The Furman men’s basketball team enters this season with substantial changes in their lineup and coaching staff following last year’s Southern Conference (SoCon) tournament semifinal loss.
Key contributors, including senior guards J.P. Pegues, Alex Williams and Carter Whitt, as well as graduate forward Marcus Foster, entered the transfer portal, moving on to continue their collegiate careers elsewhere. Several coaching staff members also accepted new roles at other institutions. In response, Furman utilized the transfer portal to fill these vacancies, securing commitments from junior forward Charles Johnston, graduate guard Nick Anderson, and junior guard Tom House. The roster was rounded out with freshman forward Mason Smith.
These newcomers bring strong credentials and are expected to make immediate impacts. Johnston, transferring from California State Monterey Bay, ranked fifth in NCAA Division II with 10.7 rebounds per game last season and became the first player in program history to average a double-double over the course of a season.
Anderson joins from Barry University in Miami, Fla., where he shot 44.5% from three-point range and amassed 1,235 career points with a 13.6 points-per-game average. House arrives after two seasons with Florida State University, contributing his 47.1% shooting from beyond the arc in 51 appearances for the Seminoles. Smith, the roster’s sole freshman scholarship player, joins the Dins after an impressive high school career at Davidson Day School, where he averaged 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game while shooting over 40% from three.
In addition to roster adjustments, the Paladins are temporarily relocating home games to Bon Secours Wellness Arena in downtown Greenville while Timmons Arena undergoes renovations. Practicing in Furman’s Physical Activities Center has allowed students to witness the team’s dedication and rigorous preparation up close.
“It’s been interesting to practice in the PAC every day, but it gives the students a cool opportunity to feel like they have an inside look into our team and what we do on a day-to-day basis,” junior leadership council member Ben VanderWal said.
Amidst these changes, the standards and expectations inside the program remain the same, VanderWal says.
“We’ve spent all off-season fighting to get back to the identity of what has made this place great,” VanderWal said. “Coach Richey has instilled a great culture into this program, but for maximum success, it requires buy-in from every member of the team.”
This restructured team benefits from the leadership of returning players like VanderWal, along with Garrett Hien, Tyrese Hughey, Davis Molnar, Eddrin Bronson, Tommy Humphries and Cooper Bowser, who bring continuity and stability to the lineup. Together, they aim to compete for the SoCon championship and a place in the NCAA March Madness tournament for the second time in three years.
“As a veteran leader of this team, and someone who has seen it done before, I am excited about what this team can do and thrilled to be a part of leading it,” VanderWal said.
The season will commence on the night of Monday, Nov. 4, with Furman facing Columbia International University at The Well at 7 p.m., followed by a trip to Belmont on Friday, Nov. 8. The Paladins will then return to host Jacksonville on Monday, Nov. 11. With a fourth-place preseason conference ranking, the team is poised to contend through the challenges of this transformative 2024-2025 season.