By MONTE DUTTON
Furman needs a win, and this is not last year’s Blue Hose. This is known quite dramatically already.
Presbyterian (7-5), which began the season carrying the nation’s longest losing streak (18), upset Vanderbilt, 68-62, right out of the box. The Blue Hose, under fifth-year head coach Quenton Ferrell, have already won two more games than all last season. The upset of Vandy on Nov. 7 was PC’s first victory of calendar-year 2023.
The Blue Hose and Paladins settle the burning issue of which nickname is the most unique, at least for a night, on Tuesday night at Timmons Arena, beginning at 7.
“I”ve got a lot of respect for what Quenton’s done there,” said Furman’s Bob Richey. “Their guys play hard. They really compete.
“They really play downhill and get the ball to the basket. They’ve got a couple post players who can really give us problems. … We’ll have our work cut out for us, but I’m hopeful. I hate using the word ‘hopeful,’ but based on our practices, I think we’ll have a team that’s excited to be in the stadium.”
PC has beaten the Commodores, The Citadel, North Florida, Northwestern (La.) State, Virginia Military (as well as Columbia International and Mid-Atlantic Christian), with losses to Maine, Tennessee Tech, Elon, Florida A&M and, most recently, Kennesaw State on Saturday by a score of 94-84. Presbyterian has dropped four of its past six games.
Kennesaw State (8-3) destroyed Presbyterian in the first half, leading by as many as 24 and taking an 18-point lead at half. PC rallied but never got closer than seven points.
“I thought we were a step slow (in the first half),” Ferrell said. “It led to [KSU] getting cleaner looks and pulling ahead. I give them a lot of credit for setting a fast pace and making us play their game.”
Make no mistake, though. The Blue Hose are vastly improved. Ferrell has bolstered his team with transfers Samage Teel (Winston-Salem State), Jamahri Harvey (UNC Wilmington), Jonah Pierce (Francis Marion) and Kaleb Scott (Georgia State). Kory Mincy, from East Point, Ga., has twice been Big South Freshman of the Week.
Teel did not play against Kennesaw State. Harvey returned to the lineup after missing three games to injury.
Furman (5-6) is hungry and bearing a bit of a burden from the country’s 88th toughest out-of-conference schedule (according to KenPom). Last year, when the Paladins finished 28-8 and won an NCAA Tournament game, the non-league slate was ranked 253rd. The Paladins have lost this month at Princeton (70-69), Arkansas (97-83) and Tulane, while slaughtering Bob Jones, 100-58, at home.
The Paladins have made a recent habit of valiant losses. Last Thursday, Tulane defeated Furman, 117-110, in double overtime after J.P. Pegues’ last-second three apparently provided a victory. It literally was last-second. Referees put 0.8 of a second back on the clock, a foul was called on a desperation three-point shot, the Green Wave’s Kevin Cross hit three free throws … and the game played on.
Tulane overcame three Furman leads in double overtime by hitting four consecutive three-pointers at the end.
Through 11 games, Furman ranks second in the Southern Conference, averaging 86.5 points per game. Marcus Foster, who has missed the Paladins’ last three games due to a knee injury, leads Furman in scoring at 19.8 points per game. Pegues ranks fourth in the Southern Conference at 18.1 points per game and second in assists at 6.2 per game.
Foster is about a month away from returning.
Marquis Barnett, a junior from Saginaw, Mich., leads the Blue Hose, averaging 13.8 points per game. Three – Barnett,Teel and Pierce – score in double figures and seven average more than seven. Pierce is the leading rebounder with a 7.0 norm.
Barnett scored 27 points versus Kennesaw.
“I’m looking forward to the [Furman] challenge,” Ferrell said. “Really, for us, it just starts with ‘controlling the controls.’ We’ve got guys who can shoot the ball, handle the ball, pass the ball and rebound. We have to play our game, and we can play with anybody.”
Tuesday night’s game at Timmons Arena begins at 7 with television coverage on ESPN+ and radio coverage on The Fan Upstate at 97.7 FM and 1330 AM in Greenville, on 97.1 FM and 1490 AM in Spartanburg, or via the Audacy app.
Santa Claus is among the VIPs, and fans can get in for $5 with an unwrapped toy donation.
After a 10-day break, Furman will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 30, when it hosts the Anderson Trojans for a 2 p.m. tip-off in the non-conference finale at Timmons Arena.
The Blue Hose move on to Winston-Salem, N.C., where they are to face Wake Forest o Thursday at 3 p.m.
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