Furman Aims to Continue Hot Start Against Struggling Western Carolina

TRAVELERS REST, S.C. (Interstat) — A surging Furman squad looks to extend its winning streak when it hosts slumping Western Carolina in a Southern Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at Timmons Arena.

The Paladins (10-4) enter conference play having won five straight, most recently a 74-72 nail-biter over Mercer on Wednesday. Forward Charles Johnston has been a consistent force, averaging 8.4 points and 9.0 rebounds over the last five games. He posted 9 points and 12 rebounds against Mercer. Furman’s offense is powered by a balanced attack; in that same game, Asa Thomas scored 19 points and Alex Wilkins dished out 7 assists.

Western Carolina (4-8) seeks to halt a four-game skid. The Catamounts fell 79-74 to Wofford on Wednesday despite 20 points from Cord Stansberry and a 13-rebound performance from Samuel Dada. Dada, a key player to watch, has shown flashes of dominance on the glass, grabbing 13 boards against Wofford after a 10-point outing at South Carolina Upstate on Dec. 6.

The teams’ seasons have followed divergent paths. Furman’s only losses since mid-November came against Northern Iowa and Illinois State. The Paladins boast a potent offense, scoring 105 points in a rout of Bob Jones and averaging 81.4 points during their current win streak.

Conversely, Western Carolina has faced a brutal non-conference schedule with road losses at Duke, Georgia and Virginia Tech. Their four wins have come against lesser competition, with the most notable victory an 80-73 decision over UNC Asheville on Nov. 19.

Historically, Furman has dominated the series, winning 12 of the last 13 meetings. The Paladins will look to leverage their experience and home-court advantage to open SoCon play with a victory. For Western Carolina, the game represents a critical opportunity to reset its season against a conference frontrunner.

Saturday’s contest tips off at approximately 2 p.m. EST. Furman travels to Chattanooga next Wednesday, while Western Carolina visits Samford on Jan. 7.