Southern Conference
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Samford Bulldogs are the home team this evening for their matchup with Furman Paladins, but I see way more purple in the stands. It should be a great matchup as we’ve seen back-to-back upsets from VMI and Wofford over UNCG and ETSU respectively.
1st Half Highlights
Furman controls the opening tipoff, and PJ Smith quickly scores a three pointer to open up the scoring. Nick Anderson follows to get Samford in an early hole 5-0. Samford quickly answers with Trey Fort getting 2 points to cut the lead to 5-4. Samford gets a turnover on defense and ties the game with a three pointer by Holloway. Samford can’t do much about the way Nick Anderson is scoring the ball so far. He has 8 of Furman’s 13 points. You can make that 11 for Nick Anderson and they lead Samford 16-9 with 13:46 to go. Samford is getting a review on a foul versus a shot clock violation, but the foul is upheld prior to shot clock violation. Furman takes a 9-point lead 18-9 with 12:08 to go in the first half. Samford simply can’t keep up with Nick Anderson scoring as he makes another three to bring the Furman lead to nine points. Riley Allenspach breaks Samford’s scoring draught after several minutes of missed shots. Samford plays some solid defense and manages to force a turnover from Johnston. Samford makes a lackadaisical turnover, but Furman gives it right back. Josh Holloway for Samford hits a three, gets a turnover, and hits another three in the same exact spot to trim Furman’s lead to 5. Josh Holloway scores again after Samford puts some full court pressure on forcing a Furman turnover. We have 3:40 to go in the first half with Furman leading 32-24. Collin Holloway bullies Bowser under the basket to cut the lead to 5 with 2:37 to go. Samford forces a turnover, and Brownell gets an easy lay in, but Nick Anderson answers right back with a three for Furman. Josh Holloway makes a couple of free throws to cut Furman’s lead down to 2 with 26.9 seconds in the first half. We go to half with the score 38-36 Furman leads Samford.
2nd Half Highlights
PJay Smith hits a three pointer for Furman and the lead is 41-38 with 18:30 to go in the game. Jaden Brownell makes a very acrobatic layup and draws the foul for Samford. Samford is going bucket for bucket with Furman right now, but we are already at 3 fouls called in the first three and a half minutes of the second half. Samford allows Bowser to leak through and he hammers down a dunk to take a 52-45 lead for Furman. Rylan Jones makes a three for Samford, followed by Lucas Walls to keep the Furman lead to only 4 points with 13:58 to go in the second half. Samford plays some good defense to get the shot clock to almost expire on Nick Anderson. Jaden Brownell makes a three pointer to bring the Bulldogs within 4 points with 12 minutes to go. Josh Holloway chips the lead in half down to 2 and we are in a battle. Trey Fort for Samford makes a nice move in the lane to gain 2 points. With 8:31 to go in the game, Furman leads 68-62. Samford is playing a little sloppy down the stretch as Furman builds an 11-point lead with 6:32 to go in the game. Samford forces Furman into back-to-back shot clock violations but get nothing to show for it as they are down 11 with 5:08 to go. Samford finds themselves in quite the hole to the tune of a 15-point deficit with only 4:09 to play. With 2:38 to go in the game, Samford’s deficit is now 16. Samford’s season will come to an end in the quarterfinals of the SoCon Tournament falling to Furman 95-78. Samford just ran into a really hot Furman offense while struggling to make buckets down the stretch.
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