‘ UTC at Furman
‘ Timmons Arena in Greenville, S.C.
‘ Today at 12:30 p.m.
‘ TV/Radio: Fox Sports Southeast/96.1 FM
UTC (13-2, 2-0 SoCon)
Projected Starters: Ht. Pts.
G Greg Pryor 6-2 10.7
G Eric Robertson 6-4 9.3
G Tre’ McLean 6-5 9.9
F Chuck Ester 6-7 7.0
C Justin Tuoyo 6-10 9.9
Key reserves:
G Johnathan Burroughs-Cook 6-2 8.5
F Duke Ethridge 6-6 8.5
Furman (7-8, 1-1)
Projected Starters: Ht. Pts.
G John Davis 5-10 5.6
G Stephen Croone 6-0 15.5
G Daniel Fowler 6-4 6.6
F Kris Acox 6-6 8.0
F Matt Rafferty 6-8 9.4
Key reserves:
G Devin Sibley 6-2 8.3
F Kendrec Ferrara 6-9 5.7
Furman report
The Paladins return every player from the 2014-15 team that entered the Southern Conference tournament as the No. 10 seed and upset its way to the final before losing a close game against Wofford. That team was young, with four freshmen making key contributions; now everyone has another year of experience. The Paladins are led by Croone at the off-guard position. Rafferty is a freshman who leads the team in rebounds, assists and blocks.
Key matchup
There is a wealth of guards on each team, and the key to the game could be how the Mocs handle the Paladins’ physical nature. “They’re one of the most physical teams we’ve faced. Especially inside,” UTC coach Matt McCall said. The Paladins are the best offensive rebounding team in the league, so how the Mocs handle that part of the game could have a big determination on its result.
– Gene Henley