Furman wins SoCon, punches ticket to NCAA Tournament originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Furman heads back to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in 45 years.
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Cooper Bowser recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Paladins to a 76-61 victory over East Tennessee State on Monday night in the Southern Conference Tournament championship.
Furman (22-12) captured its eighth SoCon tournament title and first since 2023, when it defeated Chattanooga to earn an NCAA bid. ETSU came into the game as the top seed and haven’t made the Big Dance since 2020.
The Paladins shot 51% overall. Tom House added 13 points off the bench, while Alex Wilkins scored 12 after pouring in a career-high 34 points in Furman’s semifinal comeback victory.
The game started out smooth for the Paladins, who built momentum late in the first half when House drilled Furman’s sixth 3-pointer to extend the lead to 37-27 with four minutes remaining. Furman was up 42-35 going into halftime.
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Much of the same in the second half for the Padadins who closed out strong. They carried a double-digit lead and both teams traded made shots down the stretch.
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Brian Taylor II scored 16 points for East Tennessee State, including 14 in the second half. Blake Barkley added 14 points and Jaylen Smith had 10. The Buccaneers shot just 3 of 16 from beyond the arc, which became frustrating.
Furman waits to see where they’ll land in the first round.
