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Elon Downs Furman In Overtime, Snaps Paladins' Four-Game Winning Streak 81-77
Jan. 24, 2006
Elon, N.C. - Montell Watson poured in 19 points as Elon rallied past Furman in overtime for an 81-77 Southern Conference men¹s basketball triumph Monday night at Alumni Gym, giving the Phoenix an eighth consecutive victory and snapping Furman's four game winning streak.
The Paladins (11-7 overall, 5-2 Southern Conference) exploded to an early 17-5 advantage on a jumper by Robby Bostain with 13:53 left in the opening period. The Phoenix (10-9, 6-0) responded with a 19-9 run to draw within 26-24 on a putback by James Brett with 4:22 to play before the intermission.
After settling for a 29-26 halftime edge, Furman opened the second stanza with a 6-2 spurt to fatten its lead to 35-28 on three-point field goal by Eric Webb with 18:33 remaining in regulation. Elon later fashioned an 18-4 run to trade a 37-30 deficit in for a 48-41 advantage on a dunk by Simon Harris with 11:06 to play.
The Paladins stormed back, forging a 19-5 run to pull back ahead 60-53 on a three-pointer by George Brozos with 5:54 left. Elon answered the Furman surge with a 7-0 spurt to close out regulation, beginning with a pair of LeVonn Jordan free throws with 3:39 to go.
Jordan then knocked down the putback of a missed fastbreak lay-up by Watson, pulling the Phoenix within 60-57 with 3:05 remaining. Watson converted a bomb from three feet beyond the three-point line to even the score at 60-60 with 33 seconds left in regulation, ultimately forcing the extra period after Bostain's last second jumper in the iddle of the lane came up short.
Bostain put Furman up 62-60 on a jumper with 4:38 to go in overtime. Elon responded with a 14-1 surge to build a 74-63 cushion on a pair of charity shots by Chris Chalko with 51 seconds to play.
The Paladins replied with a 12-4 spurt to inch within 78-75 on a three-pointer by Brozos with 16 seconds left After a pair of free throws by Elon¹s Brian Waters, Bostain scored again to bring Furman within 80-77 with seven ticks to go. With four seconds remaining, Watson canned the second of two free throw attempts to clinch the Phoenix victory.
Chalko chipped in 15 points while Jordan added 13 points and eight rebounds. Elon¹s Colin Wyatt pulled down a season-high nine rebounds and recorded a career-high four steals. Moussa Diagne (19 points, four blocked shots), Bostain (15 points), Webb (14 points, four assists) and Brozos (11 points) all scored in double figures for the Paladins. Diagne's four blocks marked a career-high.
The Phoenix won the battle of the boards by a 38-32 margin. In overtime, Elon sank four of its five field goal attempts and 12 of its 16 shots from the charity stripe. The Phoenix outscored the Paladins 34-26 in the paint and 22-10 off turnovers.
Elon visits Davidson for a 7 p.m. Southern Conference showdown Friday. Furman hosts North Dakota State in a non-league contest at 1 p.m. Saturday.
