ETSU’s men’s basketball team is preparing for a key Southern Conference matchup against Furman, with the regular season title within reach. The Buccaneers, who hold a 19-8 overall record and an 11-3 mark in conference play, will travel to Timmons Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, to face the Paladins on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
With four games left in the regular season, ETSU leads the SoCon standings by two games. A win over Furman could secure at least a share of the conference title if Wofford loses to VMI and Mercer falls to Chattanooga. ETSU is currently ranked 20th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, marking their fourth consecutive week in the rankings despite dropping one spot from last week.
Defensively, ETSU has set itself apart as the top scoring defense in both overall and conference play, allowing just 68.1 points per game overall and 68.6 points per game against SoCon opponents. This ranks them 43rd nationally in points allowed per game. The Bucs have posted a strong record of 13-1 when holding opponents under 70 points this season.
Furman enters the contest with a 17-10 record (8-6 SoCon) after ending a three-game losing streak with an 18-point victory over VMI. The Paladins also boast strong defensive numbers, giving up only 70.3 points per game—second-best in the league behind ETSU—and rank 39th nationally in rebounding margin at +5.9. Freshman point guard Alex Wilkins leads the conference in field goals made and is among the top scorers nationally but has slowed down recently.
The teams are tied all-time at 35 wins each entering their 71st meeting. ETSU has won the last two encounters, including an overtime comeback earlier this month when they overcame a double-digit deficit to defeat Furman at home. Recent matchups between these programs have been closely contested; six of the last eight meetings were decided by four points or fewer.
For additional information about ETSU men’s basketball, visit ETSUBucs.com.
