Greenville, S.C. – The Furman men's basketball team goes for its third straight win and a 2-0 start in Southern Conference play when the Paladins celebrate New Year's Day with a 1 p.m. tipoff against the VMI Keydets on Saturday at Cameron Hall in Lexington, Va.

The contest is the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week and will be broadcast over Nexstar stations WMYT (Charlotte) and WYCW (Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville).

Fans can follow the action on www.furmanpaladins.com via live stats. The game is also airing via paid subscription on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Updates will be posted on the Furman men's basketball Twitter page (@FurmanHoops).

Fans can listen to the "Voice of the Paladins" Dan Scott on 97.7 FM/1330 AM in Greenville, 97.1 FM/950 AM in Spartanburg, and thru Audacy.com.

The Paladins (9-5, 1-0 SoCon) began league play on Wednesday with an 81-49 victory over Samford at Timmons Arena. Furman held an opponent to under 50 points in a conference opener for the first time since January 5, 2012 when it defeated The Citadel, 77-45, in Greenville. 

Mike Bothwell scored a game high 18 points to lead the Paladins offensively and contributed four assists and two steals. Jalen Slawson turned in his fifth double-double of the season on 12 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals. Joe Anderson posted a career best 14 points and Conley Garrison contributed 11 points and three assists. Alex Hunter tallied 10 points, four assists and two steals. Garrett Hien had seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

With his four assists on Wednesday, Hunter became the fifth player in program history to eclipse 400 career assists. He joins former Paladins Guilherme Da Luz (2001-02), Hal Henderson (1989-92), Ron Smith (1975-78) and Eric Webb (2004-07) as the only players to compile 400 or more assists in their careers. 

Hunter leads Furman on offense this season averaging a team high 17.1 points per game while Bothwell contributes 15.1. Slawson adds 15.9 points and a team leading 8.4 rebounds per game.

VMI is currently 8-5 overall and 1-0 in the SoCon after opening its conference schedule with an 80-73 win at Wofford on Wednesday. Kamdyn Curfman is one of three players averaging in double figures with 18.6 points per game and is joined by Jake Stephens (16.8) and Cooper Sisco (11.3). Stephens averages a team leading 8.5 rebounds per game. The Keydets are under the direction of seventh-year head coach Dan Earl.

The Paladins are facing VMI for the 103^rd time in program history and leads the all-time series, which dates to the 1938-39 season, 66-36.

Furman remains on the road on Wednesday, January 5 when it travels to UNC Greensboro for a 7 p.m. tipoff on ESPNNEWS.