After being down 26-18 at halftime, the Dins found the fuel needed to take down the Western Carolina Catamounts to bring a win in the first game of a men’s and women’s Doubleheader in Timmons Arena. This was a huge Southern Conference win for the Paladins and improved their league standing, giving Furman confidence as they continue play within the conference.

The Paladins struggled to get shots to fall in the first half, shooting 17.6% from the field. But what led to the victory was their shooting percentage improving to over 50% in the second half.

Furman not only worked hard on the offensive end, but their pounding defense put immense pressure that the Catamounts just couldn’t handle.

Scoring among the Paladins was spread out among multiple players, with Alyssa Ervin, sophomore guard transfer from Elon University, leading the way with 17 points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and two assists. Sophomore guard Raina McGowens finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.

With the big lead the Paladins managed to achieve in the second half, they were able to play most of their players and had five double-digit scorers.

Western Carolina struggled with finding an offensive rhythm throughout the game. Despite having a 26-18 lead at halftime, the Catamounts shot just 21.3% from the field during the game and turned the ball over 28 times. This allowed Furman to turn those mistakes into a 29-4 score in points off turnovers.

Western Carolina’s leading scorers, redshirt sophomore guard Ally Holifield and sophomore guard Taj Hunter, both finished the game with nine points, but their efforts were not enough to keep the Catamounts in the game.

With the dominant second-half performance from the Dins, Furman was able to set the pace for the rest of conference play, which will continue Thursday, Jan. 22, at Mercer with tip-off set for 7 p.m.

The Dins will take this statement win as they work to maintain their defensive intensity and shared scoring as they travel to Macon, Ga. to take on the Mercer University Bears.