GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Tierra Hodges scored 22 points and combined it with 17 rebounds to lead Furman past Chattanooga, 63-50, in Southern Conference women's basketball play on Saturday afternoon at Timmons Arena.

The win, the third in the last four outings for Furman (11-9, 4-2 SoCon), moved the Paladins into third place in the league standings behind front running Mercer and second place Wofford.

Furman handed Mercer its only league loss of the season, a 69-66 verdict on Jan. 20 in Macon.

Hodges, the reigning SoCon Player of the Week coming off a 27-point, 11-rebound performance in Thursday's 68-54 triumph over ETSU, finished off her week by pacing the Paladins to their third win in the last four clashes versus Chattanooga by connecting on 8-of-20 shots and all six free throws.  The 5-foot-9 senior forward and SoCon's leading rebounder added 17 boards —one shy of tying her career high. She tacked on a two assists and a pair of steals in playing the game's full 40 minutes.

Grace van Rij joined Hodges in double figures with 13 points and added six rebounds, as the Paladins commanded a 41-27 advantage rebounding advantage.

Greyson Boone's running one-hander along the baseline as time expired in the first half gave Furman a 33-31 lead, which it would never relinquish.

Boone's 3-pointer four minutes into the third quarter stretched Furman's advantage to 42-35 and sparked a decisive 10-2 Paladin run, capped by a Hodges three-point play that put Furman up, 49-37, with 2:32 remaining in the period.

Chattanooga twice cut Furman's lead to eight points, but a Sydney James 3-pointer from the right wing with just four minutes left in the contest gave the Paladins a 59-46 lead and effectively sealed the game's outcome.

Boone broke out of recent shooting slump to convert 3-of-6 shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, to finish with eight points.  The senior guard and Greenville native added four rebounds and two assists to her worksheet.

Furman shot 40.7 percent from the field (22x54) and converted 15-of-18 free throws (83.3 percent).

Chattanooga, which kept the game close in the first half by making 6-of-10 3-pointers, connected on just 1-of-7 from beyond the arc in the second half. The Mocs finished the contest shooting 38.2 percent from the field (21x55).

Dena Jarrells was the lone UTC in double figures with 14 points.

Hodges' 22 points moved her up to ninth on Furman's career scoring ledger with 1,461 points, surpassing Karen Stanley (1,452 points, 1992-95).