Postgame Highlights and Interviews Video

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Whitney Bunn and Brittany Hodges tallied 17 points apiece and Furman used a decisive late second half run to pull away to a 74-59 victory over USC Upstate in women's basketball action Wednesday evening at Timmons Arena.

The win improved Furman (11-5) to 8-0 at home this season and marked the Paladins' 11th consecutive home victory and 20th triumph in their last 22 contests at Timmons Arena.

Bunn combined her 17 points with 11 assists and came close to recording a triple double, finishing with eight rebounds.  Her 11 dishes upped her Southern Conference leading assist tally to 115 and moved her into 10th place on Furman's season assist ledger with almost a half season remaining.

Hodges, meanwhile, rounded out her performance with six rebounds and five blocks.  The 17 points gave the senior All-SoCon forward 1,200 for her career, advancing her to 12th on Furman's all-time scoring chart, and the six caroms upped the Powder Springs, Ga., product's career total to 797, good for fifth place in program history.

Holli Wilkins added 12 points, and Sarah Durdaller contributed nine points along with a game high 11 rebounds for the Paladins, who shot a blistering 54.7 percent (29-of-53) from the field.

Kristen Dickerson paced USC Upstate (8-7) with 13 points and Brittany Clency tallied 11 points for the Spartans, who connected on just 22-of-72 shots (30.6 percent).

Furman led 28-17 with six and half minutes to go the first half before USC Upstate fashioned a 10-0 run to pull within a point with just under three minutes remaining.  A Maddie Herr 3-pointer at the 1:46 mark put the Spartans up, 33-32, before a Wilkins basket and two free throws from Bunn sent the Paladins into the locker room with a 36-33 halftime lead.

Kelsey Ellis drained a jump shot at the 11:37 juncture to give Furman a 53-48 lead, which the Paladins quickly expanded to nine points following layups by Cierra Carter and Hodges with 10 minutes remaining.

The Spartans whittled the advantage to five at 57-52 before the Paladins dropped another hammer in the form of an 8-0 spurt to take control.  All four baskets, the last of which Wilkins delivered on a jump shot off a Bunn assist with 3:50 to go, followed offensive rebounds, and put Furman up, 65-52.

A Durdaller 3-pointer from the left wing with 1:30 remaining made it 70-56 and sealed the outcome.

Furman's strong second half was fueled by solid rebounding as the Paladins posted a 44-36 advantage on the glass, including a 23-15 margin in the second half.

Furman also registered a 42-22 differential in scoring in the paint.

The Paladins open SoCon play on Saturday when they play host to East Tennessee State in a 2:00 p.m. contest, part of a hoops doubleheader at Furman that will include the men's game versus VMI beginning at approximately 4:00 p.m.

Hunter Reid, Furman Sports Information