Paladins and Terriers on Senior Day
The Furman Paladins Women’s basketball team are celebrating Senior night at the Well versus SoCon Foe Wofford Terriers in a high-stake battle for position in the standings. Furman starts off in great fashion but quickly lets Wofford back in the game after the Terriers start a full court press on the Paladins. Several turnovers lead to quick points for the Terriers and the first media timeout finds the Paladins tied 10-10 with their rivals from Spartanburg.
We end the first quarter with Furman leading Wofford 18-17 shooting 37.5% from FG while having 10 rebounds. Wofford is shooting 33.3% from FG range while 16.7% from 3-point range so far in this game. The Paladins look to follow up a decent first quarter with a chance to pull away from the Terriers who have found a way to keep the Paladins close.
The second quarter has belonged to the Paladins, as Kate Johnson has put on a shot block clinic and the Paladins have pulled away to a 30-19 lead with 5:43 left in the half. Paladins are now shooting 25% from the 3-point line, and 53.3% from the FG range area, with 14 rebounds and 3 steals so far in the game. Furman holds on to a 45-31 halftime lead as the lady Paladins have come to make a statement on the court. Furman is shooting 58.3% from the FG range, 20% from 3-point line, 22 rebounds and 3 steals in the first half of play.
The Paladins would come out and get up to a 18-point lead before starting to make mental mistakes, leading to Wofford with 5 minutes left in the 3rd coming back and now down by only 5 points. The Terriers have not given up and are threatening to make this game theirs. The game has been a back-and-forth lead change between the two teams since Wofford went on a 5 minute 22-4 run over Furman. We end the third quarter with Wofford leading 58-55 after it looked like Furman was going to win going away.
The Paladins with 4:42 left in the game have tied it up and are playing like they did in the first half. Tate Walters and Jada Sessions are leading with 14 points apiece and Coyle has added a spark off the bench as Wofford has struggled in the last few minutes. The fans at the arena have been into the last few minutes of the game and has added an energy level to the players. Furman is shooting 56.8% from FG range and has 30 rebounds at this point of the game.
We have just a little over a minute left in the game and Furman is tied 70-70 with Wofford, shooting 16.7% from 3-point range, 54.2% from FG range and 33 rebounds. Tate Walters with 2.5 seconds left has given Furman the lead 72-70 and the fans have come alive in The Well!!! The Paladins come out of the timeout, and they are unable to get the win, but we head to overtime 72-72.
Overtime has been a very telling time, Tate Walters is fouled out and 3 other Paladins have 4 fouls. They are fighting hard as we stand at a 81-78 lead for Wofford with 40.3 seconds left in the game. We head to a second overtime with 3 Paladins fouled out now and not many left on the bench. Sydney Ryan has 4 and if she fouls out the Paladins are left with just 4 players left to play. The score is 87-85 with just over a minute left, the Paladins are holding on as we are in a official timeout due to a call. Furman is fouled and Kate Johnson nails both FT and it is now 91-85 with 18 seconds left in 6OT.
The Paladins will hold on to win this game 93-88!
