ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Top-seeded Furman and No. 7 seed Chattanooga were locked in a battle before the Paladins pulled away in the end for an 88-79 win in the final of the 2023 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville. The Paladins got their revenge after losing in heartbreaking fashion to close the previous season.
 
The Paladins will learn their postseason destination on Selection Sunday, March 12, as the 68-team field will be announced on CBS at 6 p.m. ET.
 
The teams traded buckets early in the matchup, with each team holding the lead at least once before the first media timeout. The ensuing minutes saw the tide turn completely in the direction of the Paladins. Furman scored the next 15 out of the timeout, with Jalen Slawson accounting for six of his team’s points during the run. Dalvin White finally ended the cold streak with Chattanooga’s first bucket in almost five minutes. Furman continued to roll, extending its lead to 19 until the Mocs fired off a 13-0 run, capped off by an A.J. Caldwell 3-pointer to cut the deficit to just six. Chattanooga made it a three-point game with under a minute to play, but Furman’s JP Pegues just beat the buzzer to send the Paladins into the half up by five.
 
Jake Stephens was the catalyst for the Chattanooga offense, hitting for 14 points and five rebounds before the break. Furman saw a pair of players surpass the double-digit mark as both Pegues and Alex Williams poured in 10 points.
 
Chattanooga made it a one-point game early in the second half as the teams traded baskets. Furman used a 9-2 run to jump back ahead by 10, powered by seven consecutive points from the hand of Slawson. Chattanooga managed to cut the Furman lead to seven a few times over the next minutes, but the Paladins had a response each time. The Mocs mounted a comeback late in the game, cutting the Furman lead to four only for the Paladins to slam the door and run away in the end with a nine-point win.
 
Slawson was the Paladins’ leading scorer with 20 points on the night to go with five rebounds and four assists. Pegues capped off a stellar tournament with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists while being voted as the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Bothwell played an integral role in closing out the win, scoring all 16 of his points in the second half, including hitting 12-of-13 from the charity stripe. Williams rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 points, while Marcus Foster led his team with nine rebounds. The teams were nearly even statistically, but it was the Paladins that took better advantage of turnovers, creating 13 points off giveaways.
 
Stephens scored 20+ in every one of Chattanooga’s games in the tournament, ending his run with 25 to go along with eight rebounds. Jamal Johnson finished with 17 points and poured in 14 in the second half alone. Caldwell was the final player in double-digits with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
 

RECORDS: No. 1 Furman 27-7 | No. 7 Chattanooga 18-17

 
STATS TO KNOW
- Furman won its 27th game of the season, extending its already record-breaking season. The duo of Bothwell and Slawson also extended the record for most wins by a player in a career as both won 114 games in their Paladin career.
- The Paladins won their first tournament title and will be making the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 1980.
- Chattanooga set a SoCon tournament records with 43 3-pointers and 105 attempts over its four games. The Mocs also now hold the record for most points in a tournament at 330, besting the previous record of 323.
 
All-Tournament Team
First team
Mike Bothwell, Furman
JP Pegues, Furman (MOP)
Jalen Slawson, Furman
Jake Stephens, Chattanooga
Vonterius Woolbright, Western Carolina
 
Second team
Jermaine Marshall, Samford
Jamal Johnson, Chattanooga
Tyzhaun Claude, Western Carolina
B.J. Mack, Wofford
Jackson Paveletzke, Wofford
 
Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Blake Harris, Furman

2023 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship
Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, Asheville, N.C.
 
Friday, March 3 (ESPN+)
Game 1 - (8) Mercer 66, (9) The Citadel 41
Game 2 - (7) Chattanooga 92, (10) VMI 72
 
Saturday, March 4 (ESPN+/Nexstar)
Game 3 - (1) Furman 73, (8) Mercer 58
Game 4 - (4) Western Carolina 69,  (5) ETSU 57
Game 5 - (7) Chattanooga 85, (2) Samford 82
Game 6 - (6) Wofford 67, (3) UNCG 66
 
Sunday, March 5 (ESPNU/ESPNEWS)
Game 7 – (1) Furman 83, (4) Western Carolina 80
Game 8 – (7) Chattanooga 74, (6) Wofford 62
 
Monday, March 6 (ESPN)
(1) Furman 88, (7) Chattanooga 79