Game 23: Furman (15-7, 9-4 SoCon) vs. The Citadel (12-10, 5-10 SoCon)
Wednesday, February 24, 2021 – 7:00 p.m.
Timmons Arena | Greenville, S.C.
GameDay Sponsor: Greenville Heritage FCU
TV: ESPN+
Radio: ESPN Upstate (97.7 FM/1330 AM Greenville, 97.1 FM/950 AM Spartanburg, Radio.com)
Live Stats: FurmanPaladins.com
 
FURMAN NOTABLES

• Furman, after having Monday's game versus VMI canceled due to COVID issues in the Keydet program, concludes its regular season home schedule Wednesday night when it goes for a season sweep of The Citadel in a 7 p.m. contest at Timmons Arena.
• The Paladins (9-4, .692), ranked No. 15 in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 and a SoCon-best No. 74 in the latest NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) Rankings, enter the final two games of the regular season in second place in the Southern Conference standings behind UNCG (12-4, .750).
• On Saturday, Noah Gurley poured in 24 points and added 10 rebounds to secure his second double-double of the season as Furman completed the regular season sweep of Mercer with a 70-60 triumph over the Bears at Hawkins Arena in Macon, Ga. Mike Bothwell contributed 17 points and six rebounds, while Jalen Slawson posted 12 points and six boards as Furman shot 52.2% from the floor and converted on 17-of-19 trips to the foul line.
• Saturday's victory marked Furman's 12^th straight over Mercer and fifth straight versus the Bears in Macon, Ga.
• Noah Gurley earned SoCon Player of the Week honors on Tuesday after averaging 20 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in leading the Paladins to wins over Samford and Mercer last week. The forward notched his 1,000^th career point in Wednesday's win over Samford before scoring 24 at Mercer.
• Furman enters Wednesday night's home game having won 22 of its last 23 games at Timmons Arena and 38 in the last 41 regular season contests played in the facility. Furman is 73-12 at Timmons over the last six seasons, including 43-6 versus SoCon opposition.
• Senior Alex Hunter connected on a career-best seven three-point tries to post a career-high 23 points in last Wednesday's 78-64 win over Samford. A starter at point guard in 86 of the last 87 games for the Paladins, Hunter is averaging 10.7 points, 3.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game while leading the SoCon in assist-to-turnover ratio. He has shot 40.1% from behind the arc this season, including 42.2% from long range in SoCon play. Hunter's 197 three-point baskets rank as the sixth most in Paladin history and the senior needs just three more to become only the fifth Paladins to ever reach 200 three-point makes.
• Head coach Bob Richey (88-32), now in his fourth year, ranks in the top 10 among active NCAA Division I coaches with a .733 winning percentage. He guided Furman to 23 victories in his first year as head coach before setting school records with 25 wins in each of the last two seasons.
• Clay Mounce (14.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg) grabbed two rebounds in a Dec. 15 loss at Alabama to reach 500 for his career and become just the 10^th player in school history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 150 assists in a career. Mounce currently ranks 31st in school history with 1,231 career points.

 
Furman vs. The Citadel Series

• The Paladins and Bulldogs are set for their 215^th meeting on the hardwood with Furman holding a 127-87 series lead.
• Furman has won five straight meetings between the schools and nine of the last 10 against The Citadel. 
• The Paladins have won five straight versus The Citadel at Timmons Arena.
• In the last meeting between the schools in January, Clay Mounce poured in a career-high 29 points, Mike Bothwell scored 18 and Noah Gurley added 17 as Furman held off The Citadel, 94-88, at McAlister Field House in Charleston, S.C.

 
Up Next:
Furman at Wofford
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021 – 7:00 p.m.
Richardson Indoor Stadium | Spartanburg, S.C.
TV: Nexstar/WYCW 62/ESPN+
Radio: ESPN Upstate