Furman To Open Southern Conference Tournament Against UNC Greensboro

Feb. 27, 2007

Furman vs. UNCG SoCon Tournament Notes
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North Charleston, S.C. -- The Furman men's basketball team opens play in the 2007 Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championships facing fourth-seeded UNC Greensboro at approximately 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the North Charleston Coliseum.

The Paladins, who earned a first round tournament bye for the first time since the league began divisional play, enter this week's action in search of their seventh Southern Conference Tournament title. Furman, which sports a 41-47 all-time record in tournament play, has made nine appearances in the championship game claiming SoCon titles in 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1980. Davidson bettered Furman 62-57 in the Paladins' last finals appearance in 2001-02.

Fifth-seeded Furman sports a 1-5 record in its last five tournament games, including three straight defeats. The Citadel shocked Furman 65-53 in last season's first round at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Paladins last SoCon Tournament victory, a 73-68 triumph over Western Carolina, came in the opening round of the 2004 tourney.

Furman last advanced to the "Big Dance" (80-69 loss vs. Tennessee) in 1980 following an 80-62 victory over Marshall in the SoCon title game. The Paladins last postseason appearance came in 1991 when Furman dropped an 86-67 decision at West Virginia in the opening round of the NIT.

Furman enters the tournament on a three-game losing streak and lost both regular season meetings with the Spartans. UNCG edged Furman 91-86 in double overtime at Timmons Arena on December 9, before downing Furman 69-54 at Fleming Gym in the second meeting.

The winner of Furman/UNCG will face the winner of Thursday's game between top-seed Davidson and either Chattanooga or Wofford. The semifinal matchup will tip-off at 6 p.m. on Friday.