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Wednesday's men's basketball roundup
FUR - Guard Nick Anderson scored 17 of his season-high 24 points in the first half and Cooper Bowser went 8-for-8 from the field to add a career-best 21 points to help Furman outlast Southern Conference-leading Samford, 72-70, Wednesday night in front of a national television audience on CBS Sports Network from Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The Paladins never trailed en route to improving to 17-5 overall and 5-4 in the SoCon. Samford slipped to 17-5 overall and 7-2 in league play.
SAM - The Samford men's basketball team battled with Furman tonight on the road in Southern Conference play. A slow offensive start and turnovers were too much to overcome for the Bulldogs as their late comeback came up just short 72-70. Samford falls to 17-5 and 7-2 in SoCon play with the defeat while Furman moves to 17-5 overall and 5-4 in league play.
VMI - Looking for a quick rebound in conference play, the VMI basketball team earned a hard-fought 74-67 victory over host Wofford College Wednesday night at Richardson Indoor Stadium in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The victory snaps a two-game losing skid to the Terriers and marks VMI's first win in Spartanburg since the 2021-22 season when VMI registered an 80-73 victory on December 29, 2021. It is also VMI's 10th all-time win over Wofford. VMI has now won four of its last five games for its best stretch of games since the 2021-22 season.
WOF - The Wofford men's basketball team (11-11, 5-4) suffered a slow start in a 74-67 loss to the VMI Keydets (10-12, 4-5) on Wednesday evening in Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium.
The Terriers were outshot from the field, as VMI finished the night shooting 46 percent (23-50) and hit 11 threes at a 42.3 percent rate. Wofford shot 43.1 percent (25-58) and knocked down 10 threes at a 33.3 percent clip.
UNCG - In a very packed and loud Fleming Gymnasium, the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's basketball team utilized its sixth man to earn a 70-65 victory over ETSU on Wednesday night in The Southern Conference (SoCon) action.
With the win over the Bucs and Furman claiming a narrow win over Samford, the Spartans are now tied for first with the Bulldogs. Both teams have a 7-2 conference record.
ETSU - Despite erasing a nine-point second half deficit and leading by one with four minutes to play, the ETSU men's basketball team let one slip away as the Buccaneers fell 70-65 at UNCG Wednesday night inside Fleming Gym.
Chattanooga 84, Western Carolina 60
UTC - The Chattanooga Mocs men's basketball team posted its fourth-straight road victory in Southern Conference action with a convincing 84-60 decision over Western Carolina on Wednesday night inside the Ramsey Center in Cullowhee, N.C.
Chattanooga (14-8, 6-3 SoCon) controlled much of the opening half and used a plus-14 rebounding edge in the period to help build a 44-25 halftime lead over Western Carolina (6-14, 2-7 SoCon), marking the fewest first-half points UTC has allowed to an opponent this season. The Mocs saw its lead grow to as many as 32 (70-48) in the second half before eventually closing out the 84-60 victory.
WCU - Early scoring spurts in both halves coupled with a cold-shooting night by the homestanding Catamounts led Chattanooga to an 84-60 victory over Western Carolina on Wednesday night on Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center. Redshirt sophomore post Marcus Kell posted his sixth double-digit scoring effort of the season with a team-best 15 points to lead WCU as the two teams concluded the first half of Southern Conference play.
MER - Marcus Overstreet recorded a double-double off the bench and Mercer rolled to a dominant 80-46 win at home over The Citadel Wednesday night from Hawkins Arena.
The 46 points allowed by the Bears were the second fewest allowed in a game this season (43 vs Trinity Baptist). Mercer dominated points in the paint on the night, 42-20. Offensively, Mercer was balanced getting 28 points from its bench with nine different players making a field goal. The Bears also won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Bulldogs, 44-34.
CIT - The Citadel basketball team trailed 13-12 midway through the first half, but the Mercer University Bears closed the session on a 21-6 run on its way to besting the Bulldogs on Wednesday night.
Brody Fox had 11 points and nine rebounds while Paxton Davidson chipped in 10, four boards, and two helpers.