GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Chelsey Shumpert scored 15 points and helped ignite a decisive second half rally that keyed Chattanooga to a 47-40 victory over Furman in Southern Conference women's basketball action Monday night at Timmons Arena.

Trailing 38-27 with nine and half minutes remaining, Chattanooga used pressure defense to turn up the intensity, and Shumpert sparked the comeback with three consecutive baskets, igniting a 20-2 closing run by the Mocs that handed UTC (14-3, 2-0 SoCon) its 36th consecutive SoCon regular season victory.

Shumpert finished with 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals for Chattanooga, which shot just 29.7 percent from the field (19x64) but took advantage of 19 Furman turnovers, which it converted into 21 points.

Furman (11-7, 0-2 SoCon) was paced by Brittany Hodges with 15 points and 10 rebounds, her seventh double-double of the season, and Whitney Bunn with 12 points.  Freshman Cierra Carter, starting her second consecutive game for the injured Sarah Durdaller, claimed a game high 13 rebounds.

Furman shot 35.4 percent for the game (17x48) but connected on just one of its final 14 attempts and committed seven turnovers over the contest's final 9:23.  

The Paladins led 38-27 following a Hodges layup with 11:20 to go but managed to only one basket the rest of the way — a Bunn layup at the 7:10 mark that put the Paladins up 40-33.

Its pressure defense starting taking its toll on the Furman earlier, however, as two of Shumpert's three consecutive baskets, part of a 6-0 spurt, were set up by steals that pulled the Mocs to within five at 38-33.

Following Bunn's basket, UTC continued its onslaught with a 3-pointer and layup by Towns and a layup by Keiana Gilbert that tied the game at 40-40 with 5:11 remaining.

The Mocs took the lead for good on a Towns 3-pointer with 3:27 to go and iced the contest with four free throws over the final 20 seconds.

Jasmine Joyner made just 3-of-17 shots for UTC but combined eight points with nine rebounds and six blocks to aid the Mocs' effort.

Furman returns to action on Saturday when it opens a three-game road swing at Samford.  Tipoff is set for 3:00 p.m.

Hunter Reid, Furman Sports Information