GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman's women's basketball tips off its Southern Conference home season on Thursday when it plays host to Western Carolina in a 7:00 p.m. game at Hayes Gymnasium on the campus of North Greenville University.
Hayes Gymnasium is serving as the primary home court for the Paladins this season while Furman's on-campus basketball venue, Timmons Arena, undergoes a $40 million renovation before re-opening for the 2025-26 season. Furman has played 12 of its 17 games to date on the road (counting three neutral site contests) while the Paladins' on-campus basketball venue, Timmons Arena, undergoes a $40 million renovation before re-opening for the 2025-26 season.
The Paladins will also play a pair of contests (Jan. 18 vs. UNC Greensboro and Feb. 8 versus Wofford) at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Greenville.
Thursday's contest will be live streamed via ESPN+ and StatBroadcast live stats provided thru the Furman schedule page on FurmanPaladins.com. Score updates, timely notes, and game highlight clips will be posted on "X" @FurmanWBB.
Furman (10-7, 0-1 SoCon) holds a commanding 54-35 lead in its all-time series with Western Carolina (11-6, 1-1 SoCon) and has won the last 14 meetings. The Paladins' run of success versus the Catamounts in Greenville stands at 12 games, its last loss (at Timmons Arena) being a triple overtime, 88-83, setback during the 2012-13 season. In the last meeting a year ago in Greenville,
Sydney Ryan's 15-point scoring effort helpd Furman to a 58-53 victory.
The Paladins, who opened SoCon play with a 68-51 loss at Wofford on Sunday, have dropped four of their last five games. The story of Sunday's game was the Terriers' 3-point shooting as Wofford, which entered the contest shooting 28.6 percent on the season from beyond the arc, made 14-of-29 (.483) treys.
The Paladins welcomed the return of senior All-SoCon forward
Jada Session in December after she missed the first 10 games while recovering from a knee injury. Furman's leading scorer (12.1 ppg) and rebounder (8.1 rpg) a year ago, she posted her first double-double (10 pts., 10 rebs.) of the season in the Paladins' 107-51 romp over Southern Wesleyan on Jan. 1.
While Session's return has been good news, Furman suffered a huge hit with the exit of starting redshirt junior guard
Niveya Henley (11.7 ppg, .358 3PFG%), who suffered a season ending knee injury in the second quarter of the 78-77 loss at North Carolina Central on Dec. 30. Henley successfully returned to action last year, averaging 10.8 ppg and earning third team All-SoCon honors after sitting out the 2022-23 campaign with a knee injury.
Furman is paced in scoring (12.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.6 rpg) by senior forward
Kate Johnson. Johnson leads the SoCon and ranks 15th nationally in field goal percentage (.604), and her work on the glass fronts a Paladin squad that ranks 19th nationally in rebounding margin (+9.4).
Graduate guard
Tate Walters, who returned to action last year and averaged 10.0 ppg while contributing 107 assists after missing the 2023-23 season with a torn Achilles tendon, continues to move up Furman's career ledger in points (1,064/22nd) and assists (398/4th). Next up on the scoring ledger at No. 21 is Heide White (1,132 points, 1996-99), and No. 3 on the assist chart is Tara Charles (403 assists, 1997-01).
