Conway, S.C. – Marcus Foster poured in 30 points and Carter Whitt posted career highs with 20 points and eight rebounds to lead Furman to an 89-80 victory over host Coastal Carolina Friday evening at the Myrtle Beach Invitational in Conway, S.C.
 
With the victory, the Paladins (3-1) advance to face the Wyoming Cowboys in the fifth-place game of the tournament on Sunday, November 19, at 10:30 a.m. at the HTC Center. The game will be air live on ESPNU and can be heard on The Fan Upstate 97.7 FM, 1330 AM, and via the Audacy app.
 
Foster connected on 12-of-23 field goal attempts and added five rebounds and five assists en route to reaching 30 points for the second straight night. His 60 combined points already ranks as the sixth highest total in the history of the Myrtle Beach Invitational.
 
After pulling down six of his career-best eight rebounds in the first half, Whitt made good on 7-of-10 second-half shots to score all 20 of his points after the break. Junior JP Pegues contributed 14 points and six assists while PJay Smith added eight. Senior Garrett Hien scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds to go with a career-high eight assists and five steals.
 
Leading 67-65 with under 6:30 to play, Pegues found Foster in the corner for a triple as Furman answered Coastal Carolina's 7-0 run with an 8-2 spurt to up its lead to 75-67 with 5:15 left. Whitt scored seven of the next nine points for the Paladins as they maintained at least a six-point advantage the rest of the way.
 
Limited to seven available scholarship players due to injuries and illness, Furman shot 51% from the floor and converted on 13-of-17 trips to the charity stripe to secure the road win. The Paladins scored 21 points off 18 Chanticleer turnovers and outscored Coastal Carolina 21-10 on the fastbreak.
 
Kylan Blackmon led Coastal (1-2) with 23 points while Jocob Meyer and Ginika Ojiako reached double figures with 18 and 14 points, respectively. The Chanticleers shot 47.8 %, including 60% in the second half.
 
Myrtle Beach Invitational
Date    Matchup (TV)                                                    Time
11/16  Vermont 73, Charleston 64                            
             Saint Louis 79, Wyoming 69                           
             Wichita St. 86, Coastal Carolina 77               
             Liberty 88, Furman 74                                     
11/17  Vermont 78, Saint Louis 68                            
             Wyoming 67, Charleston 60                           
             Furman 89, Coastal Carolina 80                    
             Wichita State vs. Liberty (ESPNU)                 9:00 p.m.
11/19  Wyoming vs. Furman (ESPNU)                      10:30 a.m.
             Charleston vs. Coastal Carolina (ESPN+)      1:00 p.m.
             Vermont vs. (ESPN2)                                        5:30 p.m.
             Saint Louis vs. (ESPN2)                                    8:00 p.m.