Box Score Furman vs. ETSU Game Notes
Greenville, S.C. -- Furman and ETSU will square off at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday in the second half of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader at Timmons Arena with first place in the Southern Conference men's basketball standings on the line.
The Paladins enter Thursday's game at 13-5 overall and 4-1 in league play after suffering a 79-70 defeat at Wofford last Saturday night. Senior Devin Sibley scored 17 points and sophomore Jordan Lyons added 14 points, but the Paladins were unable to hold onto a late five-point lead as the Terriers used a 14-0 run to erase a 62-57 deficit and claim the victory. Cameron Jackson and Trevor Stumpe paced Wofford with 20 points apiece while Fletcher Magee added 17 points.
Sibley leads the Paladins in scoring at 15.7 points per game. Lyons has given the Paladins a boost in SoCon play by averaging 13.8 per game, shooting 43.7% from the three-point range and connecting on 11-of-12 trips to the foul line in SoCon play. Junior Matt Rafferty, who averages 11.3 points per game, has paced the league in field goal percentage (63.6%) and ranks second in rebounding at 7.9 boards per game.
ETSU improved to 14-4 overall and 5-0 in the SoCon by downing VMI, 89-48, on Saturday afternoon in Johnson City, Tenn., for its eighth consecutive win. Seniors Desonta Bradford and Jalan McCloud lead the Bucs averaging 13.9 and 11.6 points per game, respectively. ETSU seven-foot center Peter Jurkin earned SoCon Player of the Week honors last week after contributing 15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game to help the Bucs to three wins.
The Paladins and Bucs will be meeting for the 55th time with ETSU holding a 28-26 series lead. Furman claimed a 75-62 win over ETSU in Greenville last season before the Bucs downed the Paladins, 93-81, in overtime in Johnson City on February 22, 2017. ETSU holds a 4-3 series lead over Furman since rejoining the SoCon in 2014-15. Furman sports a 14-9 series edge in games played in Greenville.
Thursday's contest is "90's Night" at Timmons Arena. The first 200 students will receive a fanny pack and there will be free pizza for all Furman students in attendance. Tickets for Thursday's game and Saturday afternoon's 4:30 contest against Samford are on sale at FurmanPaladins.com and at the Timmons Arena Box Office.
The game will be streamed on ESPN3 with the audio broadcast available on FoxSports 1440AM, via the TuneIn Radio app and through Stretch Audio at FirmanPaladins.com.
