Greenville, S.C. – Furman opens a three-game homestand and goes for its fourth consecutive victory when it hosts South Carolina State for a 12 p.m. tip-off in non-conference men's basketball action on Saturday at Timmons Arena.
Fans can purchase tickets for Saturday's game
here and are encouraged to stay in their seats to watch the 11
th-ranked Paladin football team take on Incarnate Word in the second round of the FCS playoffs on the big screens in Timmons immediately following the final whistle. Additionally, fans who bring a new, unwrapped toy to the Timmons Arena Box Office for Furman Basketball Holiday Toy Drive, will have the opportunity to purchase a $5 ticket to the Furman-South Carolina State game.
To accommodate the football playoff radio broadcast on 97.7 FM, Saturday's men's basketball game broadcast will air on 1330 AM and on Audacy.com with Rob Brown calling the action. Search "Furman Basketball" on the Audacy app to access the basketball broadcast. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN+ with Bryant Lambert and Faxon Childress handling the call.
Ranked No. 10 in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 Poll and No. 65 in the latest Pomeroy Ratings, Furman enters Saturday's matchup at 5-2 on the year following a 65-61 triumph over Sun Belt Conference member Appalachian State on Tuesday night in Boone, N.C. The Paladins saw a 16-point second half lead evaporate against the Mountaineers, who took a five-point lead with a 17-0 run, but Furman reeled off 11 straight points and allowed just one field goal over the final 6:03 to claim its third straight win and fifth straight victory in the series with Appalachian.
Fifth-year senior
Mike Bothwell, who scored a game-high 23 points on Tuesday night, keyed the late run by scoring nine points during the Paladins' 13-4 game-ending spurt. The Cleveland Heights, Ohio, native drained a pair of free throws with six seconds left to seal the win. Over the first month of the season, Bothwell has averaged 20.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game while scoring 23 or more points four times. He has connected on 92% of his trips to the foul line, which ranks 19
th nationally.
Fellow fifth-year senior
Jalen Slawson, who joined Bothwell on the Lou Henson Award Watch List for top mid-major player in the country, has contributed 15.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game through the Paladins' first seven contests. The 2022 Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year notched his 13
th career double-double with 16 points and 12 boards in the victory at Appalachian State.
Several other players delivered clutch performances in Tuesday night's win. Junior
Garrett Hien grabbed 10 rebounds to go with six points and scored a crucial basket in Furman's late 11-0 run. Redshirt-junior
Marcus Foster tallied 12 points, five boards and four assists, while sophomore
JP Pegues dished out a career-high six assists and led the Paladins with a +16 plus/minus rating.
South Carolina State and Furman have met 18 times on the hardwood with the Paladins holding a 13-5 series advantage. In the last meeting between the instate rivals, Furman rolled to a 118-52 victory over the Bulldogs on December 21, 2020.
Jonny Lawrence connected on five three-pointers to score 15 points and highlight six Paladins in double figures in the win as Furman shot 70% from the field.
The Bulldogs (1-7), under the direction of first-year head coach Erik Martin, are coming off a 73-68 victory at East Carolina in their last outing.
The Paladins continue the homestand on Tuesday night versus High Point before hosting Winthrop on Saturday, December 10.
