3,876 minutes played, 1,078 shots attempted and 11 wins later, the Furman women’s basketball team is well into conference play and looking to make a run deep into the Southern Conference Tournament.
As we look ahead to the final third of the basketball season, here is what you need to know about the Furman Paladins.
Cierra Carter is Legit
Going into her senior season, Cierra Carter was named as a Preseason All-Southern Conference player. Her first time receiving this honor, Carter has lived up to the preseason hype. She leads the Paladins in scoring with 16.7 points per game, up almost 4 points per game from last season.
The biggest takeaway from Carter’s season thus far, however, is the ease and composure with which she leads this Furman squad. Never too flashy, Cierra Carter can do it all.
Apart from leading the team in scoring, Carter also leads the Paladins in rebounding and three-point shooting percentage. She will spot up from three, take the ball to the hole, hit the boards, and play solid defense.
Needless to say, Cierra Carter is a legitimate force in the Southern Conference.
Steph and Le’Jzae: the One-Two Punch
Senior point guard Stephania Oramas and sophomore shooting guard Le’Jzae Davidson have proven to be a guard combo that can hang with any in the SoCon.
Oramas, in her first season as a starter for the Paladins, leads the team in assists this season. She calmly fends off defensive pressure and consistently runs the fast break on a game-to-game basis.
Also in her second year in purple and white, Oramas is joined by Le’Jzae Davidson in the backcourt. Davidson, averaging just under 14 points per game, is truly the spark plug for the team. Her quickness provides instant energy on both sides of the ball, and has proven to be a problem for defenses across the SoCon.
The quick off-the-ball cuts of Davidson joined by the expert facilitation of Oramas running the point have played a crucial role in the Paladins’ season up to this point.
United Front
Perhaps the most consistent aspect of the Paladins this season is their frontcourt rotation.
Led by redshirt-senior DeAnneisha Jackson and junior Kaitlyn Duncan, Furman leads the SoCon in blocks per game, and is a top-three rebounding team.
Jackson and Duncan are joined by freshman powerhouse (affectionately known by her teammates as Big Baby) Celena Taborn. With 11.5 points per game, Taborn leads the team in shooting efficiency. She has poured in the scoring off the bench all season, including 24 points against UNC and 33 points at Presbyterian.
The three-woman rotation in the frontcourt is truly the anchor of this team.
There are ten games remaining this season, and now more than ever is the time to come out and support the Furman women’s basketball team. Currently 11-8 overall and 2-3 in the conference, the Paladins need crucial wins over conference rivals to improve their seeding for the conference tournament in March. The team returns to Timmons Arena on Thursday, Feb. 8th to face UNCG, so come out and support your Paladins.
