Furman Vs. Western Highlights

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Justin Taylor scored a career-high 26 points off the bench and hit four free throws in the final 13 seconds as seventh-seeded Western Carolina knocked off No. 2 seed Furman, 75-70, on Saturday in the quarterfinal round of the Southern Conference Women's Basketball Championship at Kimmel Arena.

Taylor was 5-for-11 from the floor and 3-for-4 from 3-point range but scored half of her points at the free-throw line, where she was 13-for-13. Taylor paced four Catamounts in double figures, as Rena Wakama had 18 points and Erika Joseph and Shauna Terry had 11 each.

Furman (18-12) was led by junior Sarah Durdaller, who scored 19 points, while sophomore Holli Wilkins had 15 and junior Brittany Hodges added 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.  Senior Brigid Morrissey tied a school single game record with 13 assists in the contest.

The Catamounts led the entire first half and into the second half before back-to-back lay ups by Hodges gave the Paladins their first lead of the game, 46-45, with 8:51 remaining.  Erika Joseph tied the game with a free throw before a three-pointer by junior Sarah Durdaller capped a 10-3 Furman run and put the Paladins ahead, 49-46.

Furman stretched the lead to 51-47 off a lay up by Durdaller at the 7:58 mark of the second half, then Wilkins sank a three-pointer with just over five minutes left to push the lead to, 54-49.  Durdaller added a three-point play to give the Paladins their largest lead of the game, 57-51, with just over five minutes left, but the Catamounts scored Furman 24-13 over the final 5:41 for the upset.

The Paladins held a three-point advantage with three minutes remaining before a lay up and free throw by Wakama tied the game at 62-all.  Two free throws by Morrissey put Furman ahead, 64-62, but a jumper by Terry again tied the game.  Western Carolina took a 66-64 lead with 1:31 left off free throws by Terry, then Hodges cuts the lead to one, 66-65, with a free throw at the one minute mark.

The Catamounts went 7-for-8 from the line in the final minute of play.  Durdaller's 3-pointer with 14.7 seconds left again drew the Paladins within a point, but Taylor iced the game with a pair of makes from the free-throw line with 13 seconds remaining.