On Saturday, Jan. 25, the Furman Paladins Men’s Basketball team traveled to Macon, Ga. to take on the Mercer Bears. The Dins had just come off a tough loss to Virginia Military Institute earlier in the week and looked to bounce back with another test on the road. The Dins shot poorly and exhibited weak defense against Virginia Military Institute, leading to a 91-82 loss.
Early in the Mercer game, the teams went back and forth, keeping pace with one another and limiting turnovers. Midway through the first half, the Dins found themselves down by six and responded with a 12-0 run consisting of three straight three-pointers by senior guards PJay Smith Jr. and Nick Anderson as well as freshman guard Eddrin Bronson. From there, the Dins held off the Bears for the rest of the half and entered the break with a 41-38 lead.
It was a welcome sight to see the Dins’ confidence increase from three-point range. The offensive attack was less stagnant and flowed well with the game’s pace. On defense, the Paladins forced turnovers but were unable to maintain and grow separation as Mercer always seemed to hit a key basket when they needed it.
The second half brought more of the same as both teams exchanged baskets, with Furman having a small lead throughout. Furman was in control of the game throughout most of the half, but the Bears were in a capable position of rallying. The outcome got dicey as a nine-point Furman lead shrunk to one point with seven minutes to play in the game.
Directly following the Mercer offensive surge, sophomore forward Davis Molnar drove for two back-to-back layups and assisted on two more scores. Molnar’s minute count has been increasing lately, and he has offered an extra spark of effort on both ends of the floor.
With one minute left, Smith Jr. made his fifth three-pointer of the game, extending the Paladin lead to five. After Mercer hit two free-throws to cut the Dins’ lead to three, they were not only able to get a stop but also two game-tying shot attempts. Both shots clanked off the iron, allowing for a Furman rebound and free-throws to ice the game.
With the 79-74 victory, the Dins improved to 4-4 in Southern Conference play and 16-5 overall. They find themselves in sixth place in the conference with 10 games remaining. Next on the schedule, Furman hosts first-place Samford (17-4, 7-1) on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. on CBSSN.