 10 seconds later, getting it back to a two-possession game. A Whitt layup put Furman back up six, setting the stage for what was the turning point of the game.

Leading 56-50, Furman’s Hien re-entered the lineup with 8:24 remaining, and he would play a pivotal role on both ends in allowing the Paladins to take complete control of the basketball game. In a sequence of 32 seconds, Hien registered a layup, blocked a shot, and canned a three-pointer to stake Furman to a double-digit lead, matching their largest of the night, which came in the opening half, as his triple gave the Paladins a 64-53 lead with 7:18 remaining.

Furman would see its lead dip below double-digits only once more the remainder of the game, with a Tyson jumper getting the Bruins to within nine (65-56) with just under six minutes remaining.

Fittingly, it was a trio of Slawson dunks that capped the Furman win in emphatic fashion. The first came off a missed Marcus Foster layup attempt, as the ball caromed off the front rim and right into the on-coming path of Slawson, who hammered home the follow dunk with authority, sealing his 11th double-double performance of his career, and giving the Paladins a 79-65 lead with 1:46 left.

The second dunk came just nine seconds later, as he drove baseline to finish off a two-handed stuff to make it an 81-68 Paladin lead. The third came with just 20 seconds remaining, and provided the final points of the contest, as Slawson took a feed from Pegues and drove baseline for the one-handed tomahawk jam to provide the final score of 89-74.

The Paladins were highly efficient in all areas in the early-season statement win, including shooting the three-point ball. Furman finished the contest making 8-of-19 long-range attempts to finish connecting on an impressive 42.1% of their shots from three-point land. The Bruins went 12-for-31 from long range to finish off a 38.7% shooting effort from long range.

Fresh off the huge win over Belmont, the Paladins headed to the Low Country of South Carolina to take part one of college basketball’s most prestigious in-season basketball tournaments, as Furman was invited to take part in the ESPN Events Charleston Classic at TD Arena–home of the College of Charleston. Furman was one of eight teams taking part in the tournament, joining South Carolina, Colorado State, Old Dominion, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Davidson and College of Charleston. 

Smiling friendly faces was one of the main features of the weekend, with well-respected coaches like former Paladin boss Niko Medved on-hand coaching the Colorado State Rams, while others like former Wofford head coach Mike Young (Virginia Tech) and former Chattanooga Mocs head coach Lamont Paris (South Carolina) were on-hand to try and lead their teams to an early-season confidence-building tournament championship. 

Pat Kelsey and the College of Charleston’s strong season would begin right here with this tournament, as ultimately, the Cougars, who finished the season with a school-record 31 wins, would get their season off and rolling by winning the Charleston Classic for the first time in program history.

Game 3 vs. Penn State (L, 68-73/Charleston Classic)

For Bob Richey’s Furman Paladins, the first test in the Low Country came against the Penn State Nittany Lions and one of college basketball’s rising young head coaches, in Micah Shrewsbury.  The Nittany Lions were an unconventional Big Ten team that loved to shoot the three, and were one of the smaller power six programs along the front line coming into the season.

In fact, Furman would actually have the size advantage against the Big Ten foe. Penn State would turn out to be one of the best teams the Paladins would end up facing during the 2022-23 campaign, and the Nittany Lions came out and tried to deliver an early knockout blow, leading by as much as 21 points in the opening half of play. 

Penn State connected on 6-of-13 three-pointers in the opening half, connecting on 54.8% of its shots from the field to go to the halftime locker room leading 46-29.

The Nittany Lions held a 21-point lead on two occasions, however, with the Paladins trailing 46-25 following a Jalen Pickett basket with 90 seconds remaining in the half, the Paladins would take a small amount of momentum into the half by scoring the final four points of the half on layups by Slawson and Bothwell, trailing by 17 at the half.

To Furman’s credit, they fought and clawed their way back into the game, and late in the second half, gave themselves to go ahead of the eventual Big Ten Tournament runner-up, using some sharp perimeter shooting from some unlikely contributors to give themselves a chance at pulling off a win late.

Trailing 69-63 with 2:28 remaining, Mike Bothwell hit Jalen Slawson, who flashed to the basket on a pick-and-roll and slammed it home with two hands to cut the Nittany Lions lead to just four, at 69-65. 

Following an Andrew Funk missed three-pointer after a timeout, Furman’s Tyrese Hughey knocked down a three on the other end to bring the Paladins to within a point, at 69-68, which is close as the game had been since the score was 10-9 Nittany Lions with 15:15 remaining in the opening half of play.

After Hughey responded with another three, Penn State’s Lundy countered with a basket to take Penn State’s lead back to three, at 71-68, with 1:22 remaining. The Paladins called timeout with 1:04 remaining, and head coach Bob Richey drew up a play for Mike Bothwell. 

Bothwell’s long-range effort was freed up by a beautiful screen at the top of the key, however, his three-pointer went almost all the way down in the hoop before rimming out, leaving the deficit at three.

Furman’s defense, however, did its job on the other end and got the stop it needed to give the Paladins another shot to trim the Penn State lead to one or tie the contest with a three.

The Paladins would have a couple of chances to connect on the game-tying three-pointer, but J.P. Pegues’ three hit back iron, but Hughey came up with the rebound and the ball found its way to Bothwell once again, and just as before, Bothwell’s three-point was three-fourths of the way down before rimming out, and Penn State’s Lundy came up with the ball and had to immediately be fouled with six seconds remaining. Lundy knocked down both ends of the 1-and-1 to provide the final points of the game, as the Nittany Lions held on for the win.

Mike Bothwell played his heart out, leading all scorers with 26 points, however, it wasn’t enough to overcome Penn State’s Pickett and Lundy, who poured in 20 points apiece to lead the Nittany Lions to the five-point, 73-68, win. 

Penn State finished the game by connecting on 45.8% (27-of-59) of its shots from the field for the game, which included a 40.7% (11-of-27) from three-point land.

The Paladins finished the contest hitting 42.2% (27-of-64) of their shots from the field, while finishing 32.4% (11-of-34) from three-point range.

Furman finished holding advantages in points in the paint (28-20), second-chance points (13-8), total rebounds (40-32), bench points (21-18), and fast-break points (8-3). Penn State claimed advantages in total assists (16-14) and points from turnovers (12-8).

Mike Bothwell finished scoring a game-high 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field, which included a 3-for-10 shooting effort from three-point land. He was also 3-for-4 from the free throw line, and as a team, the Paladins were 3-of-7 from the stripe. Bothwell also added rebounds and four assists to a third-straight strong performance to start out the 2022-23 season.

Tyrese Hughey matched his previous career-high established last time out against Belmont, and finished with his first-career double-double, adding 15 points and 11 rebounds. Hughey went 6-for-8 from the field, including going 3-for-5 from three-point land.

“I only hit three three-pointers all of last year and I just hit three tonight, so that’s tied and J-Ly (assistant coach Jordan Lyons) been in the gym all off-season at like 5:30 in the morning after coming back from my hip surgery and I haven’t been as athletic, but I have been working on my three-pointer,” Tyrese Hughey said of his shooting performance against the Nittany Lions.

Jalen Slawson also finished off his third-straight double-digit scoring effort to start the season, with 10 points, seven assists, six rebounds and a steal.

“It was a tough loss and I wish we could have that first half back, but that second half run showed a lot about this team and what this program is about and we fought and definitely made a statement today and Penn State is going to leave knowing who we are and there’s definitely no moral victories in this program and we’re definitely far past the point where we’re comfortable losing by single digits to a high major, but this definitely going to be something we can look back on down in the season where we can say we were down before to a good team and we can come back again,” senior guard Mike Bothwell said.

“As a coach, on the sidelines you watch them hit everything and feel like it’s an avalanche. To see your team stay in there and just be resilient, that’s the sign of a good team,” Furman head coach Bob Richey said. “We’re way past moral victories, but it does give you hope to see a team get down like that and not lay down. We will respond tomorrow. We’ve got to come out and fight.”

Game 4 vs. Old Dominion (L, 77-82/Charleston Classic)

Unfortunately for the Paladins, the loss to Penn State would carry over to the next game against a solid Old Dominion team.

Like Belmont, the Monarchs were headed for a new conference home, as the Monarchs were heading into the Sun Belt Conference after being a highly-successful member of the CAA for 32 years. The Monarchs were coached by someone that most around ACC basketball would recognize, as Jeff Jones–the former Virginia Cavaliers head coach, who recruited the likes of Bryant Stith, Curtis Staples, Harold Deane and Corey Alexander to Charlottesville–was now in the twilight of his coaching career at the helm of the Monarchs’ program. 

Tyreek Scott-Grayson scored a game-high 26 points to lead Old Dominion to an 82-77 win over Furman in the first consolation semifinal of the Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic Friday afternoon at TD Arena.

The two-game losing skid by the Paladins obviously what was not head coach Bob Richey had hoped for when he signed the Paladins up for the tournament in the week following the 2022 heartbreaking defeat in the championship game in Asheville. 

It was the first time all season that the Paladins’ defensive effort had not been up to snuff, and that would become somewhat of a concerning trend at intermittent times during non-conference play the early portions of conference play as well. 

A notably frustrated Richey–hoarse from having an animated, 45-minute conversation with his team in the locker room immediately following the game, as Scott Keeler (Furman Sports Report) and I waited to interview coach Richey. 

When the Paladins headed into their locker room after the game, Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson were greeted by former Wofford head coach Mike Young, as the class-act Young–the former legendary coach of Wofford–had the time to ask about Bothwell’s family and wish the two talented players luck the rest of the tournament. 

In similar fashion to Thursday’s opening game against Penn State, Furman got off to a slow start offensively, and a hot-shooting Monarchs took advantage and after a tense opening few moments, were able to create a nice cushion and force the Paladins to chase the game for much of the afternoon.

The Monarchs would lead by as many as 20 points in the second half, as Imo Essien made a pair of free throws to put the Monarchs ahead 67-47 with 8:41 remaining in the contest. For a second-straight day at the Charleston Classic, it looked as if Furman might suffer its first decisive loss to an opponent on the hardwood in quite some time, however, once again, the ‘Dins showed the kind of fight that a quality basketball program should.

Jalen Slawson ignited what would turn out to be a 15-2 run when converted a jump shot to cut the Old Dominion lead to 18. 

That would be followed by five-straight points from point guard J.P. Pegues, as he got a steal and a dunk in transition, and then following a Monarchs turnover, Pegues connected on a three-pointer on the other end to get the Paladins to within 67-54 with 7:33 remaining. 

The only points for Old Dominion during the Furman run came off a turnover by the Paladins, as Chaunce Jenkins converted a baby jumper in the lane to take the Monarchs lead back to 15 pts, at 69-54.

A Slawson three-point play the old-fashioned way and a Mike Bothwell three-pointer cut into the Monarchs lead even further, and got Furman to within nine, at 69-60, with 5:45 remaining in the contest. 

Following a Jenkins turnover, Marcus Foster baby hook just outside the paint got the Paladins even closer, at 69-62, with 5:15 remaining. The Monarchs would finally break the feisty Paladin press on the next possession, as Mehki Long broke free for a dunk to take the Old Dominion lead back to nine.

 “The confidence that the coaches have had in me and my family have played a big part for me and I know this year I have some big shoes to fill behind Alex Hunter a senior guard last year and they have all just kind of given me the confidence and freedom to go be able to make mistakes early and it’s new for me and I didn’t play well my first two games, but as the season goes on and it’s a long season, I feel like I will be all right,” Pegues added.

on both shots from the line, getting the Paladins back to within seven with 28 seconds left. Following a Stanley turnover, Pegues got the ball out top and made a high-arching three from deep to get the Paladins to within four, however, that’s as close as Furman would get the rest of the away. Jenkins closed out the Monarchs win by converting 1-of-2 from the line after being fouled by Marcus Foster.

The Monarchs posted 15 assists on 31 made field goals and shot a blistering 64.6% (31-of-48) from the field for the game, including 53.8% (7-of-13) from three-point range, which was contrasted by Furman’s 16 assists on 27 made field goals, as the Paladins finished the contest by connecting on 45.8% (27-of-59) of its shots from the field and connected on 36.4% (12-of-33).

The Monarchs finished the day holding advantages in points in the paint (36-26), second-chance points (6-5), fast-break points (16-13) and bench points (12-5), while Furman held the advantage in points from turnovers (25-14). The Monarchs also held a sizable advantage on the glass, finishing plus-14 (36-22) on the backboards.

Smith-Grayson was one of four Monarchs in double figures, with his game-high 26 points on 9-of-14 from the field and 2-for-5 from three-point range, while Essien and Stanley added 13 points apiece. Long finished out the Old Dominion players in double figures with 11.

Furman was led by Mike Bothwell for the third-straight game, as he posted his third-straight 20-point scoring performance, finishing with 23 points on 9-of-15 shots from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range. The senior from Cleveland Heights, OH, also added five assists and two rebounds.

Pegues added a career-high 20 points on 7-of-14 from the field and 4-for-10 from three, and matched Bothwell with five assists and a pair of rebounds. Pegues has strung together a pair of strong performances playing the point for the Paladins.

“Our response today in this game should have been way earlier in my opinion…They [Old Dominion] came out and were the aggressor and they had more energy than us and at the end of the day, they kind of punched us in the mouth a little bit and then we had to respond and in a perfect we want to be the aggressor and throw the first punch, but and I feel like we had to do what we had to do in the second half but in the end it was too little too.”

Pegues has had to make the adjustment to playing the point guard for the first time in his career, and add to that, he is following in the footsteps in one of the best point guards in the history of Furman basketball—Alex Hunter. Pegues is clearly adjusting nicely to his new role as he gets more experience, however, and his confidence has noticeably grown with each start at the point.

“The confidence that the coaches have had in me and my family have played a big part for me and I know this year I have some big shoes to fill behind Alex Hunter a senior guard last year and they have all just kind of given me the confidence and freedom to go be able to make mistakes early and it’s new for me and I didn’t play well my first two games, but as the season goes on and it’s a long season, I feel like I will be all right,” Pegues added.

Game 5 vs. South Carolina (W, 79-60/Charleston Classic)

Furman would have a day off after its loss to Old Dominion to try and regroup before facing off against power six conference foe South Carolina. It would mark the first game the Paladins would have against the Gamecocks since the 2010-11 campaign, which saw the Paladins win going way just before Christmas at Timmons Arena, plcking up what was a 91-75 win before a raucous crowd. 

This time around, the Paladins would face a Gamecocks team that had lost its first two tournament games against Colorado State (L, 53-85) and Davidson (L, 60-69) to open the tournament. 

Lamont Paris, who when he was coach at Chattanooga, went 3-7 against Furman head coach Bob Richey, winning all three of those games in his final season as the head coach of the Mocs before moving on to become head coach of South Carolina.

The paths of Richey and Paris were destined to cross again less than a year after the classic championship game in Asheville. While Paris had turned a project into a miracle at Chattanooga, his challenge was arguably tougher in charge at South Carolina. Both he and Richey were interviewed for the head coaching vacancy at South Carolina the previous spring.

Furman would come out and play its best basketball of the Charleston Classic, despite the morning tip-off. Furman ended up notching its second-straight win over the Gamecocks, getting what was a dominating 79-60 win over the Gamecocks before a good crowd on hand to see the Paladins play in their final game of the tournament. 

The Paladins got a big afternoon out of Garrett Hien, who led four Paladins in double figures, posting a career-high 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field, which included a 3-for-4 effort from three-point range. 

Hien scored 13 of his 20 points in the second half, and also added five rebounds and dished out three assists.

oining Hien in double figures in the win were Jalen Slawson (14 pts, 7 rebs), Tyrese Hughey (12 pts) and Mike Bothwell (11 pts). By scoring double figures in all three games in the Low Country, Bothwell was named to the Shriners Children’s Classic All-Tournament team.

In the losing effort, the Gamecocks would be paced in scoring by NBA prospect and freshman phenom G.G. Jackson, who posted 19 points and six rebounds. The only other Gamecocks player to find his way into double figures in the contest was Chico Carter Jr., who finished with 17. 

South Carolina actually got off to the faster start in the game, rushing out to an early 11-4 lead. If there was one play that signaled a change in the game, it came with South Carolina still leading the contest 16-11. 

Hien would be the one to make the play, as he out-hustled the Gamecocks’ defense down the floor following a South Carolina made layup. It would spark what would be a 19-2 run by the ‘Dins, as Furman raced out to a 30-18 advantage with 6:35 left in the half by the time the run had come to an end. 

The Gamecocks would put together a mini spurt over the final six-and-a-half minutes in the opening frame, cutting the defiict to seven at the break, out-scoring the Paladins 13-8 and trailed just 38-31 at the break.

Early in the second half, Hughey stole a pass and ran it down before stuffing it with two hands on the other end, staking the Paladins to an apparent comfortable, 49-36, lead.

However, South Carolina continued to try to get back in the game, trimming the margin to eight twice, but on the second occasion, Hughey’s triple with 12:31 remaining would give the Paladins double-digit lead, which the Paladins would not relinquish the remainder of the game. Hien would connect on five of his six shots in the second half, and the Paladins grew their lead to as many as 20 points. 

Furman finished the contest by connecting on 50.8% (30-of-59), which included an impressive 44.4% (12-for-27) shooting performance from three-point range. 

The Paladins, meanwhile, held the Gamecocks to 44.9% (22-of-49) from the field, while limiting South Carolina to just a 22.2% (7-of-22) from beyond the arc. 

Furman finished off the win by holding advantages in points in the paint (32-24), bench points (31-12), points from turnovers (23-7), total rebounds (34-24), and total assists (22-13). 

The two teams were even in second-chance points (10-10). Furman’s win over the Gamecocks marked its second win over an SEC team since the start of the 2006-07 season, having defeated both Vanderbilt (W, 70-62) and had that aforementioned win over South Carolina (W, 91-75) back in 2010. 

College of Charleston would go on to claim the Charleston Classic for the first time in its history, as the Cougars knocked off Davidson (W, 89-66), Colorado State (W, 74-64) and Virginia Tech (W, 77-75) in the championship game. 

Furman’s win over South Carolina meant the Paladins finished seventh in the eight-team tournament field. 

Furman’s second-straight win in the series over the Gamecocks marked the first time since the 1964-65 season, which the Paladins have managed to accomplish that feat. Furman knocked off South Carolina by scores 79-71 and 81-66, respectively.

The Paladins closed out the opening month of the 2022-23 season with a pair of games against Tusculum and with their first true road test of the season, facing a good Appalachian State team in Boone. 

Game 6 vs. Tusculum (W, 102-74)

Furman would make easy work of the Tusculum Pioneers, reaching the century mark on the scoreboard for the 13th time in Bob Richey’s sixth season as the head coach, and first of two times during the 2022-23 season, as the Paladins would aend up picking up a 102-74 win over the Pioneers in just the second all-time meeting between the programs and first since 2020. 

It marked Furman’s second win over a Non-Division I foe in the opening month of the season, and was the second of what would be three total wins over non-Division I foes during the 2022-23 regular-season. 

The Paladins were led in the Black Friday win over the Pioneers by Marcus Foster, who posted a career-high 22 points in leading the ‘Dins to a resounding win. It marked the first of four 20-point scoring games of the season for Foster. 

Jalen Slawson ended the afternoon by posting his 12th double-double of his standout career, posting 22 points and 10 rebounds, as he tied Foster for game-high scoring honors. Mike Bothwell and Tyrese Hughey rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Paladins in the win, posting 18 and 15 points, respectively.

The Paladins took control of the basketball game in the opening half of play, as Furman went on a 32-4 run to help get out to a fast start and never looked back en route to the win. Furman blistered the nets at a 73.3% clip in the opening half of play, marking the highest shooting percentage for a half in the 2022-23 season. In the opening half alone, the Paladins put up 57, while holding their lower division opposition opposition from the Volunteer State to just 27. The win also marked the 29th out of its last 30 non-conference home wins inside the friendly confines of Timmons Arena.

Much like South Carolina had done in the final game of the Charleston Classic, Tusculum was able to start fast against Furman, and actually held a 15-11 lead following a Connor Jordan made three with 13:44 remaining in the half.

Furman would score the next eight points on a pair of Foster free throws, and back-to-back three-pointers from Jonny Lawrence and Slawson to take an 18-15 lead, and that would allow the Paladins to take complete control of the basketball game. 

The 32-4 spurt eventually ended with a JP Pegues bucket at the three-minute mark of the first half. The Paladins went to the halftime locker room holding an impressive 30-point, 57-27 lead. 

The 57 points marked the highest point total in a half for the 2022-23 season. The Paladins’ offensive onslaught featured an en fuego start, connecting on 18 of its first 20 field goal attempts as a team from the field. 

The Paladins held sizable advantages in most of the significant categories on the stats sheet, as one have expected, utilizing dominant performances in points in the paint (56-30), points off turnovers (20-8), and got a whopping 47 points from the bench in posting what was its fourth win of the season. 

Furman also finished its explosive Black Friday offensive onslaught by shooting 60% () from the field for the game, which included an 11-for-19 effort from three-point range, and also were an impressive 13-of-15 from the charity stripe. 

The Pioneers would finish the contest placing four players in double figures, led by Kobe Funderburk with 14, while Inady Legiste added 13 and KJ Crump and Connor Jordan rounded out Tusculum’s double-digit scoring performers, with 12 and 10 points, respectively. 

Game 7: at Appalachian State (W, 65-61)

Furman’s final game of the opening month of the season offered the Paladins’ first true road test. The Paladins were in Boone to take on a good Appalachian State basketball team four days after having their way against Non-Division I member Tusculum.

It would turn out to be one of Furman’s top defensive performances of the season. It would be the first of two solid defensive performances along the Tennessee-North Carolina corridor, and the Paladins would even have to overcome a little adversity in the process. 

The Paladins would go on the road and come away from the Holmes Center with a 65-61 win over the Mountaineers, and even had to overcome a deficit late in the contest to come away with the win. 

Mike Bothwell posted a game-high 23 points, and Furman weathered a 17-0 second-half run from Appalachian State, as the Paladins held off the Mountaineers, 65-61, in a battle between two old Southern Conference rivals before a rowdy crowd of just under 2,000 fans at the Holmes Convocation Center.

The Paladins won their third-straight game to improve to 5-2 overall on the young season, while the Mountaineers fell to 5-3. The Mountaineers, who knocked off Southern Conference member East Tennessee State, 74-70, in Johnson City last week, were aiming to post their second-straight win over a former league foe. However, in the end, it would be Furman that would help the SoCon clinch its first win over a Sun Belt foe in the 2022-23 basketball season, as Appalachian’s former conference affiliation improved to 1-4 against its current one.

The Paladins seemed to in complete control of the game midway through the second half, holding a seemingly safe, 52-40, lead following a Mike Bothwell layup in the paint with 10:57 left.

However, Appalachian State head coach Dustin Kerns, who is now somewhat as a defensive mastermind, made some adjustments on both ends, which helped the now Sun Belt member storm back into the contest, and caused a somewhat slumbering crowd of a listed 1,976 fans come to life inside the somewhat cavernous 8,300-seat Holmes Convocation Center come to life, as the Apps held the Paladins scoreless for a 6:03 stretch in the second half and took as much as a five-point, 57-52, lead after Mountaineer forward C.J. Huntley knocked down a pair of free throws with 6:04 remaining.

“Credit them. They fought…They were down 16 and could have basically said ‘it’s just not our night’ and you know I think Dustin [Kerns] made some key adjustments and they went to a three round two dribble drive [motion offense] and to be honest you don’t really see teams doing that a lot anymore and I thought it was pretty clever on their part,” Furman head coach Bob Richey said.

“They went to the zone a little while on this end [the defensive end] to kind of get us out of rhythm and it did and then the crowd got into it a little bit and they took the lead and it was a 21-point swing and you know it’s a forty minute game and our team responded and we threw one more punch at the end and we got the win,” Richey added.

The punch thrown by the Paladins was a counterpunch in the form of an 11-0 spurt by the visitors from Greenville in response to the 17-0 run punch landed by the hometown Mountaineers. Furman did indeed have a plan for when it got punched in the mouth by its former league rival on the road to survive its first serious true road test of the season in a game that had that old feeling a key February mid-week conference tilt at times down the stretch on Tuesday night in the High Country.

Following Huntley’s two free throw makes with just over six minutes left to play, the Paladins faced their largest deficit of the entire evening—five points (57-52)—and the collective response was one that went according to script for a veteran, mature basketball team picked to win its league in the preseason, and at the forefront of leadership just happened to be a couple of Paladin wily veterans, in senior guard Mike Bothwell and senior forward Jalen Slawson, who have seen a thing or two a time or two in their respective Furman careers.

Following Huntley’s made foul shots, Marcus Foster missed a three for the Paladins, which was followed by a Donovan Gregory missed jumper for the Mountaineers, and it was one of Garrett Hien’s key rebounds down the stretch—this one on the defensive end of the floor—that gave Furman yet another opportunity to get back to within a possession on the road with just under five minutes to play. Hien’s work on both the offensive and defensive glass late in the game proved vital.

Hien, who is a native of the Queen City of Charlotte, was no doubt playing in front of some friends and family, as they likely made the short trek of just over an hour to see him play in the key early-season, non-conference battle, posted six points to go with 10 rebounds.

The 6-9 junior forward was especially on the offensive glass. Furman, which did not have an offensive rebound in the opening 20 minutes of basketball, snagged nine in the second half alone, with Hien corralling nearly half, as he finished with four offensive caroms. All told, Hien would record seven of his 10 total rebounds in the second half, with several of those coming in key moments down the stretch of the game.  

Following Hien’s rebound, the ball found its way to Jalen Slawson, and it was Slawson that would start the Paladins on what would be the decisive late-game run, and as you might expect according to how it should be scripted in the order of things, it was Bothwell who ended it. Slawson finished with his 13th-career double-double (16 pts, 12 rebs) and the win, and the bucket that ignited Furman’s run was a tough running one-handed jumper as he crossed through the lane with just under five minutes left to help the Paladins snap a six-minute scoring drought to get back to within one possession, at 57-54, with 4:54 remaining.

Slawson’s veteran leadership was also prove vital on the defensive end of the floor on Appalachian’s ensuing possession with the basketball, knocking the ball free from Mountaineer sophomore guard Terence Harcum for one of his three steals in the contest, showcasing why he was the SoCon’s top defensive performer in 2021-22.

Furman’s other veteran leader Mike Bothwell followed accordingly, and the Paladins were starting to smell blood in the water. He drove to the basket and nearly saw his baby jumper fall in the act of being fouled only to see it roll out. However, the senior from Cleveland Heights, OH, would get to shoot a pair of charity shots following the foul whistled against App State’s Gregory. He would make both as part of his 10-for-10 performance front the stripe in the game, including going 8-for-8 in the second half. Furman was with a point, at 57-56, with 4:34 remaining.

Following a missed foul shot by Appalachian’s Carvell Teasett after he couldn’t convert the front end of a one-and-one following a J.P. Pegues foul, Slawson grabbed the defensive rebound and after Pegues missed a left elbow three, Bothwell crashed the glass for one of those nine offensive caroms Furman was able to outwork the Mountaineers for in the second half. That provided another key, vital scoring opportunity. Bothwell was then fouled in the act of shooting with 3:23 remaining. Following a media timeout, the senior calmly stroked home both free throws to put the Paladins back on top, 58-57.

Teasett’s attempt at a quick three to answer on the other end was no good, and after Slawson’s rebound, the ball found its way to Bothwell out top just right of center, and his three-pointer helped Furman now seize full momentum, as the Paladins pushed their lead to four, at 61-57, with 2:49 remaining.

On the other end, Appalachian suddenly could not find the form that had gotten them to within sights of a huge early-season non-conference win a little over three minutes earlier, as Harcum’s missed layup was agonizing for the partisan Mountaineer crowd on-hand. 

The carom once again fell into Paladin hands, with Marcus Foster this time grabbing the Mountaineer miss and the ball found its way to Bothwell, who saw a cutting Hien in the paint. Hien did the rest, using his body to seal off the defender and after using a wily head-fake, used the glass to kiss home a layup and extend Furman’s lead to 63-57 with 2:03 remaining.

Appalachian would finally put an end to a long scoring drought from the field, which spanned over five minutes, as Gregory’s short jumper with 1:49 remaining marked the Mountaineers’ first field goal since the 7:04 mark of the second half. More importantly, the bucket got Appalachian back to within four of the Paladins, at 63-59, as the Holmes Center began to get a little noisy once again, looking to rally the Black and Gold.

Following a pair of missed shots from the field from both Furman’s Pegues and Appalachian’s Gregory, the Paladins once again had the basketball—now under a minute left—with the opportunity to make the Mountaineers’ climb a little steeper, however, a missed layup by Bothwell resulted in a loose ball foul on Appalachian’s Harcum, which sent Pegues to the line for a one-and-one opportunity with 40 seconds remaining.

After missing the front end, Hien grabbed a key offensive rebound for the Paladins, however, his putback attempt was no good and the Mountaineers raced the other way. Gregory was then fouled on a layup attempt by Pegues with 32 seconds remaining. He made both his first foul shot to cut Furman’s lead to one possession, at 63-60. 

His second charity shot would end up being no good, however, the Mountaineers would get the ball back following the rebound attempt which ended up out of play. 

After a short review after the ball touched Furman’s Foster last before going out of bounds and the Mountaineers would have the ball near midcourt, where they would inbound the basketball. With a chance to get within a point or potentially tie the game with a three, however, Slawson once again came up with a huge defensive play, poking the ball free from Gregory for another of Furman’s 10 steals on the night, which rendered the Mountaineers no opportunity to even shoot the basketball.

Slawson was immediately fouled by Huntley with 20 seconds remaining, sending the senior to the line with the opportunity to potentially make the game academic if he could knock down both ends of the one-and-one opportunity. However, he could not, missing the first and Appalachian’s Gregory rebounded the ball and sprinted up the floor, however, a foul by Bothwell sent him back to the line with 10 seconds remaining. 

Gregory made the first to get Appalachian to within two, at 63-61, however, his miss on the second one was rebounded by Slawson, who then quickly got the ball to Bothwell who was fouled with seconds seconds left. Bothwell left no doubt, connecting on both free throws to seal a tough, 65-61, road win for the visitors.

Furman’s final points of the evening would come from the charity stripe, and fittingly, from Bothwell, who showed up huge down the stretch for the Paladins in the key road win. His two free throws with six seconds remaining sealed the four-point road win.

Over the final five minutes, Bothwell scored nine of Furman’s final 13 points, and handed out one of his three assists on one of the other two made field goals during that final stretch, as the senior factored in on nearly every offensive possession as a scorer or facilitator down the stretch for Furman.

Both teams had trouble finding their shooting touch in the opening eight minutes of the contest of the contest, with Furman jumping out to 7-2 lead on a three by JP Pegues, a layup by Tyrese Hughey and two foul shots from Mike Bothwell. However, the Mountaineers would hold the Paladins scoreless for over five minutes to tie the ballgame on a free throw by Dibaju Walker.  

Sparked by an 8-0 run, which was highlighted by a pair of dunks in transitions of Paladin steals, Furman would close the half especially strong Mountaineers 25-12 over the final 12 minutes of the frame to take a comfortable 32-19 lead into the break. Furman played some of its best defense in stretches in Tuesday night’s win over the Mountaineers, and it showed up especially in the opening half of play, as Furman scored nearly half its points off Mountaineer turnovers, converting 10 Mountaineer miscues into 15 first-half points.

The Paladins would see their lead their lead grow as large as 16 early in the second half, following one of two Jalen Slawson three-pointers in the contest.

The Mountaineers held the Paladins without an offensive rebound in the opening half of play, but Furman would respond in the second half by snagging nine key offensive rebounds, which contributed to seven second-chance points in a game, and in a game decided by four points, proved to be a pivotal contributing factor in getting the important road win.

“Something we worked on in the off-season in particular was how we rebounded, and we’ve did a lot of unique stuff in the off-season to prepare ourselves to be mental tougher when facing a good opponent like the one we faced tonight…this game will help us down the road,” Furman senior guard Mike Bothwell said.

Furman ended the night owning advantages in second-chance points (7-4), points from turnovers (21-17), points in the paint (30-27), fast-break points (17-10), and assists (18-7). The two teams were deadlocked, 37-37, on the glass.

The Paladins finished with 11 turnovers and 10 steals, while the Mountaineers turned the basketball over 17 times, with four takeaways.

The Paladins finished the contest connecting on just 38.1% (24-of-63) from the field, including only 24.1% (7-of-29) from the field. Furman, which shot a solid 83.3% from the charity stripe, saw Bothwell knock down all 10 Furman freebees, as he finished the night 10-for-12 from the stripe.

The Mountaineers finished the night connecting on 43.1% (22-of-51) from the field but were just 25.0% (5-for-20) from three. The Apps shot 66.7% (12-of-18) from the charity stripe, which included going 10-of-14 in the second half.

Bothwell finished the night connecting on 6-of-14 shots from the field and was also 1-of-5 from three-point land. As mentioned above, Bothwell was particularly aggressively offensively, especially down the stretch, as evidenced by his 10-for-12 effort from the line. His 23-point scoring performance marked his fourth 20-point scoring effort in seven games this season.

Slawson finished scoring 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, including 2-for-4 from long range. He also led the team with 12 boards and was one of two Paladins in double figures in total rebounds. He also added two assists, three steals and a block shot.

Rounding out double-figure scorers for the Paladins was Marcus Foster, who added 12 on a 5-for-12 effort from the field, which included a 2-of-7 connection rate from three-point land.

Appalachian placed three players in double figures, with Donovan Gregory leading the way with 14 points to go along with a team-high tying seven rebounds. Gregory was joined in double figures by Terence Harcum and CJ Huntley, who added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Summary of November:

In the opening month of the 2022-23 basketball season, which included five games against NCAA Division I competition. The Paladins ended up facing Belmont (21-11), Penn State (23-14), Old Dominion (19-12), South Carolina (11-21), and Appalachian State (16-16). Furman finished the month having faced two non-Division I foes, in both the North Greenville Crusaders (7-21) and Tusculum (16-11).

The first seven teams the Paladins faced during the 2022-23 college basketball season would finish with a combined record of 113-106, with Penn State, which was arguably the best team the Paladins faced during the regular-season, making the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the round of 32 before losing to Texas, 71-66.

Furman showed from the outset of the 2022-23 season that it could score the basketball. The Paladins amassed a total of 571 total points in the first month of the season, which converts to an average of 81.5 PPG. 

The Paladins had 134 assists on 218 made baskets in the opening month of the season, meaning 61.4% of Furman’s made field goals during the opening month of the season.

Furman, of course, had a new man running the point guard position to start the season, with Alex Hunter having graduated already. The Paladins were able to dish out 134 assists to just 78 total turnovers through the first seven games. 

The opposition combined to score 479 total points in seven games against the Paladins in the first seven games of the season, which equaled an average of 68.4 PPG. 

The Paladins shot the ball well all season, so it’s not a surprise that the Paladins finished the first seven games of the 2022-23 season by combining to connect on a excellent percentage of 49.8% (218-of-437) from the field, while making 35.4% (66-of-186) of their three-point field goals in the opening month.

How did the opposition shoot it might you ask? Pretty well, despite Furman’s overall success through the first seven games. The opposition connected on a combined 45.5% (183-of-402) from the field and shot a higher than the Paladins would like percentage from three-point land, connecting at a 36.4% clip (58-of-159) from beyond the arc. 

Head coach Bob Richey and his team knew that one of the differences between winning championship in 2022-23 and falling short would likely be defined by how the Paladins rebounded the basketball. 

The Paladins ended the first seven games with a total of 254 total rebounds, with 65 offensive rebounds. Meanwhile, opponents were able to pull down 177 total rebounds, which included 44 offensive rebounds. The Paladins were a plus 77 on the boards for the month.

Was their an outlier game (Good or Bad?)

The one outlier game seems to the contest against Old Dominion in the second game of the Charleston Classic, which saw the Paladins produce a season-low for total rebounds (22), as well as offensive rebounds (4). The Paladins also allowed a season-high shooting percentage for a game, connecting on a blistering 64.7% for the game.

Standout Performer:  Mike Bothwell

Conclusion:

While November wasn’t one to remember for any major reason, other than maybe the win over South Carolina–one of two wins by the SoCon over power six opponents during the course of the season. It was a solid start with arguably some of the best competition of the season, including the Penn State game, which would end up being maybe the best opponent the Paladins would face the entire regular-season. The Paladins also picked up two of their biggest wins of the season, with victories over both Belmont and South Carolina. 

Stay tuned for part 3 coming in the next few weeks. Check out the PDF supplement below.

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:1faaf97e-dee2-3134-b7fd-7166b649c7ef

2023 Furman Football Overview Heading Into The Summer

No team in the Southern Conference has as many starters returning to the fold as the Furman Paladins do heading into the 2023 football season, and coming off a 10-3 season, which ended with a heartbreaking, 41-38, loss in the FCS quarterfinals to Incarnate Word, there is plenty of optimism when looking towards 2023.

The strong season turned in by the Paladins was good enough for a Top 10 finish in the final STATS FCS poll (No. 10), as there is as much momentum heading into a season for the Paladins since the early 2000s.

The Paladins will be one of a handful of teams that will be in the mix to make it all the way to Frisco, TX for a chance to compete for a national title in January. Furman remains the only current member of the Southern Conference to win a national championship, having done so in 1988.

Furman and Samford will be among the favorites to make it all the way to Texas in January of 2023, looking to become the first Southern Conference team to compete for a national title since Appalachian State won its third-straight national title in 2007.

The first part of the 2023 schedule preview for Furman will first provide a brief overview of what returns for Furman, and then I will take an in-depth look at the first three opponents of the 2023 season for the Paladins.

For the second-straight season, Furman will open its schedule on a Thursday night when it hosts Tennessee Tech on Aug. 31. Furman’s first-ever Thursday night home game was a successful one, as Furman downed North Greenville with a 52-0 win over Division II North Greenville to open up what would result in a 10-win 2022 campaign. The 2023 schedule will feature an all-Division I slate.

Furman boasts 20 returning starters (8-offense, 10-defense, 2 special teams), which has many around the program so optimistic about what the 2023 campaign could hold in store.

With its 10 wins last fall, it marked the first time since the 2005 campaign that the Paladins have posted a double-digit win total, as well as also equaling that ’05 team for regular-season wins, with the Paladins finishing up with nine regular-season victories.

The seven Southern Conference wins by Furman a year ago marked the most SoCon wins recorded by a Furman football team since 2001. The Paladins finished second in the to Samford, who finished the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record in Southern Conference play, as the Bulldogs handed the Paladins a

Graduate transfer quarterback Tyler Huff, who turned in an outstanding inaugural season as the starter under center for the Paladins and was featured in a new offensive scheme under first-year offensive coordinator Justin Roper. The Paladins were a no-huddle, one-back offense and after having struggled the previous two seasons in more of a spread option/hybrid offense, Furman saw an offensive revival of sorts last season.

The Paladins finished the 2022 season with the 29^th ranked (421.9 YPG) offense in the nation, while posting the nation’s 15^th best rushing offense (212.8 YPG). Huff will enter the season among the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation.

The rising senior from Ocala, FL, who has two years of eligibility remaining, completed 199-of-292 passing for 2,199 yards, with 15 TDs and eight INTs in his first season with the Paladins after transferring in from Presbyterian last season.

As a rushing threat, he turned in one of the best single-season rushing efforts in Furman football history for a Paladin signal-caller, completing the campaign with 694 yards and eight rushing scores on 292 attempts (6.6 YPC). All told, Huff accounted for 2,883 yards of total offense to go with 23 touchdown responsibilities last season.

Furman also returns All-SoCon running back Dominic Roberto (147 rush att, 1,120 yds, 11 TDs, 5.7 YPC). Roberto became Furman’s first 1,000-yard rusher in a season since 2019 when Devin Wynn rushed for 1,182 yards. Roberto became the 16^th running back in Paladin football history to rush for 1,000 or more yards in a season.

The Paladins must replace top receiving option and All-America tight end Ryan Miller from a year ago. Miller finished off the 2022 season by hauling in 72 passes for 782 yards, with 12 TDs and averaged 10.58 YPR. Most recently, Miller was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The top returning receiving option for the Paladins coming into the 2023 season will be Joshua Harris (48 rec, 667 yds, 5 TDs, 13.9 YPR). Harris had back-to-back 100-yard receiving efforts in wins over both Mercer and Wofford. Against the Bears, Harris was able to haul in five passes for a career-high 146 yards and a touchdown. In the win over Wofford a week later, Harris caught eight passes for 112 yards and a score in the win over the Terriers. With Miller’s graduation, now Harris will become the top pass-catching weapon for the Paladins going forward into 2023.

Teaming with Harris at wide receiver will be Wayne Anderson Jr. (39 rec, 396 yds, 2 TDs, 10.1 YPR) and graduate transfer Kyndel Dean (44 rec, 407 yds, 9.2 YPR) will help supplement Harris at wide receiver once again this season. Parks Gissinger (4 rec, 29 yds, 7.2 YPR) is set to step into the starting role at tight end for the departed Ryan Miller. It will be interesting to see what transpires at the position as the spring moves forward and how Gissinger is to be utilized in the passing game.

Along the offensive line the Paladins will return three starters, losing only left tackle Anderson Tomlin and center Evan Jumper from last season’s starting five along the offensive front. Set to anchor the unit this fall will be left guard Jacob Johanning, right guard Wyatt Hughes, and right tackle Pearson Toomey. Toomey will head into the 2023 football season as arguably the top offensive lineman in the Southern Conference.

On the defensive side of the football, the one real significant loss is nose tackle Cameron Coleman (32 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 1 blkd kick) from the middle of the Paladin defensive front. In many ways, the Volunteer State native was the leader on the Paladin defense that helped blocked 10 kicks last season to set a new school standard. The Paladins also must replace a pair of important players in the secondary, in cornerbacks Micah Robinson (35 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 7 PBUS, 3 INTs in 2022) and Ivan Yates (35 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 6 PBUs, 1 INT, 1 FR), as both have decided to enter the transfer portal. 

The top returnees along the defensive front heading into the 2023 season for the Paladins are graduate senior defensive tackle Matt Sochovka (28 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 3 blkd kicks) and redshirt senior defensive end Jack Barton (30 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 6 PBUs, 2 QBHs), as the two should contend for all-league honors this fall. Junior Xavier Stephens (26 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 5 QBHs) will be in his second season along the Paladin defensive front after transferring in from Lehigh a year ago.

When healthy, Stephens’ athleticism along the difference-maker along the defensive front for the Paladins. Defensive end Jeremiah Jackson (5 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 QBHs) is also back along the defensive line after seeing his season end abruptly with a broken leg, which he suffered in a 25-19 win at Charleston Southern. Bryce Stanfield (17 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks) rounds out an extremely deep defensive line for the Paladins, as he will factor in as one of Furman’s top pass-rushers at defensive end.

The Paladins should be among the best in FCS football at the linebacker position this fall, with Braden Gilby (94 tackles, 15.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 2 FFs ) leading the charge in the middle of the Furman defense. Bandit Luke Clark (41 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 1 FF, 7 QBHs) is also back, as are both ‘Spur’ linebackers Jalen Miller (41 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 2 INTs, 2 FFs, 1 FR, 1 QBH) and Cally Chizik (29 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 6 PBUs, 3 INTs, 2 TDs) also return for Furman to add excellent depth to the middle of the Paladin defense.

Chizik had two INT returns for scores last season, including intercepting a pair of passes in the win over Incarnate Word, as his first pick against the Cardinals led to the game’s first points and gave the Paladins an early 7-0 lead. Bryce McCormick (77 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks, 3 PBUs, 1 QBH) and Evan DiMaggio (44 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1 QBH) will also figure prominently into the plans for the Paladins in the middle of the defense at interior linebacker.

The back end of the defense will have both savvy veteran leadership and playmaking ability. Returning as the leaders of the unit will be All-America candidate Travis Blackshear (46 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 1 INT, I blkd kick, 4 PBUs, 2 FFs, 2 TDs) at the lockdown cornerback spot, while Ivan Yates (35 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 6 PBUs, 1 INT, 1 FF) returns to contend for a starting spot at the other corner position.

Safeties Kam Brinson (59 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 5 PBUs, 1 INT, 4 FRs) and All-America candidate Hugh Ryan (69 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 8 PBUs, 4 INTs, 1 FF) will give the Paladins potentially the best tandem the Southern Conference this fall.

Finally, Furman’s special teams unit will welcome the return of Ryan Leavy (39.6 YPP) and Axel Lepvreau (8-of-9 on FGs/51-of-53 PATs) and Ian Williams (10-of-12 on FGs/63.2 yards-per-kickoff attempt) to handle the place-kicking responsibilities for the 2023 season, while Leavy will once again handle the punting duties. Kick return and punt return duties will likely be handled by the explosive trio of Wayne Anderson Jr. (24.2 YPR/1 TD/100-yd KO ret vs WCU) and Kendall Thomas (16.8 yards per KO ret.) should once again be in the mix as kick return threats this fall, while Cally Chizik (6.73 yards per punt ret.) and Joshua Harris (8.17 yards per punt ret.) could be in line for the punt return responsibilities.

Off-Season Additions Coaching News:

As is usually the case with pretty much any successful football program at the Group of Five FBS or FCS levels, the chance to move on to bigger jobs and opportunities is often a byproduct of a program’s success. Such was the case for the Furman football program following what, in many ways, was a breakthrough 2022 campaign. The Paladins lost alum and talented running backs coach Antonio Wilcox to UConn, while Paladin defensive backs coach Corico Wright has moved on to coach in the CAA as a key member of Ryan Canty’s staff at the University of Delaware. He is the defensive passing game coordinator and new defensive backs coach for the Blue Hens. As with all Furman coaches that move on to two positions, I would like to wish both well.

For Wilcox, none of us will soon forget what he meant to the Paladin football program as a running back during both his time playing for the ‘Dins, as well as serving as an assistant coach for the Paladins for each of the past three seasons, and prior to that, at nearby North Greenville for a couple of seasons. He had one year of coaching experience at Furman prior to leaving for North Greenville.

Wilcox helped not only develop Dominic Roberto into the running back he has emerged as over the past couple of seasons, which included rushing for 1,194 yards in Furman’s 10-win campaign in 2022. During his time as a player for the Paladins, Wilcox helped serve as a key member of head coach Clay Hendrix’s first team in Greenville back in 2017, as he rushed for 814 yards and 14 scores, leading the Paladins ground attack in what was a season which yielded a return to the FCS playoffs for the first time in four years. He finished his career rushing for 1,777 yards and 21 TDs in his Furman career.

Wright helped lead a defensive backfield that ranked second nationally in total interceptions last season, as the Paladins finished the 2022 season picking off 18 passes, which included returning three of those errant passes by the opposition for touchdowns.

With those departures, it meant that head coach Clay Hendrix would have to go out and find a pair of replacements for those two position groups for the 2023 campaign. Set to assume the responsibilities as the new running backs coach for the Paladins this fall will be Cory Colder, who comes to Greenville from Davidson College, where he spent the past couple of seasons as the running backs coach. Colder helped play a big role in helping the Wildcats garner FCS playoff berths each of the past couple of seasons. Colder was a key catalyst behind helping the Wildcats field what was a stable of running backs that was among the top ground attacks nationally each of the past two campaigns, including a unit that led the nation with an average of 331.5 YPG last season.

As far as the defensive backfield is concerned, the Paladins will welcome Taifon Mainsah into the fold as the new cornerbacks coach. Like Colder, Mainsah’s previous stop was at Davidson, where he spent the previous four seasons. During his time with the Wildcats, Mainsah started his career with the Wildcats as a volunteer assistant in 2019 and was promoted to full-time assistant in 2020.

Like Colder, Mainsah was also instrumental in helping the Wildcats make back-to-back FCS playoff appearances, which included helping the Wildcats make an appearance in the FCS playoffs during the 2021 season. Mainsah also played a role in Davidson returning to the postseason in 2022, helping them claim the Pioneer Football League’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

vs Tennessee Tech (Thursday, Aug. 31/Paladin Stadium/7 p.m.)

Furman will kickoff the 2023 season for a second-straight campaign on a Thursday night in the friendly confines of Paladin Stadium, facing the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.

The Paladins and Golden Eagles recently met back in the 2021 football season, as the Paladins were able to shut down the Golden Eagles by getting a 26-0 win in Cookeville in what was the second game of that particular season. It will mark just the fourth all-time meeting between the two, with the Paladins holding a 2-1 all-time series edge.

The Golden Eagles enter the season coming off a campaign which saw them finish the 2022 campaign with a 4-7 record, which included a 2-3 mark in the quickly dwindling and transitioning Ohio Valley Conference. In that 4-7 finish a year ago, the Golden Eagles led most of the way before seeing eventual Southern Conference champion Samford rally late in the game to come away with a 33-28 win at Tucker Stadium in Cookeville last season. That was a potentially season-turning game for both programs. It would be the start of what was a five-game losing streak that would ultimately end up defining the campaign for Tennessee Tech.

The Golden Eagles are in the process of rebuilding under DeWayne Alexander, who heads into his seventh season as the head coach in 2023. The Golden Eagles finished tied for third in the league’s final standings. Tennessee Tech will expect to be a league title contender this fall, with a new and more fast-paced offense expected to be given a boost with the addition of Hayes Gibson, who has transferred into the Tennessee Tech program from Iowa State. Gibson will battle Ethan Roberts for the starting signal-calling duties during preseason camp.

The Golden Eagles will also expect big things out of freshman running back Justin Pegues, while the Golden Eagles must replace their four top pass-catchers from a year ago. The offense, which was led by Austin Peay transfer Jeremiah Oatsvall last season, could encounter its share of struggles with such a young unit playing together for the first time when they show up at Paladin Stadium on Aug. 31. It will be challenging for the Furman defensive staff from the standpoint that there are a lot of unknowns on that side of the ball coming into the matchup for Tennessee Tech.

The strength of the Golden Eagles should be on the defensive side of the ball, which wasn’t necessarily a strength last season, as the Golden Eagles surrendered 32.4 PPG and 433.5 PPG to their opposition last fall. Tennessee Tech surrendered nearly 200 YPG on the ground (192.4 YPG). That isn’t a good recipe for success when facing a team like Furman. The Golden Eagles lost their top two tacklers to graduation from a year ago, and the top returning tackler on the defensive side of the football heading into the season will be Jacquez McGowan (59 tackles, 4.0 TFL, 0.5 sack, 1 PBU, 1 INT).

The Golden Eagles finished the campaign tied for third in the final OVC standings and will be looking to compete for a piece of the league title this fall. Only one team represented the OVC in the FCS playoffs, with the automatic bid going to Southeast Missouri State after it tied with UT-Martin for the league title, and with all other tiebreakers even, SE Missouri State garnered the playoff invite as a result of winning a coin flip.

Brief Recap of the last meeting: Furman 26, Tennessee Tech 0 (Sept. 11, 2021)

Furman used its first shutout since 2004 to start a season 2-0 for the first time since 2014, as the Paladins posted a 26-0 win on the road over Tennessee Tech Saturday afternoon at Tucker Stadium.

There were several unknowns for the Furman football team coming into the season, however, none of those unknowns included the Paladin defense. The shutout pitched by the Furman defense marked the first since 2004, when the Paladins went to Elon and posted a 10-0 win on Oct. 23, 2004.

Furman held the Golden Eagles to just 121 yards of total offense on the day, out-gaining the Golden Eagles by 250 yards (371-121).

Furman’s defense forced nine Tennessee Tech punts, picked off three passes, and sacked Tennessee Tech quarterbacks three times in imposing complete dominance throughout 60 minutes of football. In the second half alone, Furman’s defense allowed just one first down and 18 yards of total offense.

For the game, the Paladin defense held Tennessee Tech to just 23 yards on the ground and 98 through the air. Furman has now held its first two foes of the 2021 season to less than 100 yards on the ground, limiting North Carolina A&T to just 98 yards on the ground in the season opening win last week.

On the offensive side of the football, the Paladins managed the game with precise efficiency, using a heavy dose of Devin Wynn on the ground, while Timmy Bleekrode followed up his three field goal performance in the season-opening win over North Carolina A&T with a career-best four field goals on Saturday, which included a career-long 51-yard field goal to highlight his overall performance.

Bleekrode’s career-long 51-yard field goal came just six seconds into the final quarter, as it brought an end to an 8-play, 40-yard drive.

Following Travis Blackshear’s second INT of the game and third in the first two games of the season, Devin Wynn would score his second and Furman second and final touchdown of the afternoon, as he ran it in from two yards out. Dating back to the final two games of the 2020-21 spring season, Blackshear has now picked off four passes in his last four games.

Wynn finished another strong performance rushing 17 times for 84 yards and a pair of TDs. His two rushing scores give him 27 total in his career, which now ranks him ninth in Furman history.

Furman scored on four of its first five possessions in the opening half of play, utilizing a 42-yard scoring run and field goals of 32, 45 and 25 yards, as the Paladins were able to take a 16-0 lead into the halftime locker room.

Late in the half, Tennessee Tech made a change at quarterback, and it appeared the momentum of the game might be ready to flip to the side of the home team wearing Purple, as Willie Miller replaced Brandon Shanley under center for the Golden Eagles.

However, after the Golden Eagles drove inside Paladin territory, Furman’s defense usurped all momentum back to the visiting sidelines, as Furman stopped the Golden Eagles on a crucial 4th-and-1 play at the Paladin 42, forcing Tennessee Tech to turn the ball over on downs.

On the ensuing possession, the Paladin offense drove the ball 51 yards in 12 plays, culminating with Bleekrode’s 25-yard field goal with 22 seconds remaining in the half.

Following a scoreless third quarter, Furman’s final touchdown of the game would be set up by DiMarcus Clay’s interception off a tipped Shanley pass early in the final frame.

Late in the contest, Blackshear picked off his second pass of the day at the Paladin 14 and returned it 42 yards to end Tennessee Tech’s final scoring threat of the day.

Hamp Sisson finished the contest completing 17-of-29 passes for 196 yards, while adding another 25 yards on 10 carries on the ground, finishing the afternoon with 221 yards of total offense.

Sisson’s favorite target in the passing attack for the Paladins was true freshman Joshua Harris, who hauled in five passes for 54 yards, while Zach Peterson had three catches for 52 yards, and All-America tight end finished with three catches for 42 yards.

Furman safety Hugh Ryan led a comprehensive effort by defensive coordinator Duane Vaughn’s defense, posting seven tackles and a tackle-for-loss. Elijah McKoy, Parker Stokes and Seth Johnson accounted for the three sacks posted by Furman.

As you might expect, one peek at the stats sheet following the game shows complete domination in nearly every area. Two that stick out are Furman’s +16 advantage in first downs (22-6) and plays run (80-51).

The Prediction: This game should go the way of the Paladins, as for a second-straight season, Furman will get the season off to a strong start with a rather convincing win over Tennessee Tech…Furman wins 31-14.

at South Carolina (Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023/Williams-Brice Stadium/TBA)

Furman’s second game of the 2023 season will take the Paladins into SEC Country to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in what will be the first meeting between the two programs since the 2014 season, when the Gamecocks were making pretty easy work of the Paladins, getting a 41-10 win in Columbia.

It will likely be a Gamecocks team that will enter the season nationally-ranked under the direction of third-year head coach Shane Beamer (15-11), and it’s a Gamecocks program that ended the 2022 season in strong fashion, posting wins over No. 1 Tennessee (W, 63-38) and No. 7 Clemson (W, 31-30) in their final two regular-season games.

The Gamecocks, unfortunately, were on the wrong end of what was a 45-38 heartbreaker to Notre Dame in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. That loss would see the Gamecocks conclude the 2022 campaign with an 8-5 overall record, which included a 4-4 mark in the SEC East, which was good enough for a third-place finish in the division.

When the Paladins and Gamecocks square off on Sept. 9, it will mark the 50^th all-time meeting between the two programs, with South Carolina holding the 28-20-1 all-time series advantage.

The Garnet and Black have claimed the past two meetings against Furman, posting wins in 2014 (W, 41-10) and 2010 (W, 38-19), respectively. The last time the Paladins claimed a win in the series against the Gamecocks was the 1982 season, as the Paladins came to Williams-Brice Stadium and shocked the ‘Cocks, with a 28-23 win over South Carolina, who were under the direction of Richard Bell.

Like Furman, the Gamecocks have as much optimism entering a football season in at least a decade, and while only 10 starters return, there is enough talent returning and coming in through both the portal and as a part of Beamer’s last two signing classes to fuel such unlimited optimism among the Gamecocks’ rabid fanbase.

Heading up an offense that finished the season averaging 32.2 PPG and 378.8 YPG will be quarterback Spencer Rattler (264-of-399 passing, 3,026 yds, 18 TDs, 12 INTs), who was largely responsible for South Carolina’s offensive surge towards the conclusion of the 2023 season.

Rattler will likely be an All-SEC quarterback candidate by season’s end and was actually considered a Heisman candidate during the 2020 campaign when he was quarterback of the Oklahoma Sooners. He threw for a school-record six touchdowns in South Carolina’s resounding 63-38 win over No. 1 ranked Tennessee.  In South Carolina’s 31-30 win over arch-rival Clemson at Memorial Stadium, Rattler passed for 360 yards, with a pair of touchdowns and a pair of INTs. All told against the Tigers, Rattler had three touchdown responsibilities, as he also added a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. As a rushing threat for the Gamecocks last season, Rattler completed the campaign with 46 yards on the ground to go along with three rushing scores.

South Carolina saw both Marshawn Lloyd and Jaheim Bell opt to enter the transfer portal, leaving an open competition to garner the starting responsibilities this fall. Bell was the team’s second-leading rusher, despite his primary position being tight end. With that said, South Carolina’s two top rushers combined to account for just 834 combined yards and 12 TDs last season. In fact, the Gamecocks averaged 118.8 YPG on the ground last season, which ranked them 12^th in the 14-team SEC, as well as ranking 106^th nationally.

The most plausible option to replace Lloyd as the leading ground candidate this coming season will be Juju McDowell (62 rush att, 219 yds, 2 TDs, 3.5 YPC/24 rec, 205 yds, 1 TD, 8.5 YPC), however, Newberry transfer Mario Anderson (3,301 rushing yards and 35 rushing TDs at Division II Newberry) also should factor into the Gamecocks’ ground attack this fall.  The offensive line lost most of its experience to graduation from a year ago and will lean heavily on guys like left guard Jakai Moore and left tackle Jaylen Nichols.

The top returning receiver for the Gamecocks heading into the 2023 season will be Antwane Wells Jr. (68 rec, 928 yds, 6 TDs, 13.6 YPR). His numbers last season were good enough to garner Wells Jr. All-SEC honors. With Jaheim Bell and Jalen Brooks having gone, it will be up to Wells Jr. to shoulder much of the receiving load this coming fall for the Gamecocks.

Another wideout that could step into the fold as a reliable option in the passing game is Dakareon Joyner (8 rec, 120 yds, 1 TD, 15.0 YPR). Ahmarean Brown is a player that transferred in from Georgia Tech that could step into a nice role in this Gamecocks offense. Eddie Lewis also arrives from Memphis where he caught 42 passes for 615 yards and seven scores last season for the Tigers.

On the defensive side of the ball, four starters are back from a unit that ended the 2022 season surrendering 28.8 PPG and 404.7 YPG a year ago. The Gamecocks finished the season ranking 87^th nationally in scoring defense and 89^th nationally in total defense. The Garnet and Black was most impressive against the pass last season, holding teams to just 207.6 YPG through the air last season.  The Gamecocks will have a new defensive coordinator, as Clayton White takes over the reins of the defense after moving over from Arkansas.

The strength of the Gamecocks defense will likely be its defensive line, and in particular, its interior defensive front. Tonka Hemingway (33 tackles, 8.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 6 QBHs, 2 FRs) highlights the returnees along that interior defensive front. Jordan Strachan (10 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) and Terrell Dawkins (2 tackles) will highlight the returnees along the edge.

The Gamecocks will be solid at linebacker and will be given a big boost with the return of Mohamed Kaba’s (8 tackles, 0.5 TFL, 1 PBU) return to the unit. Kaba had his 2022 season cut short before having it cut short after suffering a torn ACL in the third game of the season at Arkansas.

Three of South Carolina’s starters, which started its bowl game against Notre Dame are back. Returning to the fold for the 2023 season are strong safety Nick Emmanwori (85 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 2 QBHs, 1 FR), free safety DQ Smith (54 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, 2 INTs, 5 PBUs, 2 QBHs, 1 FF) and cornerback Marcellus Dial (45 tackles, 1.0 TFL, 12 PBUs, 3 INTs). It’s the unit of the Gamecock defense that enters the season with the most reputable starting experience. Emmanwori was the team’s leading tackler last season, while Dial led the team in both pass breakups and INT and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week following South Carolina’s win at Clemson, posting two tackles, one INT, and tied for his personal single-game high three pass breakups.

The Gamecocks special teams will be headed up by a familiar face to both Furman and Southern Conference football fans, as former Elon head coach Pete Lembo heads up a talented unit that in many ways, was a big headline story for the 2022 South Carolina football team. Like his father Frank Beamer, Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks know a little something about blocking kicks and making plays in the special teams department. The Gamecocks blocked a total of six kicks last season.

The Gamecocks return an All-American at punter, as Kai Kroeger (46.1 YPP avg) returns to handle the punting duties, while Mitch Jeter (11-of-11 on FGs) returns as the Gamecocks’ place-kicker for the 2023 season. Jeter connected on all 11 of his field goal attempts last season, which included two from 50 or more yards. Xavier Legette will once again handle the kick return duties after setting a school single-season record after averaging 29.4 YPR on 15 kick returns for the Gamecocks last season. Memphis transfer Eddie Lewis looks like a strong candidate to handle the punt return duties for South Carolina this fall.

Brief Recap of the last meeting: South Carolina 41, Furman 10 (Oct. 18, 2014)

COLUMBIA, S.C.–It was a big day for Dylan Thompson and the South Carolina passing attack, as he passed for 262 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead South Carolina to a 41-10 mid-season, non-conference win over Furman in what was just the second meeting between the two since the Paladins’ historic win over South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium back in 1982.

Thompson was able to connect on 14-of-22 passes on the day, which included touchdown strikes of 45 and 14 yards to Jerrell Adams and Shaq Roland, respectively, en route to leading a solid offensive effort by the Gamecocks, with South Carolina out-gaining the Paladins 548-302 in the 31-point triumph.

The Paladins, who dropped to 2-5 on the 2014 season with the loss, were led offensively by Hank McCloud’s rushing effort, as he finished the contest with his sixth-career 100-yard rushing game, which was highlighted by Furman’s lone touchdown of the contest–a 60-yard jaunt in the opening half of play–as he finished the contest with 13 carries for 106 yards and the aforementioned scoring run.

It marked Furman’s fifth-straight loss after the Paladins started off the 2014 campaign with wins over Gardner-Webb (W, 13-3) and Mercer (W, 25-20). The Paladins, who were the then defending Southern Conference champions, had to replace returning starter Reese Hannon under center after he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the opening game of the season against the Bulldogs.

Following a 14-yard scoring connection from Dylan Thompson to Shaq Roland to open the scoring in the contest and give the Gamecocks a 7-0 lead with 9:14 remaining in the opening quarter, the Paladins would end up tying the game less than two minutes later, as McCloud took the hand-off from Paladin starting signal-caller PJ Blazejowski, and he scampered 60 yards untouched for the score, leveling the contest, 7-7.

Trailing 14-7, the Paladins squandered a golden opportunity to tie the game following Reggie Thomas’ sack of Thompson, forcing a fumble, which was recovered by Furman defensive lineman Ira McCune at the South Carolina 26. However, the Paladins saw the promising opportunity squandered, as McCloud was stripped of the football by South Carolina’s Michael Washington at the Gamecock 11 to end Furman’s scoring threat.

Furman’s defense stymied the Gamecocks on the next possession, however, the dam would eventually break and South Carolina would end up tacking on a couple of second-quarter touchdowns at each end of the frame, as Jerell Adams got behind the Paladin secondary for a 45-yard scoring catch a little over a minute into the second frame to give the Gamecocks a 21-7 lead.

With just over two minutes remaining in the half, the Gamecocks extended their lead to 28-7 when Mike Davis capped the three-play, 28-yard drive, with a 2-yard scoring plunge. South Carolina got the ball in great field position as a result of a second first half fumble by the Paladins.

The Paladins would get points via South Carolina fumble in their own territory on the opening Gamecocks possession of the second half, as Marcus McMorris recovered a Gamecocks fumble at their own 47 early in the third quarter. It would lead to Furman’s final points of the afternoon, as the Paladins moved it 41 yards to the South Carolina six before having to settle for a 29-yard Hunter Townes field goal to make it a 28-10 game.

The Gamecocks would tack on Shon Carson touchdown midway through the third and a 27-yard field goal by Elliott Fry with a little over five minutes remaining in the frame, increasing South Carolina’s advantage to 38-10. Fry’s field goal was set up by a 26-yard interception return by Chris Moody. Fry would provide the final points with another field goal, as he booted through a 23-yard field goal with 12:41 remaining to make it a 41-10 game.

South Carolina finished the contest with a 548-302 advantage in total offense, as Thompson paced the Gamecock balanced Gamecock offense which amassed 262 yards through the air and another 267 on the ground, as Mike Davis and David Williams, rushed for 111 and 110 yards, respectively, pacing the rushing attack.

The Prediction: The Paladins will have a tough time coming into Williams-Brice and pulling off the upset against a program with a lot of momentum right now, however, Furman knows how to cause headaches for bigger FBS programs when they have a talented football team, and that’s exactly what Furman will have when it comes to Columbia on Sept. 9. Furman actually ended up out-gaining Clemson (382-375) in last year’s 35-12 loss to the Tigers. With that said, the cliché’ reason is always true when playing these games…Bigger, faster, and stronger, which that the Gamecocks will be. The one major advantage Furman has when it heads to Columbia in its second game of the season is that it will still be extremely early for this talented South Carolina team, who will host North Carolina in its season opener on Sept. 2. The Paladins, who open on Thursday night against Tennessee Tech, will have two extra days of rest. It’s not quite the five they had last year heading to Clemson, but it’s still a minor advantage. The other advantage Furman could find itself with is the fact that the Gamecocks head to two-time defending national champion Georgia the very next week. So Furman is between an opener vs North Carolina in Charlotte and a trip to Athens to face the two-time defending champs in the SEC opener. Furman will keep this game close into the third quarter, however, South Carolina will begin to pull away late in the third quarter and win a closer than the experts think, 38-17, game.  

at Kennesaw State (Saturday, Sept. 16/Fifth-Third Bank Stadium/TBA)

Furman and Kennesaw State will be meeting for just the second time on the gridiron on Sept. 16, when the Paladins make the short trek to Atlanta to face the Owls in what will mark jus the second all-time meeting between the two programs. The only other meeting between the Owls and Paladins took place during the 2016 season, as Kennesaw State came to Paladin Stadium and handed the Paladins a 52-42 setback, scoring 49 of those points in the opening half of play, as the Owls led 49-14 at the break only to get outscored 28-3 in the second half, but still managed the 10-point win.

 It will be Furman’s first game in Atlanta since 2019, when the Paladins went toe-to-toe with Sun Belt member Georgia State, losing that contest by a score of 48-42.

The Owls are under the direction of veteran head coach Brian Bohannon (73-30/9th season), who is leading them into transition from being a high-level FCS program for the past eight years into the unknown of FBS football as a Group of Five conference member and Conference USA starting in 2024.

The 2023 season will be Kennesaw State’s final campaign as an FCS member, and without any conference affiliation after playing in the somewhat thrown together WAC-SUN, which featured a combination of former members of the OVC, Southland and old Western Athletic Conference to form a football only FBS conference.

That project is still on-going and uncertain, and it’s a project that after just one season, the Kennesaw State brass wanted no part of seeing where it ended up, so when an invitation came from Conference USA last year, the Owls were quick to pounce on the opportunity.

Like Appalachian State and Georgia Southern did back in their final season as a member of the SoCon, there will be no playoffs for the Owls. In fact, there, there won’t even be a conference affiliation, and thus, no opportunity for a chance at the FCS postseason.

The best advancement into the FCS postseason by the Owls during their short stint as an FCS program was getting to the quarterfinal round of the FCS playoffs on a pair of occasions, losing games to both Sam Houston State in 2017 (L, 27-34) and South Dakota State in 2018 (L, 17-27). The Owls will be an FCS independent in 2023.

Kennesaw State will look to avoid finishing their FCS experience like so many others have; with not-so-great returns. I remember when Appalachian State made the move up, and it didn’t go so well, as the Mountaineers finished out their FCS experience in 2013, posting what was a forgettable 4-8. The Mountaineers did do a smart thing by redshirting many of their upper-classmen in anticipation of the move up. It will be interesting to see what the overall mindset is here, as to whether or not Bohannon and staff look to redshirt a lot of upperclassmen, or with the COVID-19 year already still built in for some, is that even something worth pursuing.

Kennesaw State finished out the 2022 season with a 5-6 record, which marked the program’s first losing record at the end of a season since starting the program back in 2015. The Owls have certainly shown that in least in seven out of their eight seasons as an FCS member, they have looked the part of making the jump to FBS. It will at least be interesting to see how they approach 2023 on a couple of different fronts, with one of those being how it will approach coming off its first losing season in program history, as well as to having some rather big changes on both sides of the football.

The 2023 season will see the Owls transitioning away from the now suddenly archaic option offense, with all the blocking rule changes that have come to affect that style of offense over the past couple of seasons. The Owls will have two new coordinators to lead both the offensive and defensive sides of the football in the 2023 season. On offense, the Owls will go with Chris Klenakis as the new hire on that side of the ball, while Nathan Burton will be tasked with the new post as defensive coordinator.

Klenakis has extensive experience at the collegiate level, learning under one of the legendary coaches of FCS football, in Chris Ault at the University of Nevada before serving as an offensive staff member and quarterbacks coach at Louisville, where he helped develop future NFL All-Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson with the Ravens.  

While with the Wolfpack, he helped develop Colin Kaepernick at the collegiate level where he would eventually lead the San Francisco 49ERs to a Super Bowl appearance in his third season as a quarterback in the National Football League. Klenakis has also spent time as an offensive assistant at Liberty (2022), South Alabama (2021), Tulane (2019-20) Iowa State (2013), Arkansas (2009-12) Central Missouri (2003), Southern Mississippi (2000-02) and Nevada (1990-99; 2004-09).

In Klenakis’ very first season at Nevada in 1990, the Paladins squared off against the Nevada Wolfpack in Reno. Despite holding a 28-13 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Paladins would see the Wolfpack eventually come back to tie the game and force overtime, eventually claiming what was a triple-overtime, 42-35, win. The quarterfinal win by the Wolfpack at the time held the distinction of being the longest game in Division I-AA history.

The Wolfpack would go on to a triple-overtime win the following week against Boise State in the Division I-AA semifinals before eventually losing in the national championship game to Georgia Southern, 36-13, in Statesboro.  Fred Gatlin and Chris Vargas presided over a Pistol Offense as one of the top offenses in Division I-AA history to that point.

On the defensive side of the ball, Nathan Burton will take over as the new defensive coordinator for the Owls after having been the co-Defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Georgia Tech from 2019-21 before going on to coach in the USFL with the New Orleans Breakers. Prior to his stint at Georgia Tech, Burton also spent time as the defensive backs coach at Temple (2018), while also spending time as the defensive quality control coach at NC State (2017). Burton also has five years of experience as a defensive coordinator at the Division II level, spending time at both West Alabama (2014-16) and Shorter University (2012-13).

The Owls will be wide open on offense, utilizing the pistol/spread in most situations. Quarterbacks Jonathan Murphy (28-of-54 passing, 375 yds, 1 TD), DeAngelo Hardy and Braden Bohannon will all be in contention for the starting responsibilities this fall. Preston Daniels (84 rush att, 423 yds, 4 TDs, 5.0 YPC) returns as the top threat in the rushing game for the Owls heading into the 2023 season. Daniels will team with Yesiah Clemons (26 rush att, 148 yds, 5.7 YPC), as well as Gabriel Benyard (30 rush att, 202 yds, 6.7 YPC, 0 TDs) will be two more key performers in the running game for the Owls this fall.

Clemons, a former walk-on, was recently awarded a scholarship during the spring.  Benyard will also be in the kick return game for the Owls this coming fall, as he compiled a school-record 117 punt return yards in a game against Charleston Southern, helping lead the Owls to the 30-20 win.

The offensive front will be anchored by left tackle Jordan Love and left guard Trenton Jackson, who were part of an offensive front that helped the Owls 369.0 YPG last season, while posting 232.2 YPG on the ground, which was of course influenced by the Owls being more of a option-based attack. The Owls finished the 2022 campaign averaging 27.4 PPG.

On the defensive side of the football, the Owls welcome back seven starters for the 2023 season, highlighted by graduated student Markeith Montgomery (60 tackles, 6.0 TFL, 5 INTs, 1 QBH) at strong safety. Top returning tackler Garland Benyard (50 tackles, 7.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 4 QBHs, 2 PBUs, 1 INT). Montgomery’s 10-career INTs are the most in the history of the program.

Brief Recap of the last meeting: Kennesaw State 52, Furman 42 (Oct. 1, 2016)

GREENVILLE, S.C.–In the 248 games played all-time in the history of Paladin Stadium heading into the 2023 season, the 2016 meeting between Furman and Kennesaw State will go down as one of the strangest in the history of the facility.

In the lone all-time meeting between the two programs, the Owls were able to hold on for what turned out to be a wild, 52-42, win over the Paladins after taking a 49-14 lead into the half. The loss sent Furman to an 0-5 start to the 2016 season, while the Owls improved their overall record to 3-1 to open the second month of the college football season. Dating back to the 2015 season, the loss marked Furman’s eighth-straight loss, spanning almost an entire calendar year. The losing streak for Furman’s longest since dropping eight-straight from 1969-70. With home loss to Samford a week later, the Paladins would drop a ninth-straight–a streak which dated back to 1954-55 when the Paladins dropped 11-straight spanning two campaigns.

Along with the 45-0 homecoming thrashing delivered by Samford during the 2014 season, the 52-42 loss to the Owls has to go up there with one of the modern-day low points for Furman football. It was part of a three-year stretch that saw the Paladins go just 5-11 inside the friendly confines of a place they have been dominant in throughout the facility’s history. In fact, Furman has posted a 183-64-1 all-time record inside Paladin Stadium, which is good enough for a .749 winning percentage. The three-year stretch of 16 home games from 2014-16 is the worst since the stadium opened in Sept. of 1981.

The 49 points in a half and the 582 total yards amassed by the Owls offense both still stand as Paladin Stadium records for an opponent. The Owls offense was led by sophomore Chandler Burks, who finished the contest with 103 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 27 rush attempts, also found some success throwing the football against the Paladin defense, as he connected on 9-of-12 passes for 171 yards and a score and did not throw an interception. Burks’ lone scoring toss of the day came on a 49-yard Hail Mary attempt as time expired in the opening 30 minutes of play, staking Kennesaw State to a big 49-14 halftime lead.

Furman was able to rally to make things interesting in the third quarter, however, utilizing three scores in the opening frame of the second half to get within 14 of the Owls, at 49-35.

Furman would score touchdowns on 53-yard scoring connection between quarterback Reese Hannon-to Andrej Suttles 20-yard scoring strike with 13:11 remaining in the third to get the Paladins to within 28.

Furman would then tack on scoring receptions of five and eight yards from tight end Kevin Mall and junior wideout Logan McCarter to get the Paladins within two scores, as Hannon completed the third quarter with a trifecta of scoring tosses.

Kennesaw State’s only points of the second half came when Christian Kinley booted through a 40-yard field goal with 9:20 remaining to extend the Owls lead back to 17, at 52-35. Little did anyone know at the time that it would prove to be the game-winning points for the visitors in such a wild game.

A little less than four minutes later, Furman would get its final points of the day when Antonio Wilcox found the end zone on Furman’s lone rushing score of the day–a 21-yard scamper with 5:30 remaining–making it a 52-42 game. The Owls would recover the ensuing onsides kick by Furman to essentially seal the win.

After getting out-gained 213-23 in the first quarter alone, Furman battled back to make things respectable in total yardage, as the Paladins were out-gained 582-455 for the contest.

It was a game that saw the Owls set nearly every offensive record for an opponent inside the facility, and just missed tying the facility mark for most rushing scores in Paladin Stadium, which is still held by The Citadel, who rushed for seven in 1994, powered by Terrence Rivers’ four scoring runs, as the Bulldogs knocked off Furman, 52-44, in a similar type of football game.

The Owls finished with six scores on the ground and one through the air, while Furman finished with five through the air and one on the ground.

Furman quarterback Reese Hannon finished the contest 28-of-40 passing for 330 yards, with five touchdowns and two INTs. His favorite target was Suttles, who hauled in seven passes for 104 yards and a score.

Not to be overshadowed by Burks’ stellar outing under center for the Owls, both running back Darnell Holland and 6-3 wideout Justin Sumpter were part of a comprehensive offensive effort from Kennesaw that came to Greenville hitting on all cylinders.

Holland finished the day rushing for 126 yards and two scores on just six carries, averaging a ridiculous 20.5 yards-per-carry! That’s likely a stadium record. Holland scored on scampers of 62 and five yards.

Not to be outdone, Sumpter would haul in six passes for 147 yards and a score, averaging 24.5 yards-per-catch.

The Prediction: This game looks like it’s one that the Paladins should be able to win on the road, despite the fact the prestige of the Kennesaw State football program as a whole, and the fact that Kennesaw State will be making transitions in philosophy on both sides of the football should give the Paladins a slight advantage. I look for Furman to win a close one and move to 2-1 overall on the season, defeating Kennesaw State, 35-28.

Stay tuned for part two, as I take a look at the first four Southern Conference games of the 2023 season, with the important month of October right on the horizon.

Furman works its purple magic to reach March Madness in the Magic Kingdom

When sophomore guard JP Pegues nailed a three-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining, which led to the Paladins’ 68-67 NCAA Tournament first round win over the No. 4 seeded Virginia in Orlando, it had been 49 years since Furman had won a game on college basketball’s greatest stage, as well as 376 days since David Jean-Baptiste had knocked down a 36-foot buzzer-beating effort to end Furman’s 2022 NCAA Tournament and SoCon Tournament title hopes.

For those who had followed Furman’s magical ride over the past eight years, it was surely a justified ending for a program that had been as successful as any other league member who had won a league title in that time span.

In fact, it was the one missing piece for a Furman program that had equaled or eclipsed any of the other four league members that have won the tournament title over the past eight years.

Nine years after making its initial appearance in the title game as the No. 10 seed against top-seeded Wofford in the Southern Conference title game, and a full 43 years since cutting down the nets in Asheville initially as the the Southern Conference Tournament Champion, the Furman Paladins reigned supreme in Asheville, N.C., as the final buzzer sounded at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, with the scoreboard reading: FURMAN 88, CHATTANOOGA 79.  The 43-year tournament drought was over!

Despite everyone looking on ready to critique Furman, offering a reason as to why the so-called curse and drought may roll over to 44 years, the Paladins were able to change a recent narrative that had seen the program enjoyed plenty of success, without taking the next step to join league blue bloods Chattanooga, Wofford, East Tennessee State and UNC Greensboro, as the final of those highly successful programs over the past eight years to cut down the nets in Asheville.

At the end of the 2022-23 season, the Paladins would now find themselves to be the most successful SoCon program over an eight-year stretch, having posted a 181-82 overall record, which includes a 103-38 in SoCon games.

The Paladins have averaged 22.7 wins per seasons during that span. Both of those marks are the most successful among the league’s 10 current member institutions over the past eight seasons.

The Paladins also headed to Asheville as the top seed for the Southern Conference Tournament for the first time in 32 years, despite tying for the regular-season league crown with Samford. By virtue of the Paladins’ season sweep of the Bulldogs, the Paladins would head into the SoCon Tournament in the best position possible to cut down the nets.

Not even the return of Chattanooga big man Jake Stephens, who spent much of Southern Conference play with a hand injury only to return just in time for the tournament, could stop Furman’s momentum in Asheville this time around.

The nine-point win marked Furman’s seventh Southern Conference title, marking the first time Furman had cut down nets at the end of a conference tournament since doing so in Roanoke, VA, back in March of 1980, as the Paladins defeated the Marshall Thundering Herd, And while Furman’s run in Asheville was a memorable one, it wasn’t even the major lasting memory that the Paladin fans will take with them from the season.

In fact, Furman, which won a school-record 28 games and finished the campaign with a 28-8 overall record, which included tying a program record for SoCon wins (15) en route to tying for the regular-season title with Samford by finishing 15-3 in league play, did one better, as the Paladins made the most of their return to the Big Dance for the first time in 43 years by winning its first NCAA Tournanent in nearly half-a-century.

The Paladins made their “One Shining Moment” the first “Shining Moment” of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, as the Paladins stunned Virginia, 68-67, courtesy of a JP Pegues dagger three off a Virginia turnover in the backcourt with just 2.2 seconds remaining.

That three and the call by TruTV’s Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner and Stan Van Gundy, went viral, and was one of the over-arching themes in a tournament of upsets. Furman’s NCAA Tournament would come to an end in the Round of 32, with a 75-52 loss to eventual national runner-up San Diego State. It marked the second-straight season that the Paladins have faced the national runner-up, with the ‘Dins having suffered a 74-61 regular-season setback at North Carolina last season.

The Aztecs, who were the No. 5 seed in the South Region, ended up dropping a 76-59 contest to the No. 4 seed out of the West Region—the UConn Huskies—in the national championship game. In the 2022 title matchup, the No. 8 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels saw the No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks storm back from a 15-point halftime deficit to claim what was a 72-69 national championship game win.

The one-point, 68-67, win by the Paladins was especially rewarding for Southern Conference basketball fans, who had witnessed the heartbreak of a year earlier when the Chattanooga Mocs had suffered a heartbreaking 54-53 setback to Illinois in a No. 4-13 matchup in Pittsburgh. In that game, the Mocs had three good looks to claim the win on their final possession, however, couldn’t convert and ended up suffering a heartbreaking one-point loss. 

With Bob Richey eagerly telling the Furman faithful to dream big dreams, the Paladins got a taste of the standard to be reached when they faced the Aztecs in the first game of the second round of the tournament. The silver lining being the victory over a good Virginia team showed Furman as a mid-major on the immediate rise nationally, while many who follow the Southern Conference and mid-major basketball already knew that.

The 1-1 performance by the Paladins in the NCAA Tournament would improve the SoCon’s all-time record to 33-80 in the Big Dance, while seeing the league win a tournament game for the first time since Wofford was victorious in a first-round game over Seton Hall, 84-68, as the Terriers played as the No. 7 seed against the 10th seeded Pirates. For Furman, it was their first NCAA Tournament win since 1974, when the Paladins defeated South Carolina, 75-67, in the then 25-team tournament.

The Paladins are now 2-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. Furman’s story in the 2022-23 season was highlighted by keeping joy throughout the process, and especially adverse moments, as head coach Bob Richey kept reminding fans and the media throughout the season. By the time March rolled around, the term “calloused” was used on more than one occasion to describe the collection of talent present on the 2022-23 roster. In other words, the group, highlighted by a pair of fifth-year seniors in Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson, who would close out their respective careers as Furman’s two winningest players (116-career wins).

The two have helped factor into 64.0% of Furman’s 181 wins since the start of the 2015-16 season over the past five seasons.  The Paladins certainly encountered their share of struggles throughout the season, despite finishing with a 28-8 record. With that said, the Paladins became just the second SoCon team to win a game in mid-March since 2009. As of April 3, the Paladins had a final NET ranking of No. 88, while being rated No. 92 in the final KenPom ratings. 

The Paladins, however, garnered the first No. 1 overall seed in the Southern Conference Tournament for the first time since 1991, as the Paladins completed the regular-season sweep of the Bulldogs on the final day of league play and doing so in resounding fashion, as Mike Bothwell’s 35-point effort helped Furman win on the road at one of the toughest road environments in mid-major basketball–the Pete Hanna Center–a place that the Samford Bulldogs had been victorious against 15-straight Southern Conference opponents by the time the Paladins paid a visit for the regular-season finale.

It would mark one of two 30-point efforts for Bothwell during the 2022-23 season, as he also posted a career-high 36 points, connecting on a baseline jumper with 0.2 seconds remaining, as the Paladins held off Stephen F. Austin for what was a memorable 72-70 win over the Lumberjacks. Slawson and Bothwell would become part of Paladin basketball lore in the 2022-23 season, with the duo having helped the Paladins to a program record 28 wins, and combined for 3,524 points in their respective careers.

The two also finished with a combined 479 assists and  354 steals. Both woukd garner First Team All-SoCon honors, while Slawson became the 12th Paladin in program history and first since Devin Sibley in 2017 to garner Southern Conference Player of the Year award, as he was named both the coaches and media league player of the year. Slawson was the 2021-22 SoCon Defensive Player of the Year.

In addition to the individual awards, Furman forward Ben VanderWal, who was one of the top sixth men in the SoCon this past season, ended up garnering a place on the SoCon’s All-Freshman Team. Another story was the outstanding performance of JP Pegues, who after having not played a minute of point guard in his rookie campaign of 2021-22, grew into a certified star as the season progressed.

After Furman cut down the nets in Asheville, Furman point guard JP Pegues, who was not voted to any of the three all-conference teams as selected by the league’s coaches or media, ended up garnering the SoCon Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honor following Furman three wins in Asheville.

He would become just the third player in the past two decades to not make any all-conference team, yet win the SoCon Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, joining both Chattanooga’s Greg Pryor (2016) and ETSU’s Isaiah Tisdale (2020).  It marked the first time since Jonathan “Stitch” Moore in 1980 that a Paladin garnered the SoCon Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player distinction as the SoCon Tournament’s best player.

It marked just the fifth time in program history that a Paladin player has walked away from the nation’s oldest conference tournament’s most distinguished citation, joining both Clyde Mayes (1973 and ’75) and Jonathan Moore (1978 and ’80) in that elite company.

Stay tuned for the next four parts which will take a look at each of the four months of the basketball season individually in a unique background, giving insight into just how Furman won. the championship and where they improved and where they struggled and saw improvement.

It was truly a remarkable season, and best of all for Furman fans is that they will have head coach Bob Richey around at least one more season to try and now repeat as league champions since winning three in a row from 1973-75.

Check out the season 2022-23 highlights below.

Aztecs size and strength underneath and strong defense were the difference

The last time Furman played in an NCAA Tournament; Major League baseball Hall-of-Famer and former San Diego Padre outfielder Tony Gwynn was busy setting the single-season assists record at San Diego State as the Aztecs’ point guard on the basketball team. He posted what many around the program feel is an unbreakable record, as he dished out 221 assists during the 1979-80 season. It was the same season Jonathan “Stitch” Moore capped a brilliant career by leading the Paladins to the NCAA Tournament, where he ended it with 2,299 career points to finish as the second highest scorer in program history.

On Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32, the Paladins were back in the Big Dance for the first time in 43 years and had already won a game in the tournament for the first time in 48, however, in what was the first-ever hardwood meeting between the two, Paladins and Aztecs, Furman ran into a buzz-saw, in Gwynn’s alma mater.

The No. 5 seeded Aztecs took care of the Palmetto State in the NCAA Tournament and moved on to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament, defeating No. 13 Furman, 75-52, Saturday afternoon at the Amway Center.

In the opening round, the Aztecs defeated the only other team to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, defeating the College of Charleston, 63-57.

The Aztecs, who are the only one of four Mountain West teams remaining in the field of 68, became the first team from the conference to reach the Sweet 16 since 2018, and first Aztecs squad to accomplish that same feat since 2004.  It’ll the third appearance by the Aztecs in the regional semifinal, as well as the seventh all-time for the MWC. The last team from the MWC to reach the Sweet 16 was Nevada in 2018.

The Paladins set a new school record with 28 wins, finishing the campaign with a 28-8 ma7rk, while the Aztecs improved to 29-6 and move on to play Alabama in the Sweet 16 next weekend.

The opening minutes of the game were competitive, and the Paladins actually jumped out to a 16-12 lead with 11:17 remaining in the opening half after Jalen Slawson nailed a long three-pointer as the shot clock expired.

However, over the next 10:54 of game action, the Paladins would go scoreless from the field, as the Aztecs put the clamps down on the defensive end of the floor, ending the half on a 27-9 run and took a 39-25 lead into the halftime break. The Paladins’ long scoring drought from the field would finally be ended by Mike Bothwell’s short jumper with only 23 seconds remaining in the half, and it would be Furman’s final points of the opening frame to get the Paladins to with 12. However, the Aztecs would score the final points of the half, as Matt Bradley’s short jumper gave San Diego State the 14-point, 39-25 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Aztec lead would continue to grow, as the SoCon Player of the Year Jalen Slawson got into foul trouble. When Darrion Trammell connected on a contested three-pointer with 13:24 remaining in the game, the Aztecs took their largest lead of the afternoon, as they assumed a 21-point lead, at 53-32.

After JP Pegues responded with another Paladin three-pointer with 13:11 left, it got the Paladins back to within 18. However, Trammel banged yet another three on the ensuing possession for San Diego State and that shot proved to be a dagger once and for all for Furman’s hopes for a second-half comeback, as San Diego State went back ahead by 21.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Slawson committed his fifth personal foul, and was also whistled for a technical foul. It ended his stellar collegiate career with 1,509 points. However, after scoring a team-high 19 points in Furman’s opening round upset win over No. 4 seed Virginia, Slawson would be held to just eight points in his final game for the Paladins. He finished connecting on just 2-of-5 shots from the field and was 1-of-2 from three-point range. The fifth-year senior from Summerville, S.C., was held scoreless in the second half because of his foul trouble. In addition to his eight points, Slawson added two rebounds, a block and an assist.

The Aztecs just kept coming, and after Slawson went out of the game, due to foul trouble, his replacement, Alex Williams, who finished as one of three Paladin players in double figures with 11 points, knocked down a three-pointer with 9:20 remaining to get the Paladins back to within 18, at 60-42, but a Lamont Butler jumper on the other end put the San Diego State lead back to 20.

A pair of Mike Bothwell free throws with 8:28 remaining got the Paladins to within 18 again, at 62-44, however, when Keshad Johnson dunked on the other end off a nice feed from Nathan Mensah underneath, the Aztecs grew their lead back to 20, where it would stay the remainder of the game. The Aztecs would assume as large of a lead as 26 points when Jared Bennett connected on a three with 37 seconds remaining, making it a 75-49 game. However, the Paladins would end the season and the game on a high note, as Bothwell stroked home a three-pointer with 21 seconds remaining to set the final score in the contest.

The Paladins were led by Bothwell’s 15 points in the game, as he finished going 4-for-9 from the field and was 1-for-4 three-point lane, while knocking down 6-of-9 foul shots to finish with his 15. He also added a pair of rebounds and a steal to his cause. With his 15-point scoring effort, Bothwell capped what was a legendary career with the Paladins, as he finished with 2,016 career points to finish as the fourth-highest scorer in Furman basketball history. He surpassed Karim Souchu (2,014 pts/2000-03) in Furman’s loss to the Aztecs and became Furman’s highest scoring player on the hardwood since 1980, when Jonathan Moore (1977-80) ended his stellar career with 2,299 points.

Also in double figures for the Paladins were Williams, who finished with 11 points, while point guard JP Pegues rounded out the Paladins with 10. Pegues’ scoring over the latter half of the season was a big part of Furman’s incredible run, as was Williams being the ultimate sixth man off the bench for the ‘Dins. For Pegues, his season ended by scoring in double figures in 17 of his last 18 games for the Paladins, which included 10-straight.

For the second straight game, however, the Paladins couldn’t find their shooting touch from the field, as they were only able to connect on 32.0% (16-of-50) from the field, which included just a 23.1% (6-of-26) effort from beyond the arc. The 32.0% shooting effort was easily Furman’s lowest shooting percentage of the season, and lowest since Feb. 6, 2022, when the Paladins connected on just 30.6% of their shots from the field in a 58-56 loss at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Greenville.

The 52 points scored by the Paladins were the lowest point total in a game for a Bob Richey-coached team since Jan. 17, 2020, when the Paladins dropped a 66-52 contest at Wofford.

San Diego State finished the game placing four players in double figures, with Micah Parrish coming in off the bench to add 16 points on 6-for-11 shooting from the field, which included going 2-of-5 from three-point land and 2-for-2 from the foul line. He also added six rebounds and a blocked shot.

Parrish was joined in double figures by Darrion Trammell (13 pts), Lamont Butler (12 pts), and Matt Bradley (10 pts).

 As a team, the Aztecs finished off the contest by connecting on an impressive 50% (29-of-58) from the field and 36.3% (6-of-20) from three-point range. The Aztecs held decisive advantages in ever category: points in the paint (40-16), points from turnovers (11-5), total rebounds (41-24), second-chance points (18-5), bench scoring (27-11), total assists (18-7) and fast-break points (11-10).

It was an incredible season for the Paladins, and it marked the first time the Paladins have won 28 games in a season, as well as win a game in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the Field was extended to 64 or 68 teams. In fact, it marked Furman’s first appearance in the Big Dance since it was just a 32-team field back in 1980. Stay tuned for more on the historic season by the Paladins.

March 16, 2023

2023 NCAA Tournament First Round

Amway Center (20,000)/Orlando, FL

No. 13 Furman 68, No. 4 Virginia 67

Pegues’ March Magic Keeps Paladins Dancing

Furman hasn’t appeared in an NCAA Tournament in 43 years, and hadn’t won a game in the Big Dance in 48 years, however, when J.P. Pegues knocked down an NBA three-pointer  in the home of the NBA’s Orlando Magic, it was a fitting return to the Big Dance for the Paladins, as the 13^th-seeded Paladins posted a 68-67 win over fourth-seeded Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday afternoon at the Amway Center.

Pegues might not know what platform shoes are, or who John Travolta is, but he extends Furman’s dance for the first time since platform shoes were all the craze, and the Paladins, while Virginia falls in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in five years to a double-digit mid-major seed, including the second-straight loss in the Big Dance to a 13 seed. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers were 63-58 losers the Mid-American Conference and 13^th-seeded Ohio Bobcats back in the 2021 Big Dance.

Pegues’ game-winning dagger was set up by some excellent defending by the ‘Dins, who trapped Cavaliers senior guard Kiehei Clark in the corner, and with a rare moment of indecision, Clark lofted the ball up in the air, and Paladin junior forward Garrett Hien intercepted the errant throw and found Pegues at the right elbow for the NBA triple with just 2.2 seconds remaining.

The ball was quickly inbounded to Armaan Franklin who let a heave from just inside halfcourt, but it was no good off the glass and side of the rim as time expired, allowing the Paladins to have a moment nearly half-a-century in re-creating. Furman improved to 2-6 all-time in tournament action and improved on its school-record wins total, improving to 28-7.

The Cavaliers, who were the Co-ACC champions, conclude their 2022-23 campaign with a 25-8 record. The Paladins move on to face San Diego State, who took down College of Charleston, 63-57, in the second matchup of the first session. It will mark the first-ever meeting between the Paladins and Aztecs.

Things looked bleak for the Paladins when Mike Bothwell fouled out of the contest with11 points and just 6:25 remaining. Bothwell had eclipsed the 2,000-point plateau (2,001 pts) to move into the school’s top five all-time in scoring prior to fouling out and it appeared that would be how his career might end, however, the Paladins rallied. Kadin Shedrick extended Virginia’s lead to 54-48 following a pair of foul shots.

However, Furman’s Jalen Slawson went to work, scoring nine-straight points following his senior roommate’s disqualification due to excessive fouls, giving the Paladins a 57-54 lead following a three-point play the old-fashioned way with 5:02 left. It was Furman’s first lead of the afternoon.

Slawson, who was the SoCon’s Player of the Year, finished with a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds for his 19^th-career double-double. The stat-stuffing Slawson also added four assists and a steal. He surpassed 1,500 points in his career in the same game that Bothwell eclipsed 2,000.

The game would see-saw back and fourth, with the Paladins maintaining a 1-3 point led over the next three-and-a-half minutes until Reece Beekman was fouled on a three-pointer with 1:37 left. He knocked down a pair of foul shots to give Virginia the lead back, at 64-63. The Cavaliers eventually extended their lead to four (67-63) following a Kiehei Clark foul shot with 19 seconds remaining. Cue the drama.

Then Pegues drove hard to the basket before dishing to Hien, who went in for a dunk, but was fouled by Shedrick. The 55% foul shooter calmly knocked down both shots with 12.2 seconds left. The Paladins then pressured Virginia on the ensuing inbounds pass, with Pegues and Marcus Foster, forcing Clark, who had no timeouts left, to aimlessly throw the ball up, which was then intercepted by Hien and then converted by Pegues on the three-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining.

The Paladins were able to overcome a 32-27 halftime deficit and were able to overcome as much as a 12-point deficit in the second half to advance in the tournament.

Slawson was joined in double figures by Foster (14 pts), Bothwell (11 pts), and Pegues (11 pts). With his game-winning triple, Pegues recorded his eighth-straight double-figure scoring effort, and the SoCon Tournament Most Outstanding Player has now posted double digits in the score column in 16 of his past 17 games.

Virginia was led in the contest by 15 points and 13 rebounds from Shedrick.

Postgame Notes:

–Furman evened its all-time record against Virginia, 1-1.

–Furman improved to 2-6 all-time in the NCAA Tournament

–Furman’s only other win in the NCAA Tournament came on March 9, 1974, as the Paladins were able to claim what was a 75-67 win over South Carolina on that particular occasion.

–The win by the Paladins sets up a 12:10 p.m. EST matchup against No. 5 seed and regular-season Mountain West Conference champion San Diego State (28-6) in what will mark the first-ever matchup between the two teams.

Jalen Slawson recorded his 19th-career double-double and now has eclipsed the 1,500-point total for his career. He currently has 1,501 points in his career. With 11 points Thursday, Mike Bothwell became the fifth player in school history and first in two decades to score 2,000 points in his career, with 2,001 points entering Saturday’s Round of 32 game vs. San Diego St. The last player to score 2,000 points in a career for the Paladins was Karim Souchu (2,014 career points), accomplishing that feat from 2000-03.

–Furman has now 15 of its past 16 games, including notching its seventh-straight win.

–Bob Richey improved to 4-13 against power six conference foes, which included his second this season, with the Paladins having already defeated South Carolina (W, 79-60) back in the Charleston Classic in November.

–Since the start of the 2017-18 season, head coach Bob Richey has defeated No. 8 Villanova (2018), Louisville (2021), South Carolina (2022) and now No. 14 Virginia (2023).

–Prior to his game-winning three-pointer against the Cavaliers with 2.2 seconds remaining, it marked the Pegues first make since the overtime, 83-80, SoCon semifinal win over Western Carolina.

–It was the first win in the NCAA Tournament for the Southern Conference since 2019, when No. 7 seed Wofford defeated No. 10 Seton Hall.

–JP Pegues has now scored in double figures in 16 of his last 17 games, including eight-straight.

–It was the 116th win in the careers of both Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson, which is a school record.

–Furman won its 181st game since the start of the 2015-16 season, which is the most among SoCon programs during that time frame.

–Bob Richey won his 139th game as the head coach of the Paladins, Richey needs just four more wins to surpass the late Joe Williams for second on the all-time wins ledger at the program, with 143 victories. Lyles Alley is Furman’s all-time wins leader, posting 248 wins in two decades as the program’s head coach from 1946-66.

Full postgame press conference (Furman and Virginia)

Thursday March 16, 2023

No. 13 Furman (27-7) vs. No. 4 Virginia (25-7)

Amway Center (20,000), Orlando, FL., 12:40 p.m. EST (TRU TV)

Head Coaches: Furman–Bob Richey (138-53/6th yr)/Virginia–Tony Bennett (341-124/14th season at UVA)

Series: UVA Leads 1-0

Last Meeting: Dec. 8, 2004/UVA 79, Furman 67

Orlando, FL–Furman and Virginia meet for just the second time Thursday afternoon in the second game of the NCAA Tournament at the Amway Center.

The Paladins are making their first appearance in the tournament in 43 years, while Virginia is back after missing the 2021 tournament. Below is everything to get you ready for the matchup. Enjoy the Madness!

Pre-Selection Interview with JP Pegues

Bob Richey Interview Pre-Selection Show

Selection Show Press Conference:

Furman Pre-Virginia Media Day Press Conference

Pre-NCAA Tournament Hype Video

Furman’s Foundational wins over the past seven seasons:

Feb. 26-Mar. 9, 2015—Furman starts an amazing close to the season, as it claimed a hard-fought win over Western Carolina (53-49) and fought hard before dropping a 62-60 game in the regular-season finale against the SoCon’s top team, Wofford. The Paladins would reel off three-straight wins before losing in the title game to that very same Terrier team. The 11-22 season was the spark to the current run off success. It was Medved’s second season in charge of the Paladin basketball program following a nine-win campaign in his inaugural campaign.

Jan. 9, 2016—A 70-55 win over preseason prohibitive and eventual league champion Chattanooga would be a harbinger of big wins to come in the future for Paladin basketball. The win snapped the Mocs’ eight-game winning streak, as Devin Sibley (18 pts) and Stephen Croone (17 pts) would be a major part of the win over the Mocs, as would Kendrec Ferrara, who came up big on the defensive end of the floor, as he finished with six blocks. The Mocs went on to win a program record 29 games and win the SoCon regular-season and tournament titles, respectively.

Jan. 23, 2016—With the backdrop of a pretty significant snowstorm by Greenville, S.C., standards, the Paladins came away with another major foundational moment. It was one of the most thrilling moments in the history of Timmons, as the venue played witness to its first Furman buzzer-beating effort in its 18 years of operation. Senior guard Stephen Croone tipped in a missed Devin Sibley driving layup attempt at the buzzer, and Furman ended its six-game losing streak to Wofford in thrilling fashion, with a 63-62 win over Southern Conference victory on Saturday afternoon in front of a rowdy crowd 2,252 fans at Timmons Arena. Croone had just two points in the opening half, but posted 15 in the second frame, with none more important than the final two, as Furman posted its first win over Wofford since Jan. 14, 2013, when the Paladins posted a 69-65 win over the Terriers at Timmons Arena.

Mar. 14, 2016 For the second time in the 2015-16 season, Furman sent an opponent away with a heartbreaking loss, as the Paladins claimed an unprecendented 14th home win in a, 58-57, win over Louisiana-Monroe on Daniel Fowler’s fade-a-way shot at the buzzer in the opening round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament Tuesday night at Timmons Arena. “It’s never happened before, I’ve never hit a buzzer-beater in my career,” Fowler said. “I saw the ball got tipped back out by Kris Acox and no one boxed me out and I really didn’t know how much time I had, and I just put up the shot and it went in and that’s pretty much it.” The appearance in the tournament marked the first non-conference postseason appearance since a trip to the CIT in 2010, and first postseason non-conference tournament win since defeating South Carolina in the opening round of the 1975 NCAA Tournament.

Nov. 16, 2016 Another breakthrough win for the Furman basketball program occurred early in the 2016-17 season when the Paladins went to the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) and ended a 26-game homecourt winning streak, with an 84-74 win at Bartow win in the third game of the 2016-17 season. The game was part of the CBE Hall-of-Fame Classic.  Daniel Fowler had one of the best games of his career, posting a career-high 23 points, while grabbing seven rebounds and dished eight helpers in leading five Paladins in double figures.

Mar 17-29, 2017 Making its second postseason tournament appearance in a row, the Paladins had some unfinished business. Furman, which tied with both East Tennessee State and UNC Greensboro for the SoCon’s regular-season title, and headed to Asheville as the No. 2 seed in the SoCon Tournament. It would turn out to be a disappointing finish to their ultimate NCAA Tournament hopes, however, dropping a 67-63 contest to No. 7 Samford, despite a 30-point effort from SoCon Player of the Year Devin Sibley. However, the Paladins made accepted an invitation to the CIT for the second-straight season, knocking off USC Upstate (79-57), Campbell (79-64) before losing to eventual CIT champion St. Peter’s, (51-77) in the CIT Final Four. The win over Campbell would be Medved’s last game as the head coach of the Paladins, while the loss to the Peacocks would be the first under Richey. Richey would shed the interim tag the very next season. Furman’s 23 wins during the 2016-17 campaign tied a program record.

Feb. 25, 2018–Furman evened the series from its earlier season loss to East Tennessee State in Greenville by ending the Bucs chances at claiming a share of the regular-season Southern Conference title, with the Paladins taking home a 79-76 win in Freedom Hall.It was Furman’s first win over ETSU since it moved to its new facility during the 2013-14 season, and marked the first win for Furman in Johnson City since 2005. Though the Paladins failed to appear in the college basketball postseason, turning down a bid to the CIT after a disappointing setback to the same ETSU Bucs in the semifinals of the SoCon Tournament in a game that saw Furman post one of its most difficult shooting nights of the season. The 23 wins would tie a program record, marking the third time in the school’s history that it had won as many games, matching the 1979-80 Paladins and the 2016-17 team.

Nine days in November (Nov. 8-17)

Nov. 9, 2018–One of the biggest wins in the regular-season in Furman basketball history came early on during tIt must seem as no coincidence that Rafferty, Mounce, Lyons and Brown all had roles to play Friday, almost as if the 2016 win over UAB was a foreshadowing of how the events would unfold in the second game of the 2018-19 season. With time winding down, after all, it was Mounce who took the feed from Rafferty and flushed a one-handed tomahawk dunk off the left side with 1.6 seconds remaining to seal a special win for the Furman basketball program, and for the Southern Conference. The 2018-19 campaign, as the Paladins went to Loyola-Chicago and knocked off the reigning Final Four participant, 60-58, at Gentile Arena.

Nov. 15, 2018—Furman’s win over North Greenville was expected—a 107-67 thumping of Bob Richey’s alma mater.  Earlier in the 2018-19 season, Furman debuted its new video boards by honoring the first player in college basketball history at any level to score 100 points in a single game, which Frank Selvy accomplished on Feb. 13, 1954. Jordan Lyons would put his name in NCAA basketball lore with another amazing NCAA record performance.  A week earlier, Furman woke up nine-point underdogs to 2018 Final Four participant Loyola Chicago. A week later, the Paladins were off to a 4-0 start, with Sports Center top play on a game-winning dunk, an NCAA record-tying performance for three-pointers made in a single game, and had a player score the most points in an NCAA Division I college basketball game since 2009. All in a week’s work right? Jordan Lyons’ 15 three-point goals, which was part of a 54-point—the most points in a game since Jodie Meeks for Kentucky in 2009 vs. Tennessee—tied an NCAA single-game record, which was first set by Keith Veney in 1996 and had been tied just a night earlier by Robert Morris sharp-shooter Josh Williams.

Nov. 17, 2018—Furman got the attention of the entire college basketball world on Nov. 17, 2018, as the Paladins were able to knock off defending national champion and If Furman’s early win over Loyola-Chicago didn’t raise enough eyebrows around the nation, then surely its 76-68 overtime win at reigning national champion Villanova did the trick. This win was not only one of the biggest wins in the regular-season history of Furman basketball, ranking up there with wins over nationally-ranked Davidson (1963-64) and East Tennessee State (1990-91), it also kept the Paladins in NCAA Tournament conversations as an at-large bid for the remainder of the college basketball season, and would ultimately see the Paladins find their way into the Associated Press NCAA Top 25 a month later. It was also Furman’s first-ever win over a nationally-ranked program on the road.  Furman’s win over the defending national champions marked the second-straight season a team from the Southern Conference had defeated a reigning national champion, as the Wofford had defeated reigning national champion North Carolina on the road, 79-75, just a year earlier.

Furman’s Last Time in the Big Dance (1980)

It was the dawn of a new decade, and the Paladins were under the direction of a new leader as Eddie Holbrook was in his first season at the helm of the Furman program following his predecessor Joe Williams, which had just left to become the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles. 

Williams, who passes away this past Summer, remains the most successful coach in Furman basketball history. In fact, the decade of the 1970s was one of dominance for Paladin basketball, and no team dominated the Southern Conference hoops scene more in the 1970s than the Paladins and Davidson Wildcats, as that would emerge as a major rivalry during that particular decade. All six of Furman’s NCAA Tournament appearances were garnered from 1971-80.

Other than Furman’s current run, which has seen the Paladins win 180 games over the past eight seasons, the Paladins dominated during the decade of the 1970s, winning 211 games from the start of the 1969-70 season until the conclusion of the 1979-80 campaign. Much of that success, as he compiled a 142-87 record during his eight seasons leading the Paladin basketball program.  The Paladins are 1-6 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.

­­­­­­­Williams left the cupboard chocked full of talent when he left to become the Seminoles head coach following his highly successful tenure at Furman from 1970-78.

The Paladins played in Greensboro the last time they made into the NCAA Tournament, taking on the Tennessee Volunteers, dropping what was an 80-69 decision in what was a 32-team NCAA Tournament during those days. The Paladins were led on that 1980 team by the likes of Jonathan Moore and Mel Daniel. 

Putting it all in perspective, Furman’s last NCAA Tournament appearance came prior to Western Carolina’s Ronnie Carr connected on the first-ever long-range bomb in NCAA history the following November against Middle Tennessee State. The three-pointer is very likely what the Paladins will need to have a shot against the Cavaliers Thursday.

History and Tradition of the Two Programs:

The Paladins and Cavaliers will be facing each other on the college basketball hardwood for just the second time in series history, with the only other meeting seeing the Virginia Cavaliers capture what was a 79-67 win over the Paladins back on Dec. 4, 2004. In that contest, Gary Forbes ended up leading five Cavaliers players in double figures in that particular meeting, as he finished with 21 points, while J.R. Reynolds and Elton Brown added 18 and 16 points, respectively. Brown completed a double-double performance against the ‘Dins with 12 rebounds. Furman was led in the contest by Quan Prowell’s 14 points. 

Virginia has had plenty of success against Southern Conference foes all-time in its history, having posted a 112-15 mark against SoCon foes in its basketball history. Tony Bennett has never lost to a Southern Conference foe, having posted a 4-0 record in his 17 seasons as a college basketball coach against the league. As you might expect, the Cavaliers have faced off against VMI the most over the years, having posted a 101-15 all-time record against the Keydets. The Cavaliers have also faced off against ETSU (3-0), UNC Greensboro (2-0), The Citadel (2-0), Furman (1-0), Wofford (1-0), and Samford (1-0) during their basketball history. 

The Paladins are under the direction of head coach Bob Richey (138-53), who is in his sixth season at the helm of the Paladin basketball program, while the Cavaliers are led by Tony Bennett (341-124), who is in his 14^thseason leading the Cavaliers’ basketball program. 

If any program knows how to turn adversity into triumph like Furman was able to do by winning the Southern Conference Tournament after losing on a 36-foot buzzer beater last season to the same opponent it defeated for the title this season—Chattanooga—it’s the Virginia Cavaliers. A year prior to claiming the 2019 NCAA national title, with an 85-77 win over Texas Tech in the championship game in Minneapolis, the Cavaliers joined the record books for all the wrong reasons a year earlier, as the Cavaliers became the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed, when the Cavaliers were soundly defeated, 74-54, by UMBC.

The Cavaliers have seemingly learned from that woeful defeat suffered back in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, turning that into a national title run a year later. After there was no 2020 NCAA Tournament, the Cavaliers headed into the 2020-21 season as the reigning national champions, however, finished off that campaign with an 18-7 record in a season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cavaliers lost their opening round game to No. 13 seed Ohio, 62-58, in a Midwest Region opening round loss at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, IN.

In that game, Ben Vander Plas, a 6-8 forward that is now a star for the Cavaliers, scored a game-high 17 points for the Bobcats to lead the Mid-American Conference champions to the upset win. Vander Plas had been a big part of what has been another 20-win season for the Cavaliers this season, however, the Ohio transfer is currently sidelined with a broken hand.

The Cavaliers won 19 regular-season games in the 2021-22 season, which wasn’t good enough for an NCAA Tournament invite, however, the Cavaliers would win three games in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), making a run all the way to the Elite Eight of that tournament, with wins at No. 3 seed Mississippi State (W, 60-57) as well as a win over North Texas (W, 71-69 OT) before finally running out of gas one game shy of advancing to the NIT Final Four and Madison Square Garden, as the Cavaliers suffered what was a 52-51 setback to St. Bonaventure. 

The Cavaliers finished the regular-season with a 23-6 record heading into the ACC Tournament as the No. 2 seed last weekend. Virginia advanced all the way to the ACC Championship game, knocking off both North Carolina (W, 68-59) and Clemson (W, 76-56) before running into a hot Duke (L, 49-59) team in the championship game. 

All time in the NCAA Tournament, the Cavaliers will be making their 25^th appearance in the Big Dance, having posted a 35-23 record all-time in the tournament, which includes three Final Four appearances and the 2019 national title. 

Furman on the other hand, will be making its seventh appearance in the NCAA Tournament, having posted a 1-6 all-time record in the tournament. The Paladins’ lone NCAA Tournament came in 1974, as the Paladins were able to down South Carolina, 75-67, in Philadelphia, PA. The Paladins enter having lost its last four games in the NCAA Tournament, including an 80-69 loss to Tennessee in the opening round of the 1980 NCAA Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum. 

Though the Paladins haven’t made an NCAA Tournament appearance in the past 43 years, they aren’t necessarily strangers to postseason basketball, having participated in the NIT (1991, 2019), CollegeInsider.com Tournament (2011, ‘16 & ’17). The Paladins made it all the way to the semifinals of the 2017 CollegeInsider.com Tournament, with current head coach Bob Richey coaching the final game of that tournament run in the semifinals against St. Peters, as Furman’s interim head coach following Niko Medved’s departure to become the new head coach of the Drake Bulldogs.

The Paladins would end up losing 77-51 to the Peacocks in Richey’s first game as the head coach, but he would be hired as the head coach that summer and went to work improving upon the foundation, which had been laid by Medved during his four-year stint. In Richey’s second season at the helm, which was the 2018-19 season, the Paladins got off to a school-record start to the season, starting 12-0, which included high-profile wins over defending national champion Villanova (W, 76-68 OT) and a win over reigning Final Four participant Loyola-Chicago (W, 60-58).

Furman would match its 25-win campaign of the 2018-19 season a year later, and that included winning a program record 15 Southern Conference games in the process. The Paladins were knocked out of the opening round of the SoCon Tournament, with a 77-68 loss to Wofford. Had the COVID-19 pandemic not canceled the college basketball postseason, there was a remote possibility that the Paladins could have been selected for NIT, as the Paladins finished with a NET ranking of No. 56.

The Paladins posted a 16-9 mark in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, and once again bowed out of the Southern Conference Tournament early, playing just one game in Asheville before making an exit. The Paladins were 91-90 losers to VMI in overtime.

The 2021-22 season would once again see the Paladins post a 20-win campaign, marking their fourth in five seasons, as the Paladins finished with a 22-12 mark and once again just missed out on the NCAA or NIT Tournaments, losing on a 36-foot shot at the buzzer against David Jean-Baptiste and the No. 1 seeded Chattanooga Mocs in overtime, as the Paladins dropped a 64-63 contest.

Furman returned three starters, including a pair of all-conference performers and fifth-year seniors, and were able to use last season’s heartbreak as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block, as the Paladins ended up winning all three games in Asheville at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center, downing Mercer (W, 73-58), Western Carolina (W, 83-80 OT) and Chattanooga (W, 88-79) in the championship to reach the NCAA Tournament.

The basketball history and tradition of the University of Virginia is rich, and is highlighted by some true legends of our sport, with one of the most notable–former head coach Terry Holland–having just passed away in the past month due to dementia. Holland truly coached some greats during his 16 years as the Cavaliers head coach, including guys like All-American center and perhaps the greatest Virginia Cavalier to ever play in Charlottesville, in 7-4 center Ralph Sampson.

Common Opponents

The Paladins and Cavaliers have one common opponent this season, with both having faced North Carolina State. The Paladins suffered one of their more decisive setbacks to any power six opponent in six seasons under Bob Richey, dropping what was a 92-73 contest at North Carolina State on Dec. 14. It was Furman’s worst loss to a power six opponent since Nov. 20, 2017, when the Paladins were beaten 92-63 by the No. 2 ranked Duke Blue Devils. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, faced that same NC State club back on Feb. 7, 2023, as the Cavaliers were 63-50 winners over the Wolfpack at John Paul Jones Arena. 

Head Coach Bob Richey vs. Power Six Foes (3-13):

Dec. 14, 2022 at NC State (L, 73-92)

Nov. 19, 2022 vs. South Carolina (W, 79-60/Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic)

Dec. 17, 2021 at Mississippi State (L, 66-69)

Dec. 14, 2021 at North Carolina (L, 61-74)

Nov. 12, 2021 at Louisville (W, 80-72/OT)

Dec. 9, 2020 at Cincinnati (L, 73-78)

Dec. 15, 2020 at Alabama (L, 80-83)

Dec. 5, 2019 at No. 13 Auburn (L, 78-81)

Nov. 19, 2019 at Alabama (L, 73-81)

**Mar. 20, 2019 vs. Wichita State (L, 70-76)

Dec. 21, 2018 at LSU (L, 57-75)

Nov. 17, 2018 at No. 8 Villanova (W, 76-68 OT)

Dec. 20, 2017 at No. 20 Tennessee (L, 61-66)

Nov. 20, 2017 at No. 1 Duke (L, 63-92)

Nov. 18., 2017 at Butler (L, 65-82)

Furman’s Personnel and Style of Play

The Paladins are a high octane offense and rank high nationally and are aesthetically one of the more pleasing offensive teams to watch in the country, and are almost a complete contrast to the style Virginia likes to play. The Paladins run a Princeton-style/motion offense on steroids, which is predicated on spacing the floor to create openings in the defense, making the floor more open and making the opposition more susceptible to passing lanes, as well as cutting lanes. 

 Furman enters the matchup ranking eighth in all of NCAA Division I college basketball in total assists per game (17.1 APG), as well as 11^th in scoring offense (82.1 PPG), 19^th in field goal percentage (48.3%), 19^th in three-pointers made (324/9.5 PG) and 11^th in effective three-point field goal percentage (56.4%). Furman is ranked 12^th nationally in three-pointers attempted per game (27.5 PG/934 attempts in 34 games). 

The Paladins have four their five starters averaging in double figures, led by a pair of Super Seniors, in Mike Bothwell (18.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG) and Jalen Slawson (15.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG). Both were First Team All-Southern Conference selections, with Slawson also having garnered the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year honor. Bothwell is a pure scorer, needing just 10 points in Thursday’s game to become only the fifth player in school history to reach the 2,000-point plateau. The duo has also achieved a school-record 115 wins in their respective careers. 

He’s a pair of 30-point scoring efforts this season, as he went for a career-high 36 points in a 72-70 win over Stephen F. Austin back on Dec. 17 in the Greenville Winter Invitational. Bothwell also had 35 points in the regular-season finale against Samford, helping the Paladins to a 93-79 win on the road and helped clinch Furman’s first No. 1 seed in the Southern Conference Tournament since 1991. In addition to what Bothwell does as a scorer, the senior guard from Cleveland Heights, OH., also ranks 10^th in program history in career assists and steals.

In addition to his 30-point scoring performances this season, Bothwell also has 12 games in which he has posted 20 or more points in a game this season, and was named the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Week for his performance against Belmont back in November, as he posted 26 points in what was an 89-74 win. Bothwell is a threat from three-point range as well, having connected on 48-of-142 shots from three-point land this season, which accounts for a 33.8% clip from long-range this season. He actually shot the three much better during the Southern Conference season, as he was able to connect on a 36.2% clip (25-of-69) in 18 league games. 

Furman’s Jalen Slawson has been described by opposing coaches as a “point forward” for his ability to play all five different positions on the floor, and his ability to handle the ball at the point of the offense, making him an especially unique and difficult matchup for most foes he goes up against. Slawson is the 2023 Southern Conference Player of the Year and was the 2022 SoCon Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to his 15.7 points-per-game and 7.1 rebounds-per-game this season, the fifth-year senior from Summerville, S.C., also adds 3.2 assists-per-game this season and is an exceptional passer at all positions on the floor, and particularly out of the post. 

Like Bothwell, Slawson has established his own legacy as one of Furman men’s basketball all-time greats, as one of only three players in program history to have recorded 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 blocked shots in a career, joining former Paladin greats George Singleton and Jonathan Moore in that distinct company. Slawson like his teammate Bothwell, is a finalist for the Lou Henson Award, which is given to the top player in mid-major basketball. Last season, former Chattanooga guard Malachi Smith claimed the prestigious award.

Additionally, Slawson is also a candidate for the Karl Malone Award, which is given to the nation’s top power forward. The super senior currently ranks third in program history with 180 blocked shots, while having posted 18 double-doubles in his Paladin career. 

Perhaps what makes Slawson the most dangerous, however, is his ability to shoot the three, as he has posted an impressive and team-leading 39.4% shooting clip (39-of-99) from three-point range so far this season. All told, Slawson is connecting on 55.6% (185-of-333) from the field this season. 

Interestingly, one of the more effective aspects of Furman’s efficient offense is the offensive aggression exhibited by the senior duo this season, as the duo leads the team in both free throws made, having made a combined 280 of the team’s 511 total made foul shots this season, and have shot 350 of the team’s 690 free throw attempts in the 2022-23 season. The combined 280-of-350 clip for Bothwell and Slawson at the line is an impressive combined 80.0% shooting percentage from the charity stripe this season. The Paladins are 20-0 this season when outscoring the opposition from the charity stripe. 

The third potent weapon in the well-equipped Furman offense is sophomore point guard JP Pegues (12.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.0 APG), who was recently named the SoCon’s Most Outstanding Performer in Furman’s three tournament wins in Asheville. Pegues has been one of the primary reasons the Paladins find themselves at this point in the season for the first time in 43 years, and he comes in having started all 34 games for the Paladins this season. 

He has scored in double figures in 15 of Furman’s last 16 games, including posting career-highs for both points (26) and rebounds (8) in a late-January, 96-82, road win at Wofford. Pegues also posted a career-high eight assists in Furman’s 92-73 setback at North Carolina State earlier this season. He averaged 21.0 PPG in Furman’s three SoCon Tournament game in Asheville en route to garnering tournament most outstanding player honors. He has scored 20 or more points six times this season, including having done so in three out of his last four games. 

In terms of the care he does take of the basketball, Pegues ranked second in the SoCon in assists/turnover ratio (2.3). He also shoots the three-ball well, shooting 35.0% (65-of-186) from long range this season. His 65 threes leads the Paladins this season.

The fourth player averaging in double figures among Furman’s starting five this season is junior wing guard Marcus Foster (10.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG). In many ways, Foster acts as Furman’s x-factor as well as being the team’s “glue guy.” His two three-pointers late in the SoCon championship game against Chattanooga were pivotal in helping the Paladins end their more than four-decade drought from the NCAA Tournament. 

Foster also ranks as one of Furman’s top three-point threats. Foster ranks second on the team in made three-pointers this season, having connected on 60 triples this season for the Paladins. He is connecting on 36.4% (60-of-165) from three-point land so far this season. The junior from Atlanta, GA., is also one of the Paladins’ best on-ball defenders.

Rounding out the starting five for the Paladins will be 6-9 center Garrett Hien (8.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG), who is very much an emotional leader for the Furman basketball team. He can also step out and shoot the three. Hien’s favorite spot has been the top of the key this season, is the top of the key and the corners, as he has hit a high percentage of his 26 made triples this season from each of those spots. He shooting a solid 36.6% (26-of-71) from long range so far this season. 

Furman’s top players off the bench include Carter Whitt (2.7 PPG, 1.7 RPG), who will spell Pegues at the point guard spot. Whitt is in his first season with the Paladins after transferring in from Wake Forest. He has seen his playing time increase, which coincided with Furman’s strong play down the stretch beginning with the win at Chattanooga. 

If there were a sixth man award in the Southern Conference, that would have surely gone to Alex Williams (6.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG). He’s powerful, and for his size, extremely nimble and agile. He has the ability to slash to the hoop, but his strength is shooting the ball from long range. He’s developed into a complete scorer for the Paladins this season, and has eight double-figure scoring efforts for the Paladins this season. 

Williams had 19 points in an early league win over The Citadel, while posting 18 and 15 points, respectively, off the bench in a pair of wins over Wofford. As a perimeter threat this season, Williams is shooting 35.4% (28-of-79) from three-point land. 

Rounding out Furman’s nine-man rotation this season are SoCon All-Freshman selection Ben VanderWal (5.1 PPG, 3.2 RPG), who brings both energy and scoring ability off the bench but is most noted for the work he does on the offensive glass, and 6-8 forward Tyrese Hughey (5.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG), who is athletic and has become one of the better defensive posts on the team when he can stay out of foul trouble.

Furman’s Team Strengths: 

The Paladins love to get the ball up and down and force tempo. One of the ways the Paladins are able to do that is following opponents made baskets, as the Paladins use long transition passes off the inbounds or off a quick outlet to get buckets in transition while the opposition is oftentimes still celebrating the made basket. 

The Paladins also love to space the floor and are good at it, and the more they are able to get their outside shots to go, the more they are able to space the floor and really put stress on the opposition defensively.

Furman’s Team Weaknesses:

The Paladins struggle at times defensively, and are allowing 71.2 PPG this season, and have at times struggled against teams that highly efficient shooting the three, and do not like playing games in the 50s or 60s, which is of course, exactly what the Cavaliers want to do. However, with Furman sporting the nation’s highest two-point field goal percentage, slowing the Cavaliers won’t completely stop them offensively by limiting their possessions, and it will by contrast put pressure on Virginia to continue to score efficiently. Furrman isn’t shooting near the efficiency that it did a year ago from three-point land, yet with every player on the roster possessing the ability to get hot on any given afternoon, they have potential to hit them. Still, it’s been more of a weakness than a strength this season when the Paladins are lured almost exclusively into shooting the three. Furman can also be a strange team, playing some of its best basketball and worst basketball all within one game. Lately, the Paladins have been prone to surrendering leads, doing so twice in the Southern Conference Tournament against both Western Carolina after leading by as much as 20 and in the championship against Chattanooga, however, went on to win both games.

Virginia’s Personnel and Style of Play: 

Virginia couldn’t be more of a contrast to what Furman than just about any team in NCAA basketball. The Cavaliers aren’t going to set the world on fire offensively, as the Wahoos rank 265^th out of 359 teams in NCAA Division I basketball in scoring offensive, averaging 68.2 PPG this season. In terms of the Cavaliers’ team field goal percentage, the Cavaliers enter the matchup with the Paladins connecting on 44.9% (769-of-1711) of their shots from the field through 32 games this season, while having connected on 35.3% (218-of-617) from three-point land. The Cavaliers rank 163^rd nationally in team field goal percentage, while ranking 112^th in three-point field goal percentage.

One of the things that stands out is how good of care the Cavaliers take of the basketball, ranking first in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.85), while ranking 24^th in assists-per-game (15.8 APG) and 17^th in turnover margin (3.8).

Where Virginia really makes its money is on the defensive end of the floor, holding opponents to just 60.2 PPG this season to rank sixth nationally in scoring defense. In terms of limiting foes shooting percentage, the Cavaliers are holding foes to just 41.5% (324-of-433) from the field and 34.0% (224-of-659) from three-point land this season. The Cavaliers actually have surrendered six more three-point field goals than they have made this season. 

Needless to say that the Cavaliers want to slow the pace against everyone they play, having posted 109-2 mark under Bennett when holding foes to less than 50 points in a game, which includes a 3-0 mark this season. 

The Wahoos have forced 26 shot clock violations this season and have averaged 28 shot clock violations since the 2018-19 season. The Cavaliers have held 29 of their 32 opponents to less than 70 points this season, while holding 13 of its 32 foes to less than 60 points, having posted a 12-1 mark when holding a foe to less than 60 this season, with the lone loss coming in the ACC Championship game against Duke, which saw the Blue Devils post what was a 59-49 win over Virginia in the ACC Championship game. The Cavaliers have held seven of its past eight foes to less than 60 points, including all three in the ACC Tournament. The Cavaliers returned all five starters from that team that went 21-14 last season, which advanced all the way to the NIT Elite Eight.

The Cavaliers utilize a three-guard offense, led by double-figure scorers, in 5-10 graduate senior point guard Kihei Clark (10.9 PPG, 5.4 APG) and 6-4 senior wing guard Armaan Franklin (12.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG). The third guard in Virginia’s backcourt is 6-3 junior Reece Beekman (9.4 PPG, 5.3 APG), who is averaging right on the verge of double figures this season.

Clark is one of the most experienced point guards in all of college basketball, and he’s the ACC’s all-time wins leader this season (76) and is also the minutes leader (5,308). He was a member of that 2019 national championship team, and is UVA’s all-time leader in assists (713), wins (122), games (160) and starts (140) coming into the Cavaliers’ NCAA Tournament game against the Paladins.

He also ranks 14^th in UVA’s program history in career scoring, having posted 1,431 points during his stellar career. His assists record is even more impressive, when you consider his 713 career helpers passed former record holder and one of the best playmakers at the position in ACC history, in former star point guard John Crotty (1988-91), who finished his career with 683 assists. 

Clark has 15 double-digit scoring performances in 32 games this season for the Cavaliers, scoring a season-high 20 points back on Jan. 18 in what was a 78-68 win over the Virginia Tech Hokies. 

In terms of being a three-point threat, Clark is a 35.6% shooter from long-range from three-point land this season, having knocked down 37-of-104 shots from long range this season, and is a career 35% (176-of-503) career shooter from beyond the arc. He was named Third-Team All-ACC and was selected as member the ACC’s All-Defensive Team. His 34 steals this season ranks him second on the team in thefts.

Franklin is UVA’s main scoring threat, leading the Cavaliers with six games with 20 or more points this season. He is shooting an impressive 37.8% (62-of-164) from three-point range this season. The native of Indianapolis, IN, spent his first two seasons as an Indiana Hoosier before coming to Charlottesville last season.

He posted a career-high 26 points earlier this season in a win over Baylor, while finished with his first-career double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds in what was a 76-67 win on the road back on Jan. 21. Franklin also tallied 16 points in Virginia’s ACC Semifinal win over Clemson last week.

Rounding out the backcourt is Beekman, who has started all 31 games for the Cavaliers this season, and has 14 double-figure scoring performances this season. He is another steady, intelligent performer in the backcourt for the Cavaliers. Beekman is known as the best on-the-ball defender in the ACC, and was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a result. He has 55 steals and has blocked 15 shots for Virginia this season. 

Late in the season in a win over Louisville, Beekman matched a season-high by dishing out 11 assists. In the ACC Tournament, he put in an especially strong effort in what was a 68-59 win over North Carolina in Virginia’s opening game of the ACC Tournament last week, as he tallied 15 points, dished out five assists, recorded five steals and grabbed three rebounds in what was a complete effort on both ends of the floor. 

Beekman has been a solid shooter from beyond the arc this season, however, he hasn’t shot a lot of threes in comparison to Clark and Franklin. Still, Beekman has managed a decent clip from long range, having connected on 35.5% (27-of-76) from long range this season. He’s started all 31 games he’s been available for this season. Beekman has shot 78.8% from the charity stripe (63-of-80) this season. 

In the paint, the Cavaliers will start both 6-6 forward Jayden Gardner (12.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG) and 7-1 Argentinian center Francisco Caffaro (2.0 PPG, 1.8 RPG). Gardner posted double-doubles vs. North Carolina (17 pts, 10 rebs) and Clemson (23 pts, 12 rebs), garnering ACC All-Tournament honors last week. Gardner is the most athletic player on Virginia’s roster, and he’s UVA’s version of a Jalen Slawson type player. 

Also like Furman’s Slawson, Gardner is in his fifth year of college basketball. However, unlike Slawson, not all five were spent in Charlottesville, with Gardner transferring into Virginia from East Carolina University prior to last season. He has 21 double-figure scoring performances this season, including three games in which he has posted 20 or more points in a game. During his time with the Pirates, Gardner posted a remarkable performance during his freshman season in Orlando, as he posted 35 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in a 76-65 loss at Central Florida. 

It will likely be Slawson at the four that matches up against Gardner defensively. Gardner was an Honorable Mention All-ACC performer this season, and like Slawson, was a member of the preseason Karl Malone Award Watch List, which is given to the top power forward in college basketball. He has registered five double-double performances this season, having done so against Michigan (12 pts, 11 rebs), at Virginia Tech (20 pts, 10 rebs), at North Carolina (19 pts, 12 rebs), vs North Carolina (17 pts, 10 rebs) and vs. Clemson (23 pts, 12 rebs). 

Rounding out the starting five is Caffaro, who is a 7-1 center by way of Santa Fe, Argentina. It’s been said that head coach Tony Bennett altered practice schedules during December so Caffaro could watch his native country and Lionel Messi win their first World Cup since 1986. Caffaro’s size will cause some obvious problems at the rim for the Paladins, presenting, if anything, a difficult obstacle to navigate around and past at the rim. Caffaro has only recently been inserted into Virginia’s starting rotation after Ben VanderPlas saw his season come to a premature end following a broken hand late in the season. 

Caffaro’s presence will be something the Paladins haven’t been all that accustomed to seeing in the Southern Conference this season, with only maybe Mercer and Chattanooga having comparable size comparisons on their respective rosters. 

The Cavaliers essentially utilize a nine-man rotation, with their top performer off the bench this season being 6-11 center Kadin Shedrick (5.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG). The redshirt junior and native of Holly Springs, N.C., turned in his most impressive performance of the season in an early-season win over Baylor, finishing with 17 points and three rebounds in that particular win. He was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field against the Bears. For the season, Shedrick is shooting a blistering 65.6% (61-of-93) from the field. 

Also providing minutes off the bench for the Cavaliers will be a trio of guards, which includes a pair of freshmen, in Isaac McKneely (6.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG) and Ryan Dunn (2.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG), as well as Auckland, New Zealand native and sophomore guard Taine Murray (1.4 PPG, 1.0 RPG).

Virginia’s Team Strengths:

Obviously, the main team strength for the Cavaliers has everything to do how they defend you on one end, while controlling pace and being highly efficient without turning the ball over on the other. When Virginia does those two things, its nearly unbeatable. Only seven of its 32 opponents this season have been able to turn it over single-digit times in a game. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have only had nine games in which they have had a turnover total in double figures, including the last time out against Duke, as the Cavaliers finished the contest with 12 miscues, which allowed the Blue Devils to hold a slight 13-11 advantage in that category. 

Virginia’s Team Weaknesses:

If it’s not apparent already, Virginia is a team that doesn’t like to run and are not a transition team. They are highly efficient offensively, but have only scored 80 or more points twice this season, and the Cavaliers have not given up 80 points in a game this season. In fact, the last opponent to achieve that kind of success on the hardwood against the Cavaliers came on Dec. 26, 2020, when Gonzaga tallied 98 points in what was a 98-75 win over Virginia. As strange as it may sound, the Cavaliers under Bennett have at times been susceptible in tournament situations against mid-major teams that shoot the three ball well, as evidenced by the historic loss to UMBC in 2018, in which the Cavaliers dropped a 74-54 decision in what was the first-ever occurrence of a No. 16 seed defeating a No. 1 seed in an NCAA Tournament. The Retrievers connected on 50.0% (12-for-24) from three-point range in that particular contest. The Cavaliers limit their opposition’s points in the paint, which is a stat they win nearly every time they step on the floor, but if a team can knock down threes at a high rate, which oftentimes mid-major opposition can do because they have to in a situation where they are facing a power six foe.

How can Furman win?

There is an elixir to defeating Virginia, and it’s something that the Paladins have done well at times this season, but maybe not with the proficiency as they did a year ago, when the Paladins set a new Southern Conference single-season standard of 402 three-point field goals. The Paladins certainly showed that ability on the road at Samford in the regular-season finale en route to garnering the No. 1 overall seed in the SoCon Tournament for the first time since 1991, when the Paladins connected on 50% from three-point land in the 93-79 road win. The Paladins were an impressive 14-for-28 from three-point land in that particular contest. Furman also hit high volume numbers from three-point land in wins at East Tennessee State (11-of-27), at Mercer (10-of-16) and at VMI (17-of-45). It’s not a gimmick pick. Furman is talented enough to pull the upset here. The Paladins are 11-30 under head coach Bob Richey when scoring less than 70 points, so the best route to success would be to find a way to get to 70.

Other Teams in Furman and Virginia’s Bracket:

College of Charleston (31-3) vs. San Diego State (27-6), 3:05 EST

At least for Furman, the other side of the bracket will have some commonality to it, with another team from the Palmetto State participating in the other game, as College of Charleston takes on Mountain West member San Diego State in the other game in a battle between the No. 5 seeded Aztecs and No. 12 seeded Cougars. The Paladins took part in the Charleston Classic this season, playing both Penn State (L, 68-73), Old Dominion (L, 77-82) and South Carolina (W, 79-60). Part of the College of Charleston’s strong start was winning that tournament, downing Davidson (W, 89-66), Colorado State (W, 74-64) and Virginia Tech (W, 77-75) en route to winning their own tournament for the first time in CofC’s history. The Paladins played CofC in Pat Kelsey’s Cougars early in December during the 2021-22 season, with the Paladins coming from behind to beat the Cougars, 91-88, in overtime. During the pandemic season, Furman and Charleston played an impromptu contest back in Earl Grant’s final season before he left to become the head coach of the Boston College, as the Paladins and Cougars had to fill vacancies on their respective schedules due to cancellations due to positive COVID tests within the Richmond program, and Furman and CofC would schedule a meeting as a result at TD Arena. The Paladins played one of their best games during the pandemic shortened season and blasted CofC 81-57, knocking down 19 three-pointers en route to the win. Furman and San Diego State have never faced each other

2023 Southern Conference Tournament Recap, Notes, and Superlatives

The 2023 Southern Conference Tournament was the 103^rd edition of college basketball’s oldest postseason tournament, and while the league was down overall this season, it was a SoCon Tournament that once again delivered some thrilling moments and when it was all said and done, produced a rematch in the Southern Conference Tournament championship game.

When the tournament concluded, only one team could lay claim to the 2023 Southern Conference NCAA Tournament berth, and for the eighth time in nine seasons, including the fifth season in a row, it was the No. 1 seed that ended up cutting down the nets in Asheville at the end of the tournament, as Furman knocked off the No. 7 seed Chattanooga Mocs, 88-79, in the championship game to go dancing for the first time since 1980.

The 2022-23 season marked the sixth campaign in the last seven in which at least three teams from the league produced three or more 20-game winners, with Furman (27-7), Samford (21-), and UNC Greensboro (20-12) all able to win 20 games during the regular-season. Samford headed to Asheville as the No. 2 seed and tied for the regular-season Southern Conference title with Furman, posting a 15-3 overall league mark. UNCG claimed the No. 3 seed in the second season under head coach Mike Jones. However, both the Spartans and Bulldogs would be upset in a couple of thrilling quarterfinal games Saturday night in what was arguably the most thrilling two games of the tournament.

The Bulldogs would have a compelling case for an NIT invite, but probably cost themselves the opportunity with an underwhelming performance to close the season, with losses to Furman (L, 79-93) and Chattanooga (L, 82-85) in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Tournament.  

If you were looking for dark horses or a Cinderella story in the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament, you could look at No. 4 seed Western Carolina and No. 7 Chattanooga. The Catamounts put the biggest scare into the Paladins in the semifinal round, nearly taking down the ‘Dins, however, Furman found a way to force overtime late in the contest, overcoming a three-point deficit to tie the basketball game, 77-77, sending the game to the extra session where the Paladins would eventually hold on for the 83-80 win.

The Mocs had Jake Stephens back, and he would put on a show all weekend, leading the Mocs all the way back to the championship game, despite the Mocs having to open the tournament on Friday. He carried the Mocs to wins over VMI (W, 92-72), No. 2 Samford (W, 85-82), and Wofford (W, 74-62). The Mocs put up a valiant effort in the championship game against top-seeded Furman, however, and eventually ran out of a gas in what was an 88-79 championship game.  

Chattanooga was looking to become the first team since Clemson in 1939 to win four games in four days and go on to win the Southern Conference Tournament championship. The Mocs were the fourth team that was a seventh seed or lower to reach the SoCon title game since 2015, joining Furman (No. 10/2015), Wofford (No. 7/2020) and Mercer (No. 7/2021) as lower-seeded teams that had to win an opening round game before making a run all the way to Monday night.

With the Mocs’ loss in the championship game, UTC dropped to 63-34 all-time in the Southern Conference Tournament. It was the Mocs’ 20^th all-time appearance in the tournament, dropping 12-8 all-time in championship games. It was also UTC’s fourth-straight winning season.

Furman will wait to see who it will face in the NCAA Tournament, hosting an NCAA Selection Show party at Timmons Arena at 5 p.m. The Paladins’ win over Chattanooga gave the Paladins the season sweep of the Mocs, marking the fifth-straight time that has happened.

Quote of the Tournament: “We keep a few receipts around here”—Furman’s Bob Richey on JP Pegues not being selected to All-Freshman Team or any of the three all-conference teams this season yet winning tournament Most Outstanding Performer

Best Player: JP Pegues (Furman)

Best Dunk: Demetrius Davis (Chattanooga) vs. VMI to open the game

Best Game: UNCG-Wofford/Furman-Western Carolina

Best Blocked Shot: Jalen Slawson’s block of James Glisson III’s dunk attempt in the second half of Furman’s win over Mercer.

Best Clutch Performance: BJ Mack (Wofford) vs. UNCG

Best Tournament Fans: Furman

Best Moment: Mike Bothwell (Furman) heading near mid-court to the exact spot he was last March when Jean-Baptiste hit the buzzer-beater for UTC, paused and hit his chest a couple of times, as the Paladins claimed the title almost a year to the day later.

Best Hairstyle: Keondre Kennedy (UNCG)

Best Team: Furman

Best In-Game Coaching Move: Bob Richey—Switching to a full-court press against Mercer after trailing 32-29 at the half

Best Player not on the championship team: Jake Stephens (Chattanooga)

Best Shooting Performance: Chattanooga went 15-of-28 from three-point range in the 85-82 win over No. 2 Samford

Worst Shooting Performance: Wofford went just 7-for-44 (15.9%) in two Southern Conference Tournament games from beyond the arc.

Most Embarrassing Moment: Logan Dye (Samford) to open the game against Chattanooga, stealing the basketball and then appeared to slip as he went in for an uncontested dunk/layup.

Best Career Milestone: Sean Conway (VMI) scored his 1,000^th point as a VMI Keydet in the 92-72 loss to Chattanooga to open the tournament.

Best Sportsmanship Moment: Jake Stephens (Furman) going over to make sure Mike Bothwell was ok following a flagrant foul committed by Stephens’ teammate Demetrius Davis, as Bothwell drove to the basket.

Thank You Jake, Mike and Jalen: There were some great stories in this season’s Southern Conference Tournament, and in the championship game between Furman and Chattanooga, one of the many storylines that could have been written prior to the two taking on each other for the right to go to the NCAA Tournament, but one of the stories was Jake Stephens’ return to the lineup after missing the final month-and-a-half of the season due to a broken thumb. That was opposite the stories of Furman’s Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson, who had to endure the heartbreak of last March and losing on a 36-foot buzzer-beater by David Jean-Baptiste, as Chattanooga claimed a 64-63 win over the Paladins. With the option to turn pro or transfer to any program in college basketball and a chance to leverage NIL deals and make money, Slawson and Bothwell decided to Furman for nothing more than a chance to play on Monday night in Asheville again and become legendary in the lore of the Furman basketball annals. Stephens, like Bothwell and Slawson, was doing the same by following his coach, Dan Earl, when he left VMI to take the job opening at Chattanooga following Lamont Paris’ departure to become South Carolina’s new head basketball coach. Stephens could have also transferred anywhere, however, chose to follow his coach to the Scenic City for one last chance at a title in the SoCon. Unfortunately, an injury against Furman in the regular-season put those hopes on a temporary hold before he returned for the tournament. He led the Mocs all the way to the title in what was a valiant effort. While that Stephens’ story came to an end, he has success and a lot of money waiting for him in pro hoops in the future. No bad for a guy that literally had no real Division I offers out of high school other than VMI coming out of high school. Stephens reminded me at media day that I wrote an article prior to his freshman season talking about impactful recruits in the SoCon for mid-major madness and didn’t include him, but he said that in my defense, he wasn’t really a known prospect either and laughed.  I will miss seeing Stephens play basketball in the SoCon, but I appreciate having been able to cover him over the past five seasons. While Stephens’ collegiate career came to an end on the first Monday in March in Asheville, both Bothwell and Slawson extended their careers into the NCAA Tournament.  The pressure is off now for those two. Furman will be a dangerous team in March Madness. Stephens finished out his UTC career by scoring 92 points in four tournament games, which is the most by any Mocs player ever in a SoCon Tournament.

Showing up in the NCAA Tournament like…Furman is showing up in the Big Dance is much like Johnny Lawrence in the beginning of the Netflix hit series Cobra Kai, as the world has changed plenty since the Paladins last danced in March of 1980. Bob Richey has Furman’s Firebird revving and ready to go for the tournament, with Oreo Speedwagon and some Peter Cetera in the cassette deck. The Paladins look to do some damage in the NCAA Tournament, as the Paladins try to get the SoCon a win in the NCAA postseason for the first time since Wofford knocked off Seton Hall in 2019 and just the second since Davidson made that impressive run to the Elite Eight in 2008.

Who Wins the 2024 Southern Conference Tournament? Western Carolina– You read that right, and of course, that’s assuming the Catamounts can keep their current collection of talent together and Justin Gray can keep his talented performers in Cullowhee. The core group of talented players return for Gray’s Catamounts, which includes four of its top performers, in guards Tre Jackson, Vonterius Woolbright, and Russell Jones Jr., as well as all-conference big man Tyzhaun Claude. Watch out for the Catamounts in Asheville in 2024. Samford and Furman figure to be the most likely to battle the Catamounts on the final Monday night of the SoCon season in early March of 2024.

Oliver out at East Tennessee State: In some late breaking news Friday, it was learned that Desmond Oliver has been relieved of his duties as the head coach at East Tennessee State after just two seasons at the helm. The Bucs were 27-39 overall and 15-21 in Southern Conference play during Oliver’s two seasons at the helm. The Bucs also had a Freedom Hall record eight-game losing streak that occurred this season under Oliver’s direction, and finished with just a 15-15 record the past two seasons after the Bucs had boasted one of the top home venues in all of mid-major basketball when Steve Forbes left for Wake Forest three years ago. All told since Forbes took the Wake Forest job, the Bucs have posted a combined 40-51 record over the past three seasons under Oliver (2021-23) and Jason Shay (2020-21). Prior to the struggles over the past three seasons, former ETSU legendary head coach Steve Forbes went 130-43 and led the Bucs to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances in 2017 and ’20 in his five seasons at the helm in Johnson City.  ETSU will be under the direction of Joe Hugley during the transitional stages, and a national search for Oliver’s replacement will get underway immediately.

SoCon Power Poll heading into 2023-24

1. Western Carolina–The Catamounts will have a backcourt as good as any in mid-major hoops, led by all-conference snub Vonterius Woolbright.
2. Samford–Should the Bulldogs be able to keep their core group together for next season, four starters would return, including Jermaine Marshall and guard Ques Glover
3. Furman–The Paladins might lose Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson to graduation, but should head coach Bob Richey not go anywhere, or if he does but the Paladins manage to keep Marcus Foster and JP Pegues around, the defending champs will still have something to say about how the league race shakes out in 2023-24.
4. Chattanooga–No Jake Stephens or AJ Caldwell, however, nead coach Dan Earl has a solid nucleus of talent that should enable the Mocs to be right in the thick of the SoCon title race yet again next season. Most of that excitement will be centered around the addition of Honor Huff in the backcourt.
5. Mercer–I expect Greg Gary’s Mercer Bears to make a Western Carolina-like jump from this season to next. Jalyn McCreary will be one of the top bigs in the league, and Jah Quinones looks to have a bright future as a tough, hard-nosed guard in the Bears backcourt
6. UNCG–Mike Jones has six seniors, but three have a COVID year of eligibility remaining should they opt to return next season.
7. Wofford–Probably the most difficult team to figure is Wofford, however, if Dwight Perry gets the job, he’ll have to immediately find replacements for BJ Mack and Messiah Jones.
8. East Tennessee State–We know Mike Morrell had a tough situation when he took over at Asheville as the head coach, turning 27 losses in 2018-19 into 27 wins in 2022-23. Now I predict Doc Sander will ask him to do the same ETSU, as the two have known each other since their time spent together at VCU during Morrell’s time there under Shaka Smart as a young assistant.
9. VMI–Look for Andrew Wilson and the Keydets take some small steps forward next season thanks to a tremendous backcourt slated to return.
10. The Citadel–Ed Conroy’s job actually looks more challenging going forward than Andrew Wilson, but that’s just a guess. Both should again finish towards the bottom of the league.

Tournament Game Recaps:

Opening Round (Mar. 3, 2023/Harrah’s Cherokee Center/Asheville, N.C.)

Game 1: Mercer 66, The Citadel 41

Brief Recap:  —With No. 9 The Citadel down two starters due to injury, including second-leading scorer and the league’s second-leading three-point shooter, in Austin Ash, the No. 9 seed in the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament was always going to be playing at a disadvantage, however, No. 8 Mercer took full advantage of those two starters that were missing just as they did in the regular-season finale just six days ago and even eclipsed the margin in the opening round of the 2023 SoCon Tournament by three points, as the Bears ended the Bulldogs’ tournament run on the opening night with a 66-41 win inside the Harrah’s Cherokee Center to open the 103^rd edition of college basketball’s oldest tournament.

The Bears ran out to a 16-1 lead in the opening nine minutes of the contest and never looked back, as The Citadel was never able to get to within single digits the rest of the night as Mercer coasted to its 14^th win over the season, improving to 14-18 on the season. The Citadel conclude the season with a 10-22 mark.

The Bears have advanced from the play-in round of the tournament each of the past three seasons, including a run to the 2020 championship game in 2020 before eventually running out of gas in championship game against top-seeded UNC Greensboro, dropping what was a 69-61 contest. The Bears were balanced on offense and tenacious on the defensive end of the floor, and when The Citadel attempted a three without main marksmen Austin Ash, the Bears smothered all would-be Bulldog sharp-shooters, limiting The Citadel to just 1-for-16 from long range for the game.

Mercer’s dominance was personified by its 32-2 edge in bench scoring in the contest, finishing with two in double figures, as Jayln McCreary led the way for Mercer with 11 points and and four rebounds.

Game 2:  No. 7 Chattanooga 92, No. 10 VMI 72

Brief Recap: The second game of the opening night of the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament would be another blowout, as Chattanooga was able to cruise past the No.10 seed VMI Keydets, 92-72, en route to moving on to the quarterfinals of the tournament to face No. 2 seed Samford.

The win would see the Mocs improve to 16-16 on the 2023 season, while VMI would conclude its first season under rookie head coach Andrew Wilson with a 7-25 mark.

The biggest storyline to come out of the second game of the tournament was the return of Jake Stephens for the Mocs, as he had no suited up for the Navy Blue and Gold since Jan. 18 in a loss to Furman. In that game, he broke his thumb on his non-shooting hand, and at the time, it was up in the air as to whether he would be able to return to the lineup for the Mocs.

Much like the opening game of the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament, the Mocs jumped on the Keydets from the opening tip-off, running out to a 23-4 lead and never looked back, as the Mocs pretty much put it on cruise control for the remainder of the night.

Chattanooga scored on its first four possessions of the night and led for all but 12 seconds of the contest when the game was tied, 0-0. The Mocs had two players finish with 20 or more points, as Khristion Courseault and Jake Stephens added 21 points apiece to lead the way for UTC. Stephens added 10 rebounds to notch his league-leading 15^th double-double of the season, despite having to miss 11 games with a broken thumb. Sam Alexis and Demetrius Davis also added 10 points apiece.

Courseault set a UTC tournament record by making all nine of his shots from the field, including all three attempts from beyond the arch. AJ Caldwell led a strong effort for Chattanooga on the backboards, as he collected 11 caroms in the contest to lead the Mocs to a +12 rebound margin (43-31) over the Keydets.

In the opening 3:53 of the game, the Mocs scored 15 of the game’s first 17 points, which was capped by a Sam Alexis three with 16:07 remaining in the opening half, and the Mocs headed to the first media timeout with a 15-2 lead. The Mocs would push the lead to as much as 20 in the late stages of the opening half before settling for a 19-point, 43-24, halftime lead.

The Mocs blitzed the Keydets in the paint, out-scoring VMI 54-28, while the Mocs’ bench posted an even more substantial margin, out-scoring the Keydets 45-7 in that particular category.

Despite being outmanned and ravaged by injuries, the Keydets battled all night and one of the few bright spots of the evening was Sean Conway, who himself had been battling an ankle injury most of the season, and was nowhere near 100% for VMI in the opening round contest against the Mocs. With a converted free throw early in the opening half, Conway netted his 1,000^th-career point, becoming the 45^th Keydet to accomplish the impressive milestone.

The effort by the Keydets and no quit attitude was personified in the second half, as VMI hung with Chattanooga, getting outscored by a just a point (49-48). The Keydets could get no closer than 16 points in the second half.

VMI was led in the game by Tony Felder’s 19 points, while Asher Woods and Rickey Bradley Jr. contributed 16 and 14 points, respectively, to lead the Keydets.

Quarterfinals (Mar. 4, 2023/Harrah’s Cherokee Center/Asheville, N.C.)

Game 3: No. 1 Furman 73, No. 8 Mercer 58

Brief Recap: Top-seed Furman had its hands full for the first half of its opening game of the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament against No. 8 Mercer, and it was the lower seeded Bears who took the 32-29 lead into the halftime locker room. The Paladins commenced to showing why they were the No. 1 seed for the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament, utilizing a 32-6 run in the opening six minutes of the second half and coasted to a 73-58 quarterfinal win to advance to the semifinal round of the tournament for a second-straight season.

The win sees Furman tie a school record with 25 wins and the Paladins will face Western Carolina (18-14), which is one of the three teams to have defeated it during the regular-season, as the two will square off in the first semifinal game of the Southern Conference Tournament Sunday at 4 p.m. The loss sees Mercer conclude the 2022-23 season with a 14-19 overall record. The win marked Furman’s 18^th-straight against Mercer, including its second-straight SoCon quarterfinal win over the Bears, knocking off  No. 7 Mercer, 80-66, in the 2022 tournament. It marked the third time in the past five years that the Paladins had faced the Bears in the quarterfinal round of the tournament. It was the fourth time the Paladins and Bears have squared off in Asheville in the last eight years, with the 10^th-seeded Paladins handing No. 2 Mercer a 52-49 setback in the 2015 tournament.

The Paladins placed four players in double figures in the win, with JP Pegues finishing with a game-high 22 points, while Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson added 13 and 12 points, respectively for the Paladins. SoCon All-Freshman team selection Ben VanderWal added 11 points off the bench.

Pegues finished his afternoon by connecting on 7-of-11 shots from he field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. He added four assists, four rebounds and a steal to his overall totals, and connected on 4-of-5 from the charity stripe.

With Mercer holding a 34-29 lead in the early portions of the second half, the Paladins would begin to see their halftime adjustments begin to pay dividends, as the full-court pressure applied by Furman would turn three first-half turnovers by the Bears to 16 by the end of the afternoon, and would eventually equal a 24-10 advantage in points from turnovers.

The five-point deficit for the Paladins would be turned into a 10-point lead after Furman scored 15-consecutive points as a part of that aforementioned 32-6 Paladin run. Ben VanderWal’s two free throws would give the Paladins a 46-36 lead with 14:05 remaining. The run would conclude two more VanderWal charity shots, giving the Paladins a 61-40 lead with just over eight minutes left.

The Bears were able to take the 32-29 lead into the halftime break by slowing the pace, and were also aided by SoCon Player of the Year Jalen Slawson’s absence from the floor as a result of two early fouls. To offset a 38.7% shooting clip in the opening half of play, the Bears used 10 offensive rebounds to yield 10 points in the opening half of play, while also outscoring the Paladins 18-8 in the paint and were a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. All of that led to a surprising, 32-29, halftime lead for the No, 8 seed.

The Bears had just one player in double figures for the game, with Jaylyn McCreary posting 18 points and four rebounds. McCreary capped his first season in Macon by knocking down 6-of-10 shots from the field and went a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.

The Paladins finished the contest knocking down 48.9% (23-of-47) of their shots from the field and connected on 37.5% (9-of-24) from three-point land. By contrast, the Bears finished the contest connecting on 38.7% of their shots from the field, and just 13.0% (3-of-23) from long-range.  

Game 4: No. 4 Western Carolina 69, East Tennessee State 57

Brief Recap: Western Carolina completed the three-game sweep of East Tennessee State, defeating the Bucs 69-57 in the second quarterfinal contest at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in a game that saw the Bucs threaten to make the game close on several occasions, however, could never quite get over the hump, as the Catamounts were able to move on to the semifinals of the Southern Conference Tournament for the first time since the 2020 season.

The win by the Catamounts improved to 18-14 on the season, while East Tennessee State closes out its second-straight losing campaign, which is uncanny for a program with so much pride and tradition, as the Bucs conclude the 2022-23 season 12-20.

It was a well-balanced offensive blitz by head coach Justin Gray’s Catamounts, who placed four players in double figures in the win, led by Tyzhaun Claude, who posted 15 points on a 7-for-12 shooting performance from the field. Bernard Pelote came off the Catamount bench to add 14 points, and Vonterius Woolbright got his tournament off to a strong start, posting 10 points and 10 rebounds to add yet another double-double to his outstanding season resume’. Tre Jackson also added 14 to round out the Catamounts in double figures.

East Tennessee State saw a pair of players register double-digit scoring efforts, as Jalen Haynes finished with a game-high 23 points, while Jordan King added 18. Haynes also added half of the team’s total assists, finishing by dishing out four of the team’s eight helpers in the setback. His 10 rebounds, which were tied for team-high honors along with Jaden Seymour, saw Haynes finish out an impressive double-double performance in 38 minutes of floor action in the loss.

Much like the two opening round games Friday night, which saw both Mercer and Chattanooga jump out to big leads early in both contests, Western Carolina came out shooting the ball well from three-point range, connecting on 7-of-11 triples in the opening half alone, allowing the Catamounts to take a comfortable 41-26 lead into the half.

In the second half, the Bucs got within 10 points early in the second half, as ETSU scored the first five points of the half to cut the Catamount lead to 41-31 on a Jaden Seymour bucket in the paint. The Bucs would remain within 10 a couple of minutes later, as Justice Smith converted a short jumper just outside the paint to make it a 45-35 contest with 16:58 remaining.

The Catamounts then went on a mini 7-0 spurt to assume what was a 52-35 lead with just over 13 minutes remaining. The Catamounts would eventually stretch their lead to their largest of the afternoon (18 pts), at 67-49, on a Tre Jackson triple with just under five minutes remaining.

The Bucs wouldn’t go quietly, however, and pulled to within 10, at 67-57, late in the contest when Jordan King made a long two-point shot with 1:38 remain. Fittingly, however, Claude would finish off the contest with a vicious dunk with 1:17 remaining, setting what would eventually be the final margin and score.

Western Carolina finished the afternoon connecting on 50.0% (27-of-54), including a 45.5% (10-of-22) effort from three-point land. The Bucs struggled to find their shooting touch the entire afternoon, connecting on just 36.4% (20-of-55) and just 23.8% (5-of-21) from three-point land.  

Game 5: No. 7 Chattanooga 85, No. 2 Samford 82

Brief Recap: Chattanooga posted the first of two upsets in the night session of quarterfinal, nipping Southern Conference regular-season co-champion Samford, 85-82, at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center.

The win sees the Mocs improve to 17-16 and move on to face No. 6 Wofford, who produced the other quarterfinal upset of the day with a 67-66 win over No. 3 UNC Greensboro. The semifinal clash between the Mocs and Terriers will get underway at approximately 6:30 p.m. Sunday evening. Samford finishes the regular-season with a 21-11 and will now await its potential postseason fate.

The Mocs are the third seven seed in the past four SoCon tournaments to advance through to at least the semifinal round of the tournament, joining both No.7 Mercer (2021) and No. 7 Wofford (2020). Both of those teams went on to advance one more round in the tournament, losing in the championship game. It will mark the third time in the past five seasons the two have squared off in semifinals of the Southern Conference Tournament, including meeting last season, as the Mocs won in convincing fashion (W, 79-56). The Mocs and Terriers will be meeting for the fifth time in the Southern Conference Tournament, with the series tied, 2-2.

The Mocs blew a 19-point second half lead early in conference play on the road earlier this season against Samford, as they would eventually drop a 75-74 decision to the Bulldogs.

Chattanooga finished the contest with four in double figures, led by Jamal Johnson’s 25 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Jake Stephens added 21 points, five rebounds and dished out four assists en route to leading the Mocs to the semifinals for the third time in the past four years. Johnson did a majority of his damage from beyond the arc, connecting on six of seven shots from long range. Dalvin White and AJ Caldwell finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively to round out the double-figure scorers for the Mocs.

Samford’s Jermaine Marshall posted a game and career-high 27 points and eight rebounds to lead the Bulldogs’ scoring efforts, while Logan Dye finished out his Samford career with a stellar night, despite nursing a knee injury, as he posted 22 points and six boards. Bubba Parham rounded out the Bulldogs in double figures with 11 points and dished out three assists.

Saturday evening’s first quarterfinal clash offered a great big man clash between Samford’s Logan Dye and Chattanooga’s Jake Stephens, with both having to play through injuries. Dye had not practiced in two weeks due to a knee injury, and Stephens still not completely 100% from the hand injury he suffered back in mid-January. Both would be asked to go above and beyond on Saturday evening to advance in the tournament.

Early in the game, Dye had an apparent steal and breakaway dunk, however, as he went to plant to go up and dunk the ball his knee gave way and he went down awkwardly. He would exit the game for a few minutes, returning later in the opening frame. Other injuries would creep up even during the same game for the Bulldogs, as Ques Glover played just 7:01 in the game and did not return, suffering from what looked like an apparent knee injury.

With Dye hampered and Glover unavailable, the Bulldogs fought hard to stay in the battle, while the Mocs, and in particular Stephens, fought through fatigue in the latter stages in the second half. A three-pointer by Stephens at the buzzer in the opening half allowed the Mocs to take the momentum and a 42-37 lead into the halftime locker room.

In the second half, the Mocs increased the lead to 18 after the lone holdover from last year’s title-winning team—AJ Caldwell—canned a three-pointer at the 16:52 mark of the second stanza to give UTC a 55-37 lead. Over the next 15:10 of game time, the Bulldogs would whittle away that Mocs lead until junior all-conference forward Jermaine Marshall gave the Bulldogs a 79-78 lead after a short jumper in the lane, and the Samford fans exploded with excitement with 1:42 remaining. After Dye was fouled in the paint by Demetrius Davis, who committed his fifth personal foul, the senior from Haleyville, AL calmly went to the line and knocked down his first, but missed his second charity shot, leaving the Bulldogs’ lead at two, 80-78, with 50 seconds remaining.

That set the stage for the biggest shot of the night for the Mocs, as the ball found its way to the weakside corner courtesy of a feed from point guard Dalvin White and sharp-shooter Jamal Johnson made his sixth three in seven attempts, giving the Mocs a narrow, 81-80, lead with just 36 seconds remaining.

On the ensuing Samford possession, the Dye would miss a short jumper in the paint and the ball would be corralled by Stephens, who was immediately fouled. Stephens urged the Mocs fans to their feet prior to shooting his two free throws, and he proceeded to make both to give the Mocs and 83-80 lead with just 14 seconds remaining.

The Mocs played not to foul, allowing Samford the clear layup, as AJ Staton-McCray coasted in for the layup to make it 83-82 with seven seconds left. Dalvin White was immediately fouled with 6.1 seconds remaining and he knocked down both to give the Mocs the three point lead. The Mocs let Samford inbound the ball on the ensuing possession and let them burn nearly four seconds off the clock, fouling senior guard Bubba Parham with 2.6 seconds remaining.

Parham missed the first and as a result, had to miss the second and hope the Bulldogs came up with an offensive rebound and quick three. However, on his intentional miss, the ball didn’t hit any part of the rim resulting in a violation and Chattanooga basketball. Stephens launched the ball up the floor to Johnson and time expired, as the Mocs ran off the remaining time and posted the first upset of the 2023 SoCon Tournament.

Chattanooga connected on 15-of-28 three-pointers in the game for a 53.6% shooting clip en route to the win. That shooting performance ranked as the top performance in terms of three-pointers made in the entire tournament.

Game 6: No. 6 Wofford 67, No. 2 UNC Greensboro 66

Brief Recap: BJ Mack’s layup off the glass as time expired allowed No. 6 Wofford to upset No. 3 UNC Greensboro, 67-66, in SoCon quarterfinal action Saturday night at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center. The Terriers advanced to the semifinals of the tournament for the fourth time in the past five seasons and improved to 17-15 on the season, while UNCG finishes the 2022-23 season with a 20-12 mark. The loss marked the second-straight season in which the Spartans have failed to advance past their opening game of the tournament.

The narrow one-point, buzzer-beating win courtesy of Mack’s layup allowed the Terriers to avenge a pair of regular-season losses to the Spartans. 

For UNCG head coach Mike Jones, the past two seasons have been particularly tough, as he has been on the wrong end of a one-point setback each of his two tournament games as the head coach at UNCG. In last season’s opening quarterfinal matchup against the No. 3 seed Samford Bulldogs, the Spartans were on the wrong end of what was a 66-64 loss last season and Jones’ team would have a chance to deliver the buzzer-beating dagger last season, however, Keyshaun Langley’s three at the buzzer was no good, and the Bulldogs survived the furious second half half charge by the Spartans.

The game featured some high-level basketball down the stretch, and it appeared that the sixth-seeded Terriers were going put the game away a little earlier, holding a 63-58 lead following a Corey Tripp triple with 3:25 remaining in the contest. However, the Spartans would reel off six-straight points to re-take the lead when a pair of Keondre Kennedy free throws allowed the Spartans to take a one-point, 64-63, lead with just 25 seconds remaining.

Wofford responded with its first points in over three minutes, as Mack converted the first of his two layups high off the glass late in the contest to give the Terriers a one-point, 65-64 lead with just under 10 seconds remaining.

However, UNCG would have a response, as senior guard Dante Treacy converted a short jumper off the glass from the right side, sending the UNCG fans on hand at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center into a euphoric state, as the Spartans held a narrow 66-65 lead with 3.6 seconds left.

The Terriers then took a timeout, and interim head coach Dwight Perry drew up a well-devised plan. First, Jackson Paveletzke threw a strike on the inbounds pass, getting the ball into the waiting arms of Mack near the far sideline, where he promptly called timeout after catching the ball, as he kept both feet from touching out-of-bounds.

Following a Spartans foul, which put them at six team fouls for the half, it allowed UNCG to give a foul after running a bit of time off the clock, leaving Wofford only 2.6 seconds remaining to find a way to find a way to a victory. The Terriers would use every bit of that time, as Paveletzke inbounded the basketball to Mack over UNCG’s Mohammad Abdulsalam, and Mack had enough time to catch the ball, back down Abdulsalam, and scoop a shot under the arms of his defender and high off the glass and through the hoop as the buzzer sounded, giving the Terriers a thrilling 67-66 win.

The Terriers were led in scoring in the win by Mack’s 16 points, while Paveletzke and Messiah Jones added 14 points apiece. Wofford connected on 45.2% (28-of-62) from the field, which included a just a 19.0% (4-of-21) effort from three-point range.

UNCG, meanwhile, finished the contest led by Keondre Kennedy, who led all scorers with a season and game-high 26 points, while Treacy added 13 points and Mikeal Brown-Jones added 11 off the bench. Should this be how UNCG’s 2022-23 campaign comes to a close, it is potentially the final game for six Spartans seniors, which included Keyshaun and Kobe Langley, Mohammed Abdulsalam, Bas Leyte, Dante Treacy and Keondre Kennedy. Leyte, Abdulsalam, and Kobe and Keyshaun Langley are the last remaining links to that 2021 SoCon Championship squad, and the 2023-24 campaign will bring about the dawn of a new era for UNCG basketball. Three of UNCG’s six seniors still have eligibility remaining should they decide to utilize it with the Spartans next season, while the other three played their final basketball game of their collegiate careers.

“What makes it tough is this year we have six seniors. A couple of them have eligibility but three of the have no more. It’s a painful way for it to be their last game. The result didn’t happen the way they wanted it to,” UNCG head coach Mike Jones said.

UNCG finished the contest by connecting on a solid 49.0% (25-of-51) shooting clip, while shooting 36.8% (7-of-19) from three-point range.

Semifinals (Mar. 5, 2023/Harrah’s Cherokee Center/Asheville, N.C.)

Game 7: No. 1 Furman 83, No.4 Western Carolina 80 (OT)

Brief Recap: Despite holding as much as a 20-point second half lead, Furman nearly squandered the opportunity to make it back to the championship game and subsequently forfeit a chance to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 43 years, as Western Carolina made the penultimate stage a difficult hurdle for Furman to traverse, however, the Paladins were a team “calloused” for such a moment, as they were able to hold off the feisty Catamounts, 83-80, in overtime to advance to the championship game of the Ingles Southern Conference Tournament for a second-straight season.

One of the interesting storylines coming into Sunday night’s classic semifinal clash at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center, which was played before a raucous crowd fit for a championship Monday was the fact that the two teams sported a combined 70 years of NCAA Tournament drought, with Furman having not qualified for the postseason since 1980 (43 years) and Western Carolina’s last appearance in the Big Dance coming in 1996 (27 years).

With the win, Furman won its school-record 26^th game and improved to 26-7 overall, while Western Carolina concluded its season with an 18-15 record. The Paladins will face Chattanooga (18-16) in Monday night’s Southern Conference Tournament championship game. The 26^th win by Furman eclipses the 25 wins achieved two other times in school history, which happened in consecutive seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20). It marks the 10^th time in league history in which their has been a rematch in the championship game from the previous season, and it will mark Furman’s fourth trip to the championship game since 1980 and 12^th overall, as the Paladins look to snap a three-game losing skid in championship matchups.

The Paladins were led in scoring in the contest by four players in double figures, with Mike Bothwell’s 26 points, while point guard JP Pegues added 24. Jalen Slawson narrowly missed a double-double, with 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with two minutes left in regulation, and Garrett Hien finished with 12.

Bothwell’s stellar performance saw him connect on 7-of-15 shots from the field, including 2-for-7 from three-point range and he went 10-of-16 from the line. He also added three rebounds, three assists and four steals.

Vonterius Woolbright’s 30 points led all scorers in the contest, while backcourt mate Tre Jackson added 22 points. Tyzhaun Claude closed out his night with 15 points and 11 boards, as he fouled out with 1:06 left in overtime.

Western Carolina finished the contest connecting on 44.1% (30-of-68) shots from the field, while shooting just 23.8% (5-of-21) from the three-point line. The Catamounts did make the most of their charity shots, connecting on 15-of-19 for the contest, which converts to a 78.9% clip. However, the Catamounts shot 27 less free throws than the Paladins in the contest.

The Paladins on the other hand, connected on just 39.0% (23-of-59) of their shots from the field, including just a 29.2% (7-of-24) clip in the second half. The Paladins did not make a three-pointer in the second half (0-for-11) and finished the game shooting just 22.6% (7-of-31) from long range. However, Furman got the line 46 times, making 30 and ended up with a 15-point advantage in foul shots made as a result.  The 46 free throws shot and the 30 made were both season highs for the Paladins.

Western Carolina finished the night with advantages in total rebounds (46-36), points in the paint (46-30), second-chance points (18-12), fast-break points (7-5) and bench points (9-5). Furman owned a 12-6 edge in points from turnovers, and the two teams tied with 11 assists apiece.

Furman came out of the gates quickly, running to a 9-4 lead at the first media timeout, highlighted by a three by JP Pegues, as well as an acrobatic layup from Mike Bothwell and an alley-oop dunk to Jalen Slawson from Bothwell, bringing the Furman faithful to its collective feet.

However, Western responded out of the first media timeout with a three-pointer from Russell Jones Jr. and layups by Vonterius Woolbright and Tre Jackson, allowing the Catamounts to assume their first lead of the night, at 13-12. That would remain the score as the two teams headed to the second media timeout of the opening half.

The two teams would battle back and forth over the next four minutes, but a three by Slawson and a layup by Hien as well as a jumper by Pegues gave the Paladins a 25-20 lead following a mini 13-7 spurt.  The Paladins would see their lead grow to as many as 16 points in the opening half of play, as Bothwell scored on a second-chance opportunity in the paint, as his layup gave Furman a 42-26 lead with 2:39 left in the half. The Paladins would finish the half with 45, with a Ben VanderWal foul shot and a layup by JP Pegues helping the Paladins close out the half, taking a 15-point, 45-30 lead to the break.

Furman entered the night 23-2 when leading the game at the break, with one of those losses coming in Cullowhee to the Catamounts, and Western Carolina would very nearly turn the trick again, fighting their way back into the game. After falling behind by 20 following a pair of Bothwell free throws with 17:19 left gave the Paladins a 53-33 lead, the Catamounts would begin their slow but constant charge back into the game.

With just 38 seconds remaining, the Catamounts had surpassed the Paladins on the scoreboard, with Vonterius Woolbright’s layup off the right side, giving the Catamounts a 72-70 lead and sending the Catamount hue of Purple into delirium at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center.  It was the first lead held by the Catamounts since they held a 15-14 advantage with just under 10 minutes remaining in the first half following a Tyzhaun Claude jumper in the paint.

Furman would tie the game, 72-72, following a pair of foul shots from Mike Bothwell with 26 seconds remaining. Furman’s defense forced Russell Jones Jr.’s shot to be a fade-a-way from the corner as time expired, and the shot was no good and the two teams would play an extra five minutes of basketball.

When the two teams headed to the extra session, Furman would be without one of its leaders, as Jalen Slawson fouled out of the game with 2:02 remaining. It was not too much unlike the situation earlier this season at the Ramsey Center, when Slawson fouled out of the 12-point loss back on Dec. 31, 2022. The Catamounts would lose Tyzhaun Claude, who played an outstanding game before fouling out in overtime with 1:30 remaining. Like the first matchup with the Paladins in on New Year’s Eve, Claude fouled out. He only had seven points in that game, while he didn’t even play in the clash between the two in Greenville, nursing a sprained ankle. In Sunday night’s classic, Claude finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

The Catamounts wasted little time in getting the extra five minutes off to a fast start, too. The Catamounts, who came into the matchup 3-0 in overtime games this season, got things off to a good start when Tre Jackson banged a three after the Catamounts corralled one of their 14 offensive rebounds in the contest to give the Catamounts a 75-72 lead with 4:22 remaining. 

Furman wouldn’t score its first points of the extra session until the 2:29 mark, as Ben VanderWal knocked down a pair of foul shots to get the Paladins within one, however, Woolbright again got free in the paint and coasted in for a layup to give the Catamounts a three-point lead once again, at 77-74, with 2:07 left. On the next trip down the floor, the ball found its way to Bothwell at the left elbow and his three, which is arguably one of the biggest shots of his five years in a Paladin uniform, knotted the score, 77-77, with 1:06 remaining.

The Catamounts continued to play high-level basketball, utilizing excellent guard penetration, much like the Catamounts had done in their win in Cullowhee earlier this season. To a certain extent, it was also something East Tennessee State was able to do well with DeAnthony Tipler and Jalen Haynes in the Bucs’ 83-79 loss in Greenville back on Feb. 19. Woolbright was versatile as a scorer and passer, and it’s something Furman had respect defensively, and it gave the Paladins problems for much of the second half and overtime and it’s how the Catamounts were able to get back into the contest, despite not shooting the ball well from deep. When Woolbright’s under-handed assist found its way to Claude with 1:30 remaining, he flushed it home with a monster dunk to give Western the lead once again, 79-77.

However, Mike Bothwell just wasn’t going to let the Paladins lose. It’s why he and Jalen Slawson came back, and with Slawson already gone, it was up to him to help the Paladins find a way after it had struggled to score points for much of the final 10 minutes and overtime to score points. Bothwell drove in for a layup and missed but drew Claude’s fifth foul with 1:06 to play. He would knock down a pair of free throws to tie the game.

Western Carolina’s Woolbright was fouled on the other end by Marcus Foster with 49 seconds left. He connected on 1-of-2 free throws to give the Catamounts the narrow 80-79 lead.

Furman’s player to be reckoned with for much of the first half and the tournament so far has been JP Pegues. Pegues was able to coax WCU’s Bernard Pelote off his feet and then proceeded to jump into him in the act of shooting a three-pointer to draw the foul and three-shot opportunity from the charity stripe. It was a tactic that former Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller used to utilize with plenty of success throughout his storied NBA career. Pegues made two of three free throws to put the Paladins back on top, 81-80, with 28 seconds to play.

Following a timeout by Western Carolina, the Paladins would force Jackson to take a contested jumper from just outside the paint, which was off the mark and rebounded by Marcus Foster and then quickly passed into the hands of Bothwell, who was immediately fouled with eight seconds to play. Bothwell made both foul shots to give Furman a three-point lead. Furman burned its final timeout and then survived Jackson’s three-point attempt at the buzzer to hold on for a heart-stopping 83-80 win.

Game 8: No. 7 Chattanooga 74, No. 6 Wofford 62

Brief Recap: In the second semifinal game of the night, Chattanooga continued to wear Cinderella’s slipper in the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament and now will fashion that slipper in the championship round Monday night against No. 1 Furman, as the Mocs avenged a pair of regular-season losses to No. 6 seed Wofford, with a 74-62 win over the Terriers Sunday night at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center.

As a result of the win, the league’s gold standard with 12 tournament championships will look to defend its 2022 title and post its second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the the 1993-94 and the 1994-95 Chattanooga Mocs were able to accomplish the feat in back-to-back seasons. The win allows the Mocs to make their 20^th appearance in a Southern Conference championship game.

Chattanooga improved to 18-16 on the season, while Wofford, who upset No. 3 UNCG at the buzzer less than 24 hours earlier, finished the 2022-23 campaign with a 17-16 record and will likely make a decision on a new head coach in the very near future. Look for current interim head coach Dwight Perry

It would once again be Jake Stephens to the rescue for the Mocs, who continued their miraculous run in the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament. He would finish with 25 points and added seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks to lead the Mocs. Stephens would be joined in double figures by Dalvin White, who added 13 points, while Jamal Johnson and AJ Caldwell added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Stephens would add his 25 points on a 7-of-12 shooting performance from the field, which included a 3-for-6 effort from three-point range.  

Not to be overlooked was UTC’s Randy Brady, who put forth a great defensive effort off the bench, helping contain Wofford’s talented all-conference forward Mack. He also added eight points on the offensive end of the floor to round out what was a strong performance.

Wofford finished the contest by placing three players in double figures, with SoCon Freshman of the Year Jackson Paveletzke with 20 points, while BJ Mack would add 16 points and seven rebounds. Messiah Jones closed out the Terriers in double figures with 14.

The opening half of the second semifinal was much like the game that preceded it between Furman and Western Carolina…close. In fact, it was Wofford that got off to the better start in the contest, scoring eight of the first 10 points of the contest, with Jones picking up right where he left off in the second half against UNCG, as he scored four of thosen Terrier eight points to give Wofford the early 8-2 advantage.

After starting the game a bit cold from the field, the Mocs would begin to warm up shortly thereafter, and responded to tie the basketball game, 12-12, following a Dalvin White three-pointer with 14:14 remaining in the opening half of play.

The Mocs would eventually take the lead, running to a 31-21 lead following a Caldwell three from the top of the key with 7:16 remaining in the opening half. However, Wofford would close the opening half in strong fashion, as the Terriers would eventually take the lead with a 13-2 run, with a Paveletzke jumper with 40 seconds remaining giving the Terriers the lead once again, at 34-33, with 40 seconds remaining in the first half. However, Chattanooga would carry at least a little bit of momentum into the half after White’s jumper helped the Mocs to go to the half leading the game, with a 35-34 lead.

However, to open the second half, it was all Mocs, as Chattanooga started the frame with an 11-0 run and never looked back the remainder of the half, as despite playing one less full game of basketball, it appeared as if the Terriers were the team that was more lethargic in the second stanza. A Caldwell three-pointer off a feed from Randy Brady gave the Mocs a 46-34 lead with just under 16 minutes remaining.

The Mocs lead would grow to as much as 14 points, at 50-36, when Khristion Courseault knocked down a free throw a minute later. The Terriers would cut the Mocs lead to seven three times over the final 15 minutes, however, could not get any closer and the Mocs would close out the win and moved on to a fourth game at a Southern Conference Tournament for the first time in school history, as the Mocs closed out the 74-62 win.

Chattanooga closed the game by connecting on 68.2% (15-of-22) from inside the arc, while finishing 34.6% (9-of-26) from beyond the arc, continuing a strong shooting weekend for the Mocs and propelled them into the title game for a second-straight season.

Wofford’s shooting night from long range was one of the nights that has seemingly crept up on the Terriers at times during the 2022-23 season, as the Terriers could not find their shooting touch from long-range, finishing just 3-for-23 from long range.

Championship Game (Mar. 6, 2023/Harrah’s Cherokee Center/Asheville, N.C.)

Game 9: No. 1 Furman 88, Chattanooga 79

Brief Recap: Furman got a team-high 20 points from Southern Conference Player of the Year Jalen Slawson, and got 17 from Tournament Most Outstanding Performer JP Pegues, as Furman captured its first NCAA Tournament bid since 1980 with an 88-79 win over Chattanooga in a rematch of the 2022 Southern Conference Tournament championship game, which the Mocs won on a buzzer-beater by David Jean-Batiste, 64-63, in overtime.

Furman’s win sees them improve to 27-7, while Chattanooga concludes its first season under head coach Dan Earl with an 18-17 mark. Mike Bothwell scored all 16 of his points in the second half, and Alex Williams scored 10 of his points in the opening half. Slawson finished the night connecting on 8-of-12 shots from the field, including going 2-for-3 from long-range. He was also 2-for-4 from the line. The fifth-year senior from Summerville, S.C., also added five rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal.

The Mocs got another outstanding performance from Jake Stephens, who posted 25 points, while Jamal Johnson added 17 and A.J. Caldwell, who is one of holdovers from last season, finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards.

Stephens set a Southern Conference record by scoring a combined 92 points in four games. The senior from Bunker Hill, WVa., finished the game with his 20-point effort coming on an 8-of-12 shooting performance, which included a 2-for-3 effort from three-point land. He was also 5-for-7 from the charity stripe.

Stephens spent one year at Chattanooga as a grad transfer from VMI, however, had his regular-season cut short due to a hand injury back on Jan. 18 in a loss to Furman. In addition to his 25-point scoring effort, Stephens also added eight rebounds, two blocks and two assists.

The Paladins were buoyed by a crowd of 6,102 rowdy fans, partial to Furman. The campus in Northern Greenville County is only about a 60-minute drive to the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in downtown Asheville.

It seemed like Timmons Arena North when the game tipped off. Stephens started the game in emphatic fashion for the defending champions, dunking home the first two points of the night.

The Paladins tied the game on a Marcus Foster layup before Chattanooga’s “glue guy”–AJ Caldwell–came down and connected on a three to make it a 5-2 Mocs lead.

With the game tied 5-5, Stephens got another easy layup to put the Mocs back up two. However, on the ensuing possession Alex Williams found himself free from top of the key, knocking down a three-pointer to give Furman the lead again, at 8-7, with 16:11 remaining in the opening half of play. It was the beginning of an 18-0 run for the ‘Dins, which would see them take a 30-11 lead following an Alex Williams layup at the 7:26 mark of the opening half.

However, prior to the half, the Mocs would proceed to go on what was a 15-0 run, getting back to within four, at 30-26, following a Caldwell layup with just over three minutes remaining in the opening half of basketball. The Mocs would get as close as three (36-33) late in the half when Jake Stephens converted a four-point play after being fouled by Tyrese Hughey at the top of the key.

The Paladins would carry a small amount of momentum into the locker room, however. when Pegues converted an acrobatic layup in the lane as the buzzer sounded, giving the Paladins a 38-33 lead at the break.

In the second half, the Mocs got as close as one, at 39-38, when Demetrius Davis canned a three-pointer just in front of the Chattanooga bench with 17:51 remaining. The Mocs would get it to within a bucket once again when a pair of Jamal Johnson charity shots got the Mocs to within 44-42 with 15:55 lefr.

It looked like the Paladins might start to put some distance between themselves and the Mocs on the scoreboard once again. A three-point play the old fashioned way by

Furman’s Bothwell helped the Paladins to a 47-42 lead after knocking down his free throw with 15:40 remaining.

It was “make or break” time for the Mocs. The Paladins would eventually jump back out to a double-digit lead moments later when Williams made a running one-handed jumper in the paint to increase the Furman lead to 58-48 with 11:03 left.

The Paladin lead would grow to 12 with 7:25 left, as Pegues split two Mocs defenders in the paint and laid the ball off the right side of the window to give the Paladins a 69-57 lead.

The Mocs, however, were not done and had one more run in them. UTC would score eight-straight points over the next 2:23 of game action, with another Caldwell layup getting the Mocs to within 69-65 with 5:02 remaining following his layup.

With the Chattanooga crowd back into the game, it began to get loud once again inside the Harrah’s Cherokee Center. Slawson converted a pair of free throws to take the Furman lead back to six, however, Stephens was fouled on the other end and his rare 1-of-2 effort at the line kept the margin at five, 71-66, with 4:35 remaining.

The Paladins would then score five-straight with a pair of Bothwell free throws, and after Johnson turned it over, it set the stage for Marcus Foster to make the first of his two daggers from three-point land down the stretch, helping the Paladins back to a double-digit lead, at 76-66, as Foster knocked down his trey from the right corner with 2:51 remaining.

Three Mocs free throws got the Mocs back to within seven, however, the Paladins went back up by nine when Slawson took a bounce pass from Pegues before splitting two Mocs defenders down the lane and dunked it home for a nine-point Furman lead (78-69) with 1:59 remaining.

However, Foster’s second three-pointer from the left corner this time with 1:19 left, which was nothing but net, had Furman fans thinking the unthinkable, giving the Paladins a 12-point lead once again, at 81-69.

Furman never let the margin get closer than eight points the rest of the way, closing out a memorable win at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Bothwell went to the same place on the court where he had laid helplessly a year earlier only to watch Jean-Baptiste’s fall through the hoop as time expired last season, and tapped his chest a couple of times in excited joy, as Furman celebrated returning to the Big Dance for the first time since 1980.

As a team, the Paladins finished the contest connecting on 48.3% (28-of-58) shots from the field, including a 32.0% (8-of-25) effort from three-point land, and knocked down 80.0% (24-of-30) from the charity stripe to close out the championship win.

Chattanooga on the other hand, finished the night making 45.8% (27-of-59) of its shots from the field, including a 34.6% (9-of-24) from three-point range. The Mocs matched the Paladins’ 80.0% (16-of-20) from the charity stripe, which included a 12-for-16 effort in the second half.

Furman finished the night holding advantages in points in the paint (38-36), bench points (21-9), points from turnovers (13-6), and fast-break points (4-0). Chattanooga finished the contest holding advantages in second-chance points (6-4) and total assists (15-11). Both teams finished the contest with 34 rebounds.

SoCon Tournament Superlatives (All-Tournament Teams)

First team

Mike Bothwell, Furman
JP Pegues, Furman (MOP)
Jalen Slawson, Furman
Jake Stephens, Chattanooga
Vonterius Woolbright, Western Carolina
 
Second team

Jermaine Marshall, Samford
Jamal Johnson, Chattanooga
Tyzhaun Claude, Western Carolina
B.J. Mack, Wofford
Jackson Paveletzke, Wofford
 
Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Blake Harris, Furman
 
2023 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship
Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, Asheville, N.C.
 
Friday, March 3 (ESPN+)
Game 1 – (8) Mercer 66, (9) The Citadel 41
Game 2 – (7) Chattanooga 92, (10) VMI 72
 
Saturday, March 4 (ESPN+/Nexstar)

Game 3 – (1) Furman 73, (8) Mercer 58
Game 4 – (4) Western Carolina 69,  (5) ETSU 57
Game 5 – (7) Chattanooga 85, (2) Samford 82
Game 6 – (6) Wofford 67, (3) UNCG 66

Sunday, March 5 (ESPNU/ESPNEWS)
Game 7 – (1) Furman 83, (4) Western Carolina 80
Game 8 – (7) Chattanooga 74, (6) Wofford 62 
 
Monday, March 6 (ESPN)

(1) Furman 88, (7) Chattanooga 79

Dreaming the Big Dream! Furman downs Chattanooga to punch Big Dance ticket

It was the dawn of a new era in the United States. The average cost of gas was $1.19, the average income per year was a little under 20K per year, and the president was Jimmy Carter. Mount Saint Helens erupted, the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the LA Rams, 31-19, in the Super Bowl, the No. 1 single was Blondie’s “Call Me”, and Denny Crum’s Louisville Cardinals claimed the NCAA Basketball crown, it snowed in Florida (Mar. 1, 19080) and oh yeah, I was born on April 28 of that year. The year was 1980.

The last moment won’t make any of those major events from the year that commenced what some believe is the greatest decade of in the history of the United States for a myriad of reasons, which not least of which featured Karate Kid and its Chicago soundtracks that takes pretty much all of us in my age bracket back to their respective childhoods. It was the dawn of a new decade, and in particular, the last time Furman made the Big Dance and went to the NCAA Tournament. That’s 43 years worth of futility for FU.  

The 1979-80 basketball season was one that is also a special one to Furman fans, as it was the last time the Paladins saw their team go dancing in March under the direction of head coach Eddie Holbrook. The Paladins knocked off VMI (W, 87-75 in Greenville), East Tennessee State (W, 93-81), and Marshall (W, 80-62) to claim their sixth Southern Conference Tournament crown. It was a season which would see the Paladins win 23 games en route the SoCon’s regular-season crown.

On March 6, 2023, it had  been 15,710 days  since Furman last cut down the nets at a Southern Conference Tournament and 364 days removed from David Jean-Baptiste’s 36-footer that sent Furman home from Asheville with only heartbreak following a 64-63 overtime loss at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, were able to exorcise some 43-year old demons with a 88-79 win over No. 7 seed Chattanooga to win the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament championship. Making the heartbreak of a year ago even tougher was the fact the Paladins lost the game, despite going 5-for-5 from the field in overtime. 

“This is a program night. This is a Furman University night. I wasn’t born in 1980, but I don’t have to hear that mess again,” head coach Bob Richey said in the post-game press conference.  

There’s been a motto that Richey uses for his team. “The Game Honors Toughness.” Last season was a tough moment for Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson, and particularly seniors Alex Hunter and Conley Garrison, who had their final opportunity at a title ripped away after Jean-Baptiste’s dagger ripped nothing but net at the buzzer. 

Furman heads to the NCAA Tournament with a 27-7 record, and the team will gather to celebrate, reflect and see who they will play in the Big Dance Sunday evening at 6 p.m. EST at Timmons Arena.  

Furman’s Journey and Culture 

When the final moments ticked off the clock in Monday night’s championship game, my emotions I held in check, and I as I observed many folks that have been associated with Furman basketball over the years, including many former players wandering the floor as the band played and confetti fell, the tears started to flow for many…Guys like Daniel Fowler, Geoff Beans, Jordan Lyons, Andrew Brown and even Anthony Thomas (1998-2002) could all feel the weight of the moment. It was one 43 years in the making. Others that have helped the lay the foundation over the past eight years. Monday night’s win over the Mocs was its 180^th since the start of the 2015-16 season—the most of any program in the Southern Conference during that span.  

Furman has been successful, but it has seen some other of the league’s outstanding programs be successful during that span. East Tennessee State and Wofford both turned in two of the most successful seasons in Southern Conference history, as each won 30 games in consecutive seasons. UNCG won it during the COVID year and we all know what the Mocs did last year. 

A pair of SoCon Players of the Year, in Devin Sibley (2014-2018) and Stephen Croone (2012-16), along with other players like Kris Acox (2013-17), Larry Wideman (2013-17) and John Davis III (2013-17) along with many more are worthy of mention.  

That’s actually where Furman’s journey to March 6, 2023 started. It was March of 2015 when Furman made its “turn” as a program, and though it was a remarkable run to the tournament championship game in 2015 as the No. 10 seed, losing to top seed Wofford, 67-64.  

What makes the 2014-15 team so important is they were kind of the team that brings it all together. Many had reason to transfer. In fact, the 2012-13 team had won just six games, which was ultimately Jeff Jackson’s final season as head coach. In the current era of NILs and such, if there had been all those options available disposal eight years ago, several of a talented freshman as well as upperclassmen might have transferred. But they didn’t, and it allowed head coach Niko Medved and then assistant coach Bob Richey build the foundation. 

Two years later, the 2016-17 Paladins won a share of the regular-season Southern Conference crown, sharing the crown with East Tennessee State and UNC Greensboro. It was the first Southern Conference title for the program since 1990-91. But the Paladins were surprised in the opening round of the Southern Conference by the No. 7 seed Samford, who handed the Paladins a 67-63 loss in Asheville. Furman made a run to the semifinals to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament before losing its head coach, Niko Medved, to Drake along the way. Bob Richey’s first game as the then interim head coach came against St Peter’s. Yes, that St. Peter’s team, and it’s a game that Richey would probably likely to forget, as the Paladins  

The Paladins would have good seasons in-between. The 2018-19 team achieved the school’s first-ever national ranking and were at-large qualifiers to the NIT and even hosted a home game against Wichita State at Timmons Arena that very same season. Highlighting the season were a 12-0 start to the season, which included wins over defending national champion and No. 8 Villanova (W, 76-68) and Loyola-Chicago (W, 60-58). 

The Paladins won matched a school-record with 25 wins a year later, and then set a new mark for SoCon wins with 15, however, a disappointing 76-68 loss to No. 7 seed Wofford in Asheville ended the season abruptly for the Paladins and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. 

The limited 2020-21 schedule saw the Paladins have another great opportunity to win the SoCon Tournament and title, however, the Paladins would finish third in the final regular-season standings and headed to Asheville with a 16-8 record to face a dangerous No. 6 seed, in VMI. The Paladins lost a 91-90 overtime game. On that night, head coach Dan Earl and his star, Jake Stephens, had gotten the best of Furman. 

Then came the 2021-22 season. The favorite was Chattanooga. Rightfully so, as the Mocs were loaded. Players like Malachi Smith, Silvio De Sousa, David Jean-Baptiste and Darius Banks were three four pillars of that team, and if you add in the ultimate glue guy AJ Caldwell, it was a truly complete team built for March success. As much as it probably hurt to lose that championship last season for the Paladins, in the end the Mocs had the best team. Not by much, but in the conference tournament the best team doesn’t always win the tournament. I can honestly say that it is not often the case where the best team does not win the SoCon Tournament. Furman showed its class in the championship game against a good Chattanooga team.  

After last season, many felt Furman was cursed and found reasons to doubt them this season. When Jake Stephens helped the Mocs make a run to the championship by playing some outstanding basketball, many found reasons to believe the Mocs, despite playing a fourth game in four days. 

Looking back, that team lost a lot of close games and was one of the youngest teams in the Southern Conference, with players like some of those mentioned above—Daniel Fowler and Geoff Beans among them on-hand to see the 2023 Paladins finish what they started—and if the rematch with Chattanooga was a full-circle moment for the current team by avenging that heartbreaker against the same opponent almost a full calendar year later, then March 6. 2023 surely was a full-circle moment for those former players—seeing the work they started get its finishing coat of paint.  

And if culture can be narrowed down to its best description. It’s seeing those guys from eight years ago celebrate with Furman’s 2022-23 players. Not only that, there’s literally different eras represented. But there were players even beyond those eight years ago. I mentioned Thomas, but also several others that played in different eras. It was their night too. It was Furman’s night.  

Probably the thing that brought it all home, though, was Jalen Slawson and a short conversation I had with him in the media room shortly after the press conference. Prior to doing a zoom call with the Charleston Post and Courier, Slawson pulled up a chair with the trophy his lap. I asked him what this meant to him and Mike Bothwell if he could of course speak for his senior teammate. He said in one word “legendary.”  I replied  that at times I thought there were times in my life when Furman had gotten so close and I wasn’t completely sure if I’d ever see Furman ever do it.  He promptly replied…”Well, now you’ve seen it.” and then smiled. It was a cool moment and one moment that I will take with me for the rest of my life. It’s those memories that had been sought by so many who cheered for or simply covered the Paladins through the years.

Enduring both the good moments, many bad ones, and many nearly moments, which is what last March was. The thing for us who cover the Paladins. We had to write about last year. We get to write about this year. It’s pretty neat in that way.

“I am going to miss them. We are not done. We’ve got more to do. They’re great players but their person has grown so much in their time in this program. I told them this morning this win would be the reward. This isn’t validation. The growth is already evident. They became legendary tonight. I don’t know when or how but No. 20 and No. 3 are going in the rafters. They’re the all-time winningest players in Furman history. They came back this year to win this thing for the program,” Furman head coach Bob Richey said of his two fifth-year seniors during the post-game press conference.  

For Slawson and Bothwell, they’ve now been a major part of 115 wins during their respective careers, with none greater than the one Monday night. The 115 wins by the two seniors are a school record.  

In summation, Furman found its joy and its motivation as the season progressed. It’s won 14 of its last 15 games heading into the NCAA Tournament. 

“We tried to just count it all joy. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through. But, you know, glory to God for allowing, for allowing me to be the leader of this. This is just an unbelievable group of people. This isn’t a person. This isn’t a player. It’s a program. There’s a lot of people didn’t think we would do this. That’s really what got us going, to be honest with you, They thought last year was going to push this back. Instead, all it did was it motivated us to come together,”  

An Unlikely hero to some… 

We know what Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson can do, however, what might have surprised many this year is what sophomore point guard JP Pegues can do . He’s a dog. Straight up, he’s a bad man. I’ve watched the guy play all year and I have literally become one of the best players in the Southern Conference in the span of about 20 games. He’s been outstanding, so when he didn’t make any of the three all-conference teams, I was a bit taken aback.  

There’s a clear answer now. Everyone knows who Pegues is. It’s funny, he was the Southern Conference Most Outstanding Player and he didn’t make any of the three all-conference teams or the All-Freshman team last year, as selected by the SoCon Coaches or Media.  

Pegues has hit double figures in 15 of his last 16 games, and he averaged 21.0 PPG in three tournament games this past weekend. Pegues was joined by teammates Mike Bothwell and Jalen Slawson on the all-tournament first team.  

Notes:

-With its 88-79 championship win over Chattanooga, the Paladin basketball program claimed its 180th game since the start of the 2015-16 season.

–The championship win means the Paladins will now make their seventh time the Furman basketball program has punched its NCAA Tournament ticket to college basketball’s greatest spectacle, as well as improving to 57-63 all-time in Southern Conference Tournament action.

–In addition to Pegues Most Outstanding Player award for the Paladins, the Paladins had two other performers garner recognition on the All-Tournament first team, with both Jalen Slawson and Mike Bothwell both ending up on the first-team.

–Furman has now won nine out of its last 10 games away from Timmons Arena.

–With his 55 points in the Southern Conference Tournament, Mike Bothwell now sits on 1,990 points in his career. He needs just 10 points in the NCAA Tournament to join the 2,000-point club in his career, becoming just the fifth Paladin to ever achieve that feat.

–The last time the Paladins made the NCAA Tournament in 1980 there was no three-point shot.

–Furman’s win over Chattanooga in the championship game saw the Paladins improve to 5-5 against the Mocs in Southern Conference Tournament action.

–Furman’s 88-79 win over UTC saw the Paladins improve to 7-5 in championship games all-time, as well as snap a three-game losing streak in the championship game dating back to 1981. The Paladins’ previous three championship game losses came in 2002 vs. Davidson (L, 57-62), ’15 vs. Wofford (L, 64-67), and ’22 vs. Chattanooga (L, 63-64). Two of those title game appearances (2002 and ’15) saw Furman advance to the league title game as the No. 6 seed (last place) in the SoCon’s South Division.

Championship Recap: Furman 88, Chattanooga 79

Furman got a team-high 20 points from Southern Conference Player of the Year Jalen Slawson, and got 17 from Tournament Most Outstanding Performer JP Pegues, as Furman captured its first NCAA Tournament bid since 1980 with an 88-79 win over Chattanooga in a rematch of the 2022 Southern Conference Tournament championship game, which the Mocs won on a buzzer-beater by David Jean-Batiste, 64-63, in overtime.

Furman’s win sees them improve to 27-7, while Chattanooga concludes its first season under head coach Dan Earl with an 18-17 mark.

Mike Bothwell scored all 16 of his points in the second half, and Alex Williams scored 10 of his points in the opening half. Slawson finished the night connecting on 8-of-12 shots from the field, including going 2-for-3 from long-range. He was also 2-for-4 from the line. The fifth-year senior from Summerville, S.C., also added five rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal.

The Mocs got another outstanding performance from Jake Stephens, who posted 25 points, while Jamal Johnson added 17 and A.J. Caldwell, who is one of holdovers from last season, finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards.

Stephens set a Southern Conference record by scoring a combined 92 points in four games. The senior from Bunker Hill, WVa., finished the game with his 20-point effort coming on an 8-of-12 shooting performance, which included a 2-for-3 effort from three-point land. He was also 5-for-7 from the charity stripe.

Stephens spent one year at Chattanooga as a grad transfer from VMI, however, had his regular-season cut short due to a hand injury back on Jan. 18 in a loss to Furman. In addition to his 25-point scoring effort, Stephens also added eight rebounds, two blocks and two assists.

The Paladins were buoyed by a crowd of 6,102 rowdy fans, partial to Furman. The campus in Northern Greenville County is only about a 60-minute drive to the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in downtown Asheville.

It seemed like Timmons Arena North when the game tipped off. Stephens started the game in emphatic fashion for the defending champions, dunking home the first two points of the night.

The Paladins tied the game on a Marcus Foster layup before Chattanooga’s “glue guy”–AJ Caldwell–came down and connected on a three to make it a 5-2 Mocs lead.

With the game tied 5-5, Stephens got another easy layup to put the Mocs back up two. However, on the ensuing possession Alex Williams found himself free from top of the key, knocking down a three-pointer to give Furman the lead again, at 8-7, with 16:11 remaining in the opening half of play. It was the beginning of an 18-0 run for the ‘Dins, which would see them take a 30-11 lead following an Alex Williams layup at the 7:26 mark of the opening half.

However, prior to the half, the Mocs would proceed to go on what was a 15-0 run, getting back to within four, at 30-26, following a Caldwell layup with just over three minutes remaining in the opening half of basketball. The Mocs would get as close as three (36-33) late in the half when Jake Stephens converted a four-point play after being fouled by Tyrese Hughey at the top of the key.

The Paladins would carry a small amount of momentum into the locker room, however. when Pegues converted an acrobatic layup in the lane as the buzzer sounded, giving the Paladins a 38-33 lead at the break.

In the second half, the Mocs got as close as one, at 39-38, when Demetrius Davis canned a three-pointer just in front of the Chattanooga bench with 17:51 remaining. The Mocs would get it to within a bucket once again when a pair of Jamal Johnson charity shots got the Mocs to within 44-42 with 15:55 lefr.

It looked like the Paladins might start to put some distance between themselves and the Mocs on the scoreboard once again. A three-point play the old fashioned way by Furman’s Bothwell helped the Paladins to a 47-42 lead after knocking down his free throw with 15:40 remaining.

It was “make or break” time for the Mocs. The Paladins would eventually jump back out to a double-digit lead moments later when Williams made a running one-handed jumper in the paint to increase the Furman lead to 58-48 with 11:03 left.

The Paladin lead would grow to 12 with 7:25 left, as Pegues split two Mocs defenders in the paint and laid the ball off the right side of the window to give the Paladins a 69-57 lead.

The Mocs, however, were not done and had one more run in them. UTC would score eight-straight points over the next 2:23 of game action, with another Caldwell layup getting the Mocs to within 69-65 with 5:02 remaining following his layup.

With the Chattanooga crowd back into the game, it began to get loud once again inside the Harrah’s Cherokee Center. Slawson converted a pair of free throws to take the Furman lead back to six, however, Stephens was fouled on the other end and his rare 1-of-2 effort at the line kept the margin at five, 71-66, with 4:35 remaining.

The Paladins would then score five-straight with a pair of Bothwell free throws, and after Johnson turned it over, it set the stage for Marcus Foster to make the first of his two daggers from three-point land down the stretch, helping the Paladins back to a double-digit lead, at 76-66, as Foster knocked down his trey from the right corner with 2:51 remaining.

Three Mocs free throws got the Mocs back to within seven, however, the Paladins went back up by nine when Slawson took a bounce pass from Pegues before splitting two Mocs defenders down the lane and dunked it home for a nine-point Furman lead (78-69) with 1:59 remaining.

However, Foster’s second three-pointer from the left corner this time with 1:19 left, which was nothing but net, had Furman fans thinking the unthinkable, giving the Paladins a 12-point lead once again, at 81-69.

Furman never let the margin get closer than eight points the rest of the way, closing out a memorable win at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Bothwell went to the same place on the court where he had laid helplessly a year earlier only to watch Jean-Baptiste’s fall through the hoop as time expired last season, and tapped his chest a couple of times in excited joy, as Furman celebrated returning to the Big Dance for the first time since 1980.

As a team, the Paladins finished the contest connecting on 48.3% (28-of-58) shots from the field, including a 32.0% (8-of-25) effort from three-point land, and knocked down 80.0% (24-of-30) from the charity stripe to close out the championship win.

Chattanooga on the other hand, finished the night making 45.8% (27-of-59) of its shots from the field, including a 34.6% (9-of-24) from three-point range. The Mocs matched the Paladins’ 80.0% (16-of-20) from the charity stripe, which included a 12-for-16 effort in the second half.

Furman finished the night holding advantages in points in the paint (38-36), bench points (21-9), points from turnovers (13-6), and fast-break points (4-0). Chattanooga finished the contest holding advantages in second-chance points (6-4) and total assists (15-11). Both teams finished the contest with 34 rebounds.

SoCon Tournament Superlatives

All-Tournament Team
First team
Mike Bothwell, Furman
JP Pegues, Furman (MOP)
Jalen Slawson, Furman
Jake Stephens, Chattanooga
Vonterius Woolbright, Western Carolina
 
Second team
Jermaine Marshall, Samford
Jamal Johnson, Chattanooga
Tyzhaun Claude, Western Carolina
B.J. Mack, Wofford
Jackson Paveletzke, Wofford
 
Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Blake Harris, Furman
 
2023 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship
Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, Asheville, N.C.
 
Friday, March 3 (ESPN+)
Game 1 – (8) Mercer 66, (9) The Citadel 41
Game 2 – (7) Chattanooga 92, (10) VMI 72
 
Saturday, March 4 (ESPN+/Nexstar)
Game 3 – (1) Furman 73, (8) Mercer 58
Game 4 – (4) Western Carolina 69,  (5) ETSU 57
Game 5 – (7) Chattanooga 85, (2) Samford 82
Game 6 – (6) Wofford 67, (3) UNCG 66

Sunday, March 5 (ESPNU/ESPNEWS)
Game 7 – (1) Furman 83, (4) Western Carolina 80
Game 8 – (7) Chattanooga 74, (6) Wofford 62 
 
Monday, March 6 (ESPN)
(1) Furman 88, (7) Chattanooga 79
 

A Special Year for Furman Basketball

Furman’s year of basketball has been a memorable one to say the least, and aside from winning the regular-season and tournament titles during the 2022-23 season, there were several news-worthy items related to Furman’s hoops history that occurred during the off-season that should be mentioned.

Furman basketball suffered the losses of a pair of legends, who passed away back in 2022 during the off-season, with two other former players were recognized in distinction, with a pair of former players honored with Hall-of-Fame citations.

The first loss came with the death of former legendary head coach Joe Williams on March 26, 2022. Williams was Furman’s John Wooden, and sadly in late March, Furman’s most successful basketball coach passed away at the age of 88.

During an eight-year span from 1971-78, Williams helped the Paladins to those aforementioned five Southern Conference Tournament titles and subsequent NCAA Tournament invites.

Williams was also responsible for helping the Paladins to three regular-season Southern Conference titles as well. He posted an impressive 142-87 record during his time as the head coach of the Furman basketball program.

He was inducted into the 1996 Furman Athletics Hall-of-Fame, and following his successful run at the helm of the Paladin basketball program, Williams’ journey took him back to the Sunshine State, as he had first been hired at Furman as the head coach from Jacksonville University.

During his time in the River City, Williams coached the Dolphins, who were led by legendary big man Artis Gilmore, all the way to the 1970 National Championship game before losing to John Wooden’s juggernaut UCLA Bruins, 80-69.

He spent seven years as the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles basketball program from 1979-86 before retiring with an impressive 335-231 mark in 20 seasons as a head coach.

It was during that 1973-74 campaign that Williams would help mold arguably the most-gifted player to ever suit up for the Paladin basketball program, and one of the top players ever to play in the Palmetto State, in former Paladin big man Clyde Mayes (1972-75).

Mayes is one of six Paladins to have their jerseys hang from the rafters in Timmons Arena.

He was the pivotal player in Furman’s golden era of basketball, as he was the center piece leading the Paladin basketball program to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, while claiming the highest individual honor awarded to a SoCon basketball player in both 1974 and ‘75, taking home SoCon Player of the Year honors. Mayes was the first player in league history to claim three-straight first-team All-SoCon citations, and was named the league’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1974-75.

In 89 games during his illustrious Paladin career, the Greenville native scored 1,589-career points–sixth in Furman history at the conclusion of his career–and in addition to leading the Paladins to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, he also helped the Paladins to a pair of regular-season crowns.

During the 1973-74 season, Mayes helped lead Furman to its lone NCAA Tournament win, as the Paladins downed the Alex English-led South Carolina Gamecocks, with a 75-67 triumph over the newly independent Gamecocks program following a departure from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

At the time, the Gamecocks were coached by legendary Frank McGuire, who had helped mentor Dean Smith to go on to become one of the greatest head coaches in college basketball history at the University of North Carolina.

Mayes finished out his Paladin career averaging an impressive 17.9 PPG and 12.6 RPG and went on to be named South Carolina Player of the Year in 1975, and was recently also named to the SoCon’s 100th Anniversary Team.

Mayes was garnered several All-America citations in 1975, including garnering first-team honors from Basketball Weekly and Citizens Savings Foundation, while garnering second-team accolades according to The Sporting News and Converse, and third-team plaudits from the Associated Press.

It probably comes as little surprise that in the 1975 NBA Draft, Mayes was selected in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks, playing two seasons in the NBA before then plying his trade overseas in Europe for a successful 13-year professional basketball career.

While Mayes received his honors towards the end of May, becoming the eighth Paladin to garner the distinction as a member of the SoCon Hall-of-Fame, which sponsored its first Hall-of-Fame class in 2009, one of the most decorated basketball players and coaches in the history of the Palmetto State also passed during the off-season for Furman, as the Paladin basketball basketball family lost Nield Gordon at the age of 91 on May 2, 2022.

Like Mayes, Gordon is one of just six Paladins to ever have his number retired in the rafters of Furman’s Timmons Arena.

Gordon’s No. 27 uniform jersey hangs proudly in Timmons Arena, along with other retired numbers of Frank Selvy (No. 28), the aforementioned Mayes (No. 34), Jonathan Moore (No. 25), Darrell Floyd (No. 33), as well as former legendary head coach Lyles Alley.

A native of Brunswick, MD, Gordon had his jersey officially retired in 2002. Like Mayes, Gordon was part of one of the greatest eras of Furman basketball, playing alongside Selvy and Darrell Floyd (No. 33) after graduating from Wingate Junior College in 1951.

In his two seasons with the Paladins, Gordon helped Furman to finishes of 18-6 and 21-6, respectively.

During his 51-game career donning the Purple and White, Gordon averaged 22.6 PPG, which included an impressive 24.3 PPG average during his senior season.

Also as a senior in ‘53, Gordon was able to capture All-SoCon honors at a time when the league still included the likes of Clemson, Duke, N.C. State, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland.

Following his playing career with the Paladin hoopers, Gordon went on to serve his nation in the the United States Army before returning to the states in 1956 and beginning a long, well-decorated coaching career at Belmont-Abbey.

After one season at the Abbey, Gordon returned to Furman where he would serve as an assistant coach for six years before becoming the head coach at Newberry in 1962, turning the program into an NAIA District 6 power house at the time.

Following his highly-successful stint in the midlands, Gordon took his coaching acumen and became a visionary for Winthrop athletics, serving nine years as both the head men’s basketball coach and the Director of Athletics. He helped establish the men’s athletic program at Winthrop, which was previously an female school.

Its basketball tradition has been highlighted a lot lately, and while it suffered the losses of a pair of legends, who recently passed away, it also in a positive way highlighted a program that has enjoyed some outstanding hardwood successes in its past.

While two legends passed away, another one will be honored by the Southern Conference, as he will be enshrined in the league’s Hall-of-Fame later this summer.

The first loss came with the death of former legendary head coach Joe Williams on March 26, 2022.

Williams was Furman’s John Wooden, and sadly in late March, Furman’s most successful basketball coach passed away at the age of 88.

During an eight-year span from 1971-78, Williams helped the Paladins to those aforementioned five Southern Conference Tournament titles and subsequent NCAA Tournament invites.

Williams was also responsible for helping the Paladins to three regular-season Southern Conference titles as well. He posted an impressive 142-87 record during his time as the head coach of the Furman basketball program.

He was inducted into the 1996 Furman Athletics Hall-of-Fame, and following his successful run at the helm of the Paladin basketball program, Williams’ journey took him back to the Sunshine State, as he had first been hired at Furman as the head coach from Jacksonville University.

During his time in the River City, Williams coached the Dolphins, who were led by legendary big man Artis Gilmore, all the way to the 1970 National Championship game before losing to John Wooden’s juggernaut UCLA Bruins, 80-69.

He spent seven years as the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles basketball program from 1979-86 before retiring with an impressive 335-231 mark in 20 seasons as a head coach.

It was during that 1973-74 campaign that Williams would help mold arguably the most-gifted player to ever suit up for the Paladin basketball program, and one of the top players ever to play in the Palmetto State, in former Paladin big man Clyde Mayes (1972-75).

Mayes is one of six Paladins to have their jerseys hang from the rafters in Timmons Arena.

He was the pivotal player in Furman’s golden era of basketball, as he was the center piece leading the Paladin basketball program to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, while claiming the highest individual honor awarded to a SoCon basketball player in both 1974 and ‘75, taking home SoCon Player of the Year honors. Mayes was the first player in league history to claim three-straight first-team All-SoCon citations, and was named the league’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1974-75.

In 89 games during his illustrious Paladin career, the Greenville native scored 1,589-career points–sixth in Furman history at the conclusion of his career–and in addition to leading the Paladins to three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, he also helped the Paladins to a pair of regular-season crowns.

During the 1973-74 season, Mayes helped lead Furman to its lone NCAA Tournament win, as the Paladins downed the Alex English-led South Carolina Gamecocks, with a 75-67 triumph over the newly independent Gamecocks program following a departure from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

At the time, the Gamecocks were coached by legendary Frank McGuire, who had helped mentor Dean Smith to go on to become one of the greatest head coaches in college basketball history at the University of North Carolina.

Mayes finished out his Paladin career averaging an impressive 17.9 PPG and 12.6 RPG and went on to be named South Carolina Player of the Year in 1975, and was recently also named to the SoCon’s 100th Anniversary Team.

Mayes was garnered several All-America citations in 1975, including garnering first-team honors from Basketball Weekly and Citizens Savings Foundation, while garnering second-team accolades according to The Sporting News and Converse, and third-team plaudits from the Associated Press.

It probably comes as little surprise that in the 1975 NBA Draft, Mayes was selected in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks, playing two seasons in the NBA before then plying his trade overseas in Europe for a successful 13-year professional basketball career.

While Mayes received his honors towards the end of May, becoming the eighth Paladin to garner the distinction as a member of the SoCon Hall-of-Fame, which sponsored its first Hall-of-Fame class in 2009, one of the most decorated basketball players and coaches in the history of the Palmetto State also passed during the off-season for Furman, as the Paladin basketball basketball family lost Nield Gordon at the age of 91 on May 2, 2022.

Like Mayes, Gordon is one of just six Paladins to ever have his number retired in the rafters of Furman’s Timmons Arena.

Gordon’s No. 27 uniform jersey hangs proudly in Timmons Arena, along with other retired numbers of Frank Selvy (No. 28), the aforementioned Mayes (No. 34), Jonathan Moore (No. 25), Darrell Floyd (No. 33), as well as former legendary head coach Lyles Alley.

A native of Brunswick, MD, Gordon had his jersey officially retired in 2002. Like Mayes, Gordon was part of one of the greatest eras of Furman basketball, playing alongside Selvy and Darrell Floyd (No. 33) after graduating from Wingate Junior College in 1951.

In his two seasons with the Paladins, Gordon helped Furman to finishes of 18-6 and 21-6, respectively.

During his 51-game career donning the Purple and White, Gordon averaged 22.6 PPG, which included an impressive 24.3 PPG average during his senior season.

Also as a senior in ‘53, Gordon was able to capture All-SoCon honors at a time when the league still included the likes of Clemson, Duke, N.C. State, North Carolina, South Carolina and Maryland.

Following his playing career with the Paladin hoopers, Gordon went on to serve his nation in the the United States Army before returning to the states in 1956 and beginning a long, well-decorated coaching career at Belmont-Abbey.

After one season at the Abbey, Gordon returned to Furman where he would serve as an assistant coach for six years before becoming the head coach at Newberry in 1962, turning the program into an NAIA District 6 power house at the time.

Following his highly-successful stint in the midlands, Gordon took his coaching acumen and became a visionary for Winthrop athletics, serving nine years as both the head men’s basketball coach and the Director of Athletics. He helped establish the men’s athletic program at Winthrop, which was previously an female school.

Finally, Frank Selvy was inducted into the college basketball Hall-of-Fame back in November.

Also known as the “Corbin Comet”, Selvy was a scoring machine throughout his career as a Paladin. Hailing from Corbin, Ky., he starred for Furman from 1951-54.

In his 100-point game, Selvy shot 41-of-66 from the field and went 18-for-22 from the charity stripe in front of more than 4,000 fans on-hand at Furman’s then on-campus and downtown facility, Textile Hall. The game was also played before a state-wide viewing audience and was the first basketball game ever televised in the state of South Carolina.

Selvy also had a flair for the dramatic and reached the century mark with a 40-foot jumper at the buzzer. He finished his career with eight 50-point games and scored 40 or more 22 times.

During the 1953-54 season alone, Selvy scored an incredible 1,209 points on 45% shooting from the field and 80% shooting from the free throw line. This single season point total ranks first in Furman history. His 2,538 career points rank fourth in SoCon history.

Considering the fact Selvy played only three seasons and there was no 3-point shot as a part of the sport during that era, the scoring machine posted one of the most distinguished careers in the history of college basketball.

Selvy committed to Furman early in the recruiting process. Legendary Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp saw him play in the 1950 East-West All-Star game and followed up with a scholarship offer, but Selvy remained true to his commitment to the Paladins and turned down the offer to play for the Wildcats.

In the early 1950s players weren’t allowed to play as freshmen, and so in only three seasons as a Paladin, Selvy was the first player in college basketball history to score 1,000 points in a career and averaged a nation-leading 41.7 point per game in his senior season of 1953-54. It was the second year in a row that Selvy led college basketball in scoring average, having paced the nation as a junior as well with 29.5 point per game.

As you might expect, Selvy racked up plenty of national honors throughout his career. He was a three-time All-SoCon selection, a two-time SoCon Player of the Year, a two-time consensus UPI and Associated Press NCAA All-American (1952-53 and 1953-54).

He was selected first overall in the 1954 Draft by the Baltimore Bullets. He made two NBA All-Star Teams over a career that spanned nine seasons, which was interrupted for three years by military service.

Selvy is now a member of six Halls of Fame: the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, the Furman’s Athletic Hall-of-Fame, the Southern Conference Hall-of-Fame, the Kentucky Basketball Hall of Fame, the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame and the South Carolina Sports Hall-of-Fame.

When Selvy played in the Southern Conference, the league included current ACC members North Carolina, North Carolina State and Duke as well as South Carolina from the SEC.

Selvy Roy Williams (coach of North Carolina and Kansas), Larry Miller (player at North Carolina), Jerry Krause (coach of Eastern Washington and Gonzaga), Lon Krueger (coach of Texas Pan-American, Illinois, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Florida and UNLV), Richard Hamilton (player at UConn), Jim Calhoun (coach of Northeastern, UConn and Saint Joseph), John Beilein (coach of Michigan, Richmond, West Virginia, Canisius, Lemoyne, Nazareth and Erie Community College) and Jimmy Walker (player at Providence). The ceremony was held Nov. 20, 2022 in Indianapolis.

No. 1 Furman 83, No.4 Western Carolina 80 (OT) 

Recap: Despite holding as much as a 20-point second half lead, Furman nearly squandered the opportunity to make it back to the championship game and subsequently forfeit a chance to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 43 years, as Western Carolina made the penultimate stage a difficult hurdle for the Paladins to traverse, however, Furman proved to be a team “calloused” for such moments, as it was able to hold off the feisty Catamounts, 83-80, in overtime to advance to the championship game of the Ingles Southern Conference Tournament for a second-straight season.

One of the interesting storylines coming into Sunday night’s classic semifinal clash at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center, which was played before a raucous crowd fit for a championship Monday was the fact that the two teams sported a combined 70 years of NCAA Tournament drought, with Furman having not qualified for the postseason since 1980 (43 years) and Western Carolina’s last appearance in the Big Dance coming in 1996 (27 years).  

With the win, Furman won its school-record 26^th game and improved to 26-7 overall, while Western Carolina concluded its season with an 18-15 record. The Paladins will face Chattanooga (18-16) in Monday night’s Southern Conference Tournament championship game. The 26^th win by Furman eclipses the 25 wins achieved two other times in school history, which happened in consecutive seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20). Tip-off between the Paladins and Mocs for the Southern Conference title game is set for 7 p.m. EST and will be nationally televised on ESPN.  It marks the first time the Paladins have advanced to consecutive championship games in back-to-back seasons since 1979 and ’80.

The Paladins were led in scoring in the contest by four players in double figures, with Mike Bothwell’s 26 points leading the charge, while point guard JP Pegues added 24. Jalen Slawson narrowly missed a double-double, with 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with two minutes left in regulation, and Garrett Hien finished with 12.  

Bothwell’s stellar performance saw him connect on 7-of-15 shots from the field, including 2-for-7 from three-point range and he went 10-of-16 from the line. He also added three rebounds, three assists and four steals. 

Vonterius Woolbright’s 30 points led all scorers in the contest, while backcourt mate Tre Jackson added 22 points. Tyzhaun Claude closed out his night with 15 points and 11 boards, as he fouled out with 1:06 left in overtime.  

Western Carolina finished the contest connecting on 44.1% (30-of-68) shots from the field, while shooting just 23.8% (5-of-21) from the three-point line. The Catamounts did make the most of their charity shots, connecting on 15-of-19 for the contest, which converts to a 78.9% clip. However, the Catamounts shot 27 less free throws than the Paladins in the contest. 

The Paladins on the other hand, connected on just 39.0% (23-of-59) of their shots from the field, including just a 29.2% (7-of-24) clip in the second half. The Paladins did not make a three-pointer in the second half (0-for-11) and finished the game shooting just 22.6% (7-of-31) from long range. However, Furman got the line 46 times, making 30 and ended up with a 15-point advantage in foul shots made as a result. The 46 free throws shot and the 30 made were both season highs for the Paladins.  

Western Carolina finished the night with advantages in total rebounds (46-36), points in the paint (46-30), second-chance points (18-12), fast-break points (7-5) and bench points (9-5). Furman owned a 12-6 edge in points from turnovers, and the two teams tied with 11 assists apiece.  

Furman came out of the gates quickly, running to a 9-4 lead at the first media timeout, highlighted by a three by JP Pegues, as well as an acrobatic layup from Mike Bothwell and an alley-oop dunk to Jalen Slawson from Bothwell, bringing the Furman faithful to its collective feet. However, Western responded out of the first media timeout with a three-pointer from Russell Jones Jr. and layups by Vonterius Woolbright and Tre Jackson, allowing the Catamounts to assume their first lead of the night, at 13-12. That would remain the score as the two teams headed to the second media timeout of the opening half. 

The two teams would battle back and forth over the next four minutes, but a three by Slawson and a layup by Hien as well as a jumper by Pegues gave the Paladins a 25-20 lead following a mini 13-7 spurt.  The Paladins would see their lead grow to as many as 16 points in the opening half of play, as Bothwell scored on a second-chance opportunity in the paint, as his layup gave Furman a 42-26 lead with 2:39 left in the half. The Paladins would finish the half with 45, with a Ben VanderWal foul shot and a layup by JP Pegues helping the Paladins close out the half, taking a 15-point, 45-30 lead to the break. 

Furman entered the night 23-2 when leading the game at the break, with one of those losses coming in Cullowhee to the Catamounts, and Western Carolina would very nearly turn the trick again, fighting their way back into the game. After falling behind by 20 following a pair of Bothwell free throws with 17:19 left gave the Paladins a 53-33 lead, the Catamounts would begin their slow but constant charge back into the game.  

With just 38 seconds remaining, the Catamounts had surpassed the Paladins on the scoreboard, with Vonterius Woolbright’s layup off the right side, giving the Catamounts a 72-70 lead and sending the Catamount hue of Purple into delirium at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center. It was the first lead held by the Catamounts since they held a 15-14 advantage with just under 10 minutes remaining in the first half following a Tyzhaun Claude jumper in the paint.  

Furman would tie the game, 72-72, following a pair of foul shots from Mike Bothwell with 26 seconds remaining. Furman’s defense forced Russell Jones Jr.’s shot to be a fade-a-way from the corner as time expired, and the shot was no good and the two teams would play an extra five minutes of basketball. 

When the two teams headed to the extra session, Furman would be without one of its leaders, as Jalen Slawson fouled out of the game with 2:02 remaining. It was not too much unlike the situation earlier this season at the Ramsey Center, when Slawson fouled out of the 12-point loss back on Dec. 31, 2022.

The Catamounts would lose Tyzhaun Claude, who played an outstanding game before fouling out in overtime with 1:30 remaining. Like the first matchup with the Paladins in on New Year’s Eve, Claude fouled out. He only had seven points in that game, while he didn’t even play in the clash between the two in Greenville, nursing a sprained ankle. In Sunday night’s classic, Claude finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

The Catamounts wasted little time in getting the extra five minutes off to a fast start. Western Carolina, which came into the matchup 3-0 in overtime games this season, got things off to a good start when Tre Jackson banged a three after the Catamounts corralled one of their 14 offensive rebounds to give the Catamounts a 75-72 lead with 4:22 remaining.   

Furman wouldn’t score its first points of the extra session until the 2:29 mark, as Ben VanderWal knocked down a pair of foul shots to get the Paladins within one, however, Woolbright again got free in the paint and coasted in for a layup to give the Catamounts a three-point lead once again, at 77-74, with 2:07 left. On the next trip down the floor, the ball found its way to Bothwell at the left elbow and his three, which is arguably one of the biggest shots of his five years in a Paladin uniform, knotted the score, 77-77, with 1:06 remaining.  

The Catamounts continued to play high-level basketball, utilizing excellent guard penetration, much like the Catamounts had done in their win in Cullowhee earlier this season. To a certain extent, it was also something East Tennessee State was able to do well with DeAnthony Tipler and Jalen Haynes in the Bucs’ 83-79 loss in Greenville back on Feb. 19. Woolbright was versatile as a scorer and passer, and it’s something Furman had respect defensively, and it gave the Paladins problems for much of the second half and overtime and it’s how the Catamounts were able to get back into the contest, despite not shooting the ball well from deep. When Woolbright’s under-handed assist found its way to Claude with 1:30 remaining, he flushed it home with a monster dunk to give Western the lead once again, 79-77.  

However, Mike Bothwell just wasn’t going to let the Paladins lose. It’s why he and Jalen Slawson came back, and with Slawson already gone, it was up to him to help the Paladins find a way after it had struggled to score points for much of the final 10 minutes and overtime to score points. Bothwell drove in for a layup and missed but drew Claude’s fifth foul with 1:06 to play. He would knock down a pair of free throws to tie the game. 

Western Carolina’s Woolbright was fouled on the other end by Marcus Foster with 49 seconds left. He connected on 1-of-2 free throws to give the Catamounts the narrow 80-79 lead. 

Furman’s player to be reckoned with for much of the first half and the tournament so far has been JP Pegues. Pegues was able to coax WCU’s Bernard Pelote off his feet and then proceeded to jump into him in the act of shooting a three-pointer to draw the foul and three-shot opportunity from the charity stripe. It was a tactic that former Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller used to utilize with plenty of success throughout his storied NBA career. Pegues made two of three free throws to put the Paladins back on top, 81-80, with 28 seconds to play.  

Following a timeout by Western Carolina, the Paladins would force Jackson to take a contested jumper from just outside the paint, which was off the mark and rebounded by Marcus Foster and then quickly passed into the hands of Bothwell, who was immediately fouled with eight seconds to play. Bothwell made both foul shots to give Furman a three-point lead. Furman burned its final timeout and then survived Jackson’s three-point attempt at the buzzer to hold on for a heart-stopping 83-80 win.