January 26, 2004
CHAMPION LEADS CHATTANOOGA PAST FURMAN, 77-68
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Ashley Champion scored scored a game high 20 points and claimed 10 rebounds to power Chattanooga to a 77-68 victory over Furman in Southern Conference basketball action Monday night at Timmons Arena.
Champion, a senior forward from Bolivar, Tenn., tallied 17 of his 20 points in the second half to help Chattanooga (12-7, 5-3 SoCon) to its third win in its last four games. He was joined in double figures by Alphonso Pugh with 16 points, Ray Trowell with 14 points and Jason Rogan with 11 points. Trowell also earned a game high six assists.
Furman (10-8, 2-5 SoCon) placed four players in double figures led by Eric Webb’s 11 points. Robby Bostain, Tony Carter, and Ben Earle chipped in 10 points each for the Paladins.
“We played as well on the road as we have all year, except maybe at against Alabama, “ said Chattanooga head coach Jeff Lebo, whose squad snapped a four-game losing streak to Furman in Greenville. “Offensively, we got some good looks as the basket and made some shots, and defensively we played one of our better games of the season.”
“UTC is a very good team capable of putting up big numbers every time they play,” said Furman head coach Larrry Davis. “We didn’t convert on several opportunities, and we also struggled against their traps. It’s probably the first time this year we’ve seen a trapping defense like UTC’s, and we just turned it over too many times to win the game. This was good experience for our team.”
Although the Paladins outrebounded the Mocs 48-39, Furman suffered 18 turnovers and shot only 34.3 percent from the field, converting only 23-of-67 field goal attempts and just 8-of-31 three pointers. Chattanooga, meanwhile, cashed in on 43.0 percent of its field goal tries, making good on 29-of-66 shots.
After falling behind 21-11 midway through the first half, Furman rallied to take a 33-31 halftime lead.
Chattanooga used an 8-2 run to take a 39-35 lead following a layup by Rogan barely two minutes into the second half, but Furman fought back with a 7-0 spurt to grab a 42-39 advantage following a three-pointer by Webb at the 15:29 juncture.
With the game knotted at 45-45, the Mocs took the lead for good with a pair of Champion free throws at the 12:43 mark.
A Trowell layup with 7:11 to go gave UTC a 58-50 advantage, but Furman answered with a 9-3 run to sliced the Mocs’ lead to 61-59 on a three-point play by Bostain with 4:44 to go in the contest.
Two layups each by Trowell and Pugh over the next three minutes put UTC ahead 69-61, and Furman was never able to get within three points the rest of the way.
Furman returns to action on Saturday when it entertains Appalachian State at Timmons Arena in a 4:00 p.m. game. Chattanooga will play host to Georgia Southern this Saturday in Chattanooga in a 7:00 p.m. contest.