Greenville, S.C. – The first place Furman men's basketball team goes for its ninth win in its last 10 outings when the Paladins take on the Wofford Terriers in a nationally televised Southern Conference matchup on ESPNU Friday night at Richardson Indoor Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
 
For fans who are not making the trip to Spartanburg, Furman will host a watch party for Friday's game from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at Charleston Sports Pub at 15 West Washington Street in downtown Greenville.
 
The Paladins, 15-4 overall and 5-1 in the SoCon, moved back to the top of the league standings on Wednesday night with an 83-79 victory over Western Carolina at Timmons Arena. Senior Jordan Lyons scored 20 points to pace six Paladins in double figures as Furman snapped the Catamounts' five-game winning streak and handed Western Carolina its first league loss of the season.
 
Lyons, who ranks 24^th in Furman history with 1,328 career points, leads the Paladins averaging 17.0 points per game. He has averaged 20.7 points per game in six SoCon contests while shooting 44.9% from three-point range against league opposition. Sophomore forward Noah Gurley, who scored six straight points during a key stretch in the final minutes on Wednesday, is averaging 14.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Junior Clay Mounce and sophomore Mike Bothwell round out the Paladins' double figure scorers contributing 13.6 and 10.2 points per game, respectively.
 
Friday's nationally televised game will mark the 143^rd all-time meeting between Furman and Wofford with the Paladins holding an 86-56 series lead. The Terriers, however, won both meetings last season and have won 20 of the last 26 in the series. Furman's last victory, a 76-52 verdict, came in Greenville during the 2017-18 campaign. The Paladins are in search of the first win in Spartanburg since a 73-68 overtime decision on January 24, 2011.
 
Entering Friday's game, Furman is tied for second in the nation with six true road wins this season and has won eight consecutive SoCon regular season road contests, dating back to a 59-54 loss at Wofford on January 19, 2019. Head coach Bob Richey's Paladins rank third in the SoCon in scoring offense at 78.1 points per game and fourth in scoring defense allowing only 66.1 per contest. The Paladins sport a 15-1 record this season when holding opponents to 80 or fewer points.
 
Wofford is 11-7 overall and 3-2 in SoCon play under first-year head coach Jay McAuley, a former Furman assistant. The Terriers suffered a 72-59 loss on Wednesday night at Chattanooga. Guards Nathan Hoover and Storm Murphy lead the Terriers averaging 14.3 and 12.6 points per game, respectively.
 
Following Friday's game, Furman returns home to host the Samford Bulldogs at Timmons Arena on Wednesday, January 22. Tickets for all of Furman's remaining home games are on sale now at the Timmons Arena Box Office and online at FurmanPaladins.com. Current Furman students will have access to free tickets on Furman basketball game days. Click here to learn about the student ticket policy for the 2019-20 season.