TRAVELERS REST, S.C. (Interstat) — Cooper Campbell scored 21 points to lead Troy to a hard-fought 64-61 road victory over Furman in a non-conference men’s basketball game Friday night at Timmons Arena.

The Trojans improved to 2-0 on the young season, while the Paladins fell to 0-2.

Troy seized control of the game with a dominant first-half defensive performance, building a 36-23 lead by halftime. The Trojans’ defense was the story of the opening period, forcing numerous Furman turnovers and converting them into easy scoring opportunities. Troy scored 22 points off turnovers in the game, more than doubling Furman’s output of 10 in that category.

Despite the large halftime deficit, Furman mounted a significant comeback in the second half. The Paladins outscored Troy 38-28 after the break, chipping away at the lead behind an improved offensive rhythm. Alex Wilkins fueled the Furman rally, finishing with 16 points and a game-high eight assists.

The Paladins managed to close the gap to a single possession in the final minutes, but Troy made key plays down the stretch to secure the win. After a Charles Johnston 3-pointer brought Furman to within 61-58 with just three seconds remaining, Thomas Dowd was fouled and calmly sank two free throws to extend the Troy lead to five. Johnston hit another deep three at the buzzer for the final margin.

Campbell’s 21 points came on an efficient night where he also dished out three assists. He was supported by a balanced Troy attack that saw Thomas Dowd, a 6-foot-8 forward from Dothan, Alabama, add 11 points and three blocked shots. Victor Valdes, a 6-foot-7 forward from Monterrey, Mexico, also chipped in 11 points.

For Furman, Eddrin Bronson provided a scoring spark off the bench with 14 points. Cooper Bowser, a 6-foot-11 center, added 10 points for the Paladins.

The game was a tale of two halves, with Troy’s first-half defense and ability to capitalize on mistakes proving to be the difference. The Trojans also held advantages in fastbreak points, 16-9, and points in the paint, 28-26.

The announced attendance was 2,207. Troy’s next game is at home against Pensacola Christian on Tuesday. Furman will look for its first win when it hosts Columbia International on Monday.

The final combined score of 125 fell well under the pregame over/under line of 150. Troy, which was a 3-point underdog according to the pregame spread, covered with the outright victory. The result also defied Interstat’s ELO system, which had given Troy a 57.1 percent probability to win, and its game simulator, which had projected a 100-100 tie.