The Paladins traveled to Birmingham, Ala. on Wednesday to take on the Samford Bulldogs for the second time this season. In the first contest on Jan. 29, Furman got the better of Samford in a thrilling 72-70 victory while Samford was leading the conference standings.
This time, the two teams tested each other out early in the game, trading baskets on either end of the floor. Both teams quickly substituted players after multiple fouls were called on both teams’ starters.
Furman began to build a lead around the halfway mark of the first half. A 16-0 scoring run was accumulated by three-pointers from senior guard PJay Smith Jr., graduate guard Nick Anderson, and junior guard Tom House. Furman moved the ball with precision on the offensive end to create openings for threes. On the other side of the floor, the Furman defense held their own, and Samford was unable to get any shots to fall.
Furman officially ended the last nine minutes of the first half on a 16-5 run to head into halftime up 43-30.
Despite facing a loud and fired up Bulldog crowd at the start of the second half, Furman continued to execute with a calm demeanor on offense. Even when Samford seemed like they were riding the momentum and closing the gap on the Dins, Furman was able to knock down a big shot to keep the Bulldogs at bay.
With under six minutes left to play, Samford put pressure on the Dins by fouling and slowing the pace of the game down as the score neared even. In response, Furman consecutively hit seven points worth of free throws to maintain a small cushion.
In the final minutes of the game, Samford went cold from beyond the arc but continuously corralled offensive rebounds, giving them second chance efforts. With Furman up two possessions and shooting well from the free throw line, the Dins were able to hold onto their lead and secure the impressive road victory 80-72. Smith Jr. was a commanding force for the Dins offense and finished with 32 points, shooting 6-of-9 from three.
With the win, Furman moves up to sixth in the Southern Conference standings with only three games remaining in the regular season. The results of the final three games will determine where the Dins place in Southern Conference tournament seeding.
Next up is a home game on Saturday, Feb. 22 against Virginia Military Institute at Bon Secours Wellness Arena at 12 p.m.. It will air on ESPN+.
