GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Holli Wilkins scored 20 points and Furman used a strong second half start to grab command on the way to a 76-69 victory over Western Carolina in women's Southern Conference basketball action Monday evening at Timmons Arena.

The win marked the third straight triumph and eighth decision in the last 10 games for Furman (9-6, 3-1 SoCon), which will wrap up its three-game home stand on Saturday when it entertains Wofford in a 2:00 p.m. contest on YP Court.

Western Carolina (7-7, 1-2 SoCon), which got a game high 21 points from Lindsay Simpson, dropped its second straight contest.

With the score tied 34-34 at intermission, Furman opened the second half with an Allison Beasley 3-pointer and 9-0 Brittany Hodges scoring spree to go up 46-40.

A Wilkins 3-pointer stretched the advantage to 49-40, and two free throws from Beasley made it 51-40  with 16:05 remaining.

Western Carolina responded with an 8-0 run over the next minute to cut it to 51-48 on a Makensey Campebll 3-point play before Furman answered with layup and 3-pointer by Whitney Bunn to run the Paladin edge to 56-48.

The Catamounts got within five at 62-57 with 7:05 on the clock, but a Brigid Morrissey 3-point play, Sarah Durdaller 3-pointer, and Bunn layup capped an 8-0 Furman burst to effectively seal the game's result.

Hodges followed Wilkins in the scoring column for Furman with 15 points, and Bunn matched a season high with 13 points.  Hodges and Bunn led the Paladins with seven rebounds apiece.

Campbell and Rena Wakama rounded out Western Carolina's double figure scoring effort with 13 and 12 points respectively.

Brigid Morrissey notched a game high seven assists.

The Catamounts used sizzling 3-point shooting in the first half, converting 6-of-9 treys over the game's first 20 minutes, to help keep the Paladins in check.  Simpson, who drained 5-of-6 3-pointers on the way to 16 points in the first period, connected on only one 3-pointer the rest of the way.

Furman keyed its strong second half by connecting on 50.0 percent of its field goal attempts (12-for-24) and finished with a 43.6 percent clip (24-for-55).

Western Carolina shot 39.7 percent from the field (25-for-63) in the contest.

The Paladins forged a 44-35 rebounding advantage and outscored the Catamounts by 11 points at the free throw line, making good for 21 of 29 opportunities.