MACON, GA. – Tate Walters led three Paladins in double figures Saturday afternoon as Furman knocked off the Mercer Bears, 57-47, in Southern Conference women's basketball action inside Hawkins Arena.
The win snaps a two-game losing skid for the Paladins (12-9, 2-3 SoCon), who collect their first win in Macon, Ga., since a 69-66 triumph on January 20, 2022.
Walters paced Furman offensively with 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting while
Jada Session and
Clare Coyle contributed 13 and 11 points, respectively. Session and Coyle both led all players with nine rebounds apiece.
Sydney Ryan contributed nine points and
Chantelle Stuart finished one assist shy of tying her career high after dishing out six.
The Paladins outscored Mercer (6-14, 1-4 SoCon) by a 15-7 margin in the fourth quarter with the Bears not having connected on a field goal over the final 2:59. With the score tied at 42-42 and 8:32 remaining in the contest, Furman registered eight consecutive points over the next 2:22 to go ahead, 50-42, when Coyle made 1-of-2 at the free throw line. Mercer was held to just five points during the last 2:59 as the Paladins took their largest lead of the game, 57-47, with 28 seconds to go on a pair of free throws from Session to seal the victory.
Session had 11 of her 13 points in the second half while Furman's offense shot 46.2 percent (12-of-26) after halftime and held the Bears to 0-of-3 behind the 3-point line and just nine made field goals.
Walters scored all 14 her points in the first half to give the Paladins a 26-23 lead at the break.
Ariana Bennett, who led Mercer with a game high 21 points, netted 14 of those in the third quarter on 5-of-6 shooting and 4-of-5 at the free throw line. Nahawa Diarra totaled 11 points and Chelsy Bautista added eight rebounds.
Furman concluded the game shooting 40.7 percent (22-of-54) overall and held a 38-35 advantage in rebounds. The Bears were only 2-of-11 (18.2 percent) from 3-point range.
The Paladins begin a three-game homestand on Thursday, January 30 hosting East Tennessee State at 7 p.m. from Hayes Gymnasium on the campus of North Greenville University.
