ETSU to face Furman in another SoCon showdown

Another night, another showdown for the East Tennessee State basketball team. The Bucs, who defeated Wofford to reclaim sole possession of first place in the Southern Conference on Sunday, will face another top team in Furman on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Paladins (16-7 overall, 7-3 SoCon) are one of three teams, along with Mercer and Wofford, trailing the Bucs (16-7, 8-2) by a game in the league standings. ETSU has been tough at home, 11-2 overall, but are coming off a 90-88 loss to Western Carolina in its last game at Freedom Hall Civic Center. Furman, owner of a three-game win streak, is coming off a 75-70 victory over Chattanooga on Sunday when 6-foot-5 freshman guard Alex Wilkins had 33 points and five assists. It should be a great head-to-head matchup with Wilkins leading the Paladins at 18.7 points and 5.1 assists per game, going against ETSU's 6-foot-4 senior guard Brian Taylor II, who is averaging 14.1 points and three assists per game. The Paladins have been shorthanded with second-leading scorer Asa Thomas missing the last six games. Cooper Bowser, a 6-11 junior forward, made his return to the lineup against Chattanooga. Bowser was a consistent double-digit scorer before a December injury. He played 23 minutes in the win over the Mocs and finished with nine points. With Bowser back, it could give ETSU problems inside. The Paladins have another 6-11 forward with senior Charles Johnston, whose averaging nearly a double-double with 10 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Furman presents some interesting matchups against ETSU. Ben Vander Wal, a 6-7 forward, averages 8.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Tom House brings more size as a 6-7 guard. He's stepped it up recently, playing over 30 minutes in each of the last three games. Cole Bowser, a 6-6 freshman guard from the famed DeMatha High School in Maryland, has become another key contributor since becoming eligible. Perhaps ETSU's biggest challenge is rebounding against the sizable opponent. The Paladins have a 6.2 rebounding advantage over their opponents. ETSU TOUGH ETSU coach Brooks Savage has preached toughness all season and it will be key in this encounter. The Bucs were able to take advantage of favorable matchups on the inside in the 86-72 win at Wofford. The Bucs have struggled at times against larger post players. A question will be whether 6-foot-8 post players Cam Morris III and Blake Barkley continue to find success against Furman's big lineup. Morris comes into the game leading the Bucs at 14.9 points per game which includes a 22-point effort in the Wofford win. Barkley has scored in double figures in 10 straight games and 15 of his last 16 games. He's averaging 14 points and a team-best 5.5 rebounds per game. Jordan McCullum, another 6-8 post, is coming off his best offensive game against a Division I opponent. He scored 17 points in the win over Wofford. Beyond the post, can ETSU's guards get good shots off against the rangy backcourt that Furman has? Jaylen Smith has come up big in the last three contests, but he's a 5-11 junior giving up significant height. Maki Johnson and Allen Strothers will need to continue to produce as each made a pair of big 3-point shots in the Wofford contest. Savage has tried different lineups with Gabe Sisk playing double-digit minutes in the last five games. He's used Isaiah Sutherland and Milton Matthews III in different situations depending on the matchups.