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Furman Blasts Past Terriers 69-53
Feb. 11, 2006
Greenville, SC - Senior forward Melynda Gant scored a career-high 18 points and pulled down seven rebounds, and Furman won its second straight contest defeating Wofford 69-53 at Timmons Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Furman (9-15, 5-9 Southern Conference) jumped on Wofford (7-16, 3-11 SoCon) early, building a 26 point first half lead. Gant came off the bench to shoot seven-for-12 from the field, including four-of-seven from beyond the arc, to top her previous career best of 17 against American University on December 6.
Furman tied a school record with 11 made three-pointers on 24 attempts. The Lady Paladins shot 57.1% (8-14) from beyond the arc in the first half on their way to a 43-22 halftime lead. Furman also set a school record with 11 blocked shots.
"Today was another great win for our girls," said acting head coach Jonathon Barbaree. "We shot the ball well in the first half and built a big lead. The second half, we really focused on defense and staying on top of our game."
Leading 6-5 with just under 17 minutes remaining in the first half, Furman went on a 31-6 run over the next 12 minutes to take a 37-11 lead on two Melissa Liebschwager free throws at the 5:18 mark. Gant was three-of-four from three-point range in the first half, on her way to 13 points at the intermission.
Furman held on to its lead in the second half, with the margin increasing to as much as 23 points, and never getting closer than a 16 point lead for the Lady Paladins.
Three other Lady Paladins reached double-figures in points as Sarah Baker scored 13 points, and Chrissy Phelps and Liebschwager netted 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jessica Lange and Katie Johnson were tops on defense, each blocking four shots. Katie Agin chipped in with a career-best two blocks.
After losing nine straight games from Jan. 7-Feb. 4, Furman has won its last two contests. The Lady Paladins return to action on Monday as Furman travels to face Chattanooga at 7 p.m. The Lady Mocs are undefeated in Southern Conference play, and hold the nation's longest winning streak at 19 games. Wofford is back in action on Tuesday with a trip to Boone, N.C. to face Appalachian State.
