ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Cooper Bowser had 21 points and 11 rebounds as sixth-seeded Furman defeated top-seeded East Tennessee State 76-61 on Monday night to secure a berth in the Southern Conference tournament and the NCAA tournament.
Furman (22-12) won its eighth SoCon title in program history and first since defeating Chattanooga in 2023.
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Tom House scored 13 points off the bench for Furman, while Alex Wilkins scored 12 points to help the team rally from an 11-point halftime deficit in the semifinals with a career-high 34 points. Bowser made 9 of 12 shots, helping the Paladins shoot 51% from the field.
Brian Taylor II scored 14 of ETSU’s 16 points in the second half (23-11) to advance to the title game for the second time in three seasons. Blake Barkley scored 14 points and Jaylen Smith scored 10 points.
House hit Furman’s sixth 3-pointer of the first half, extending the lead to 37-27 with 4 minutes left. The Paladins led 42-35 at halftime.
Wilkins’ steal and fast-break dunk extended Furman’s lead to 72-61 with 2:11 left, and Bowser hit a hook shot on the next possession to extend the lead to 13 points.
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ETSU stymied a comeback attempt by going 2-for-7 from the field in the final five minutes. The Buccaneers shot 3-for-16 from 3-point range and 10-for-18 from the free throw line.
The Buccaneers are attempting their first NCAA bid since 2020.
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