February 14, 2004
NDOYE’S 25 TOPPLES WOFFORD, 77-73
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Maleye Ndoye’s 17-foot jump shot with 1.5 seconds left in the game snapped a 73-73 tie and powered Furman to a 77-73 Southern Conference road win over Wofford Saturday evening at Ben Johnson Arena.
Ndoye, the Southern Conference’s reigning player-of-the-week, tallied a game high 25 points, but it was his last basket of the evening that made the biggest difference. With the score knotted at 73-73, the 6-foot-8 senior forward dribbled to the right wing, squared up, and ripped the net on a 17-foot jumper to put the Paladins ahead 75-73.
After a pair of timeouts, Wofford turned the ball over on a pass to midcourt. Tony Cater was then fouled on the inbounds pass and sank two free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining to seal the victory, the third in the last four road games for Furman (13-10, 5-7 SoCon). The triumph was also the Furman’s third straight over Wofford (8-16, 4-9 SoCon), who the Paladins defeated in Greenville 91-55 in Greenville on Jan. 24 behind Ndoye's 28-point performance.
“We knew coming in that this was going to be a tight game, and it certainly was,” said Furman head coach Larry Davis, whose squad’s third conference road win marked a new season high for the Paladin mentor. “We matched their intensity from the start and kept them from making some big runs. Then we made some keys play late, especially on our last full possession. We wanted Maleye to take the shot, did a good job of getting him the ball, and he drilled it just like you want from a senior.”
Ndoye, who found the mark on 8-of-12 field goals, including 3-of-4 three pointers, and 6-of-8 free throws, was followed in double figures by Southern Conference Freshman-of-the-Year candidate Quan Prowell with 14 points. Carter added 11 points and a game high six assists.
Wofford was paced by Howard Wilkerson with 19 points.
Furman shot 52.1 percent for the game, converting 25-of-48 field goal attempts, including 6-of-13 from three-point range. The Paladins also knocked down 75.0 percent of their free throws, finding the mark on 21-of-28 attempts. Furman also forged a 34-26 advantage on the boards, with seven credited to Nick Sanders.
The Paladins trailed 31-23 with 4:06 left in the first half before closing with eight points points from Ndoye as part of 12-3 run for 35-34 lead at intermission.
In the second half Furman twice built six point leads — the first at 42-36 following a Prowell dunk at the 16:52 mark and later with a pair of Prowell free throws for a 61-55 advantage with 9:22 to go — but both times Wofford battled back.
A pair of Eric Marshall free throws with 6:25 remaining put the Terriers ahead 64-62, but Furman answered with a Carter free throw and a Ndoye trey a minute later for a 66-64 lead.
After a couple of lead changes, Wilkerson converted one of two free throws with 1:21 to go to knot the game at 73-73. Furman, however, turned it over on the ensuing possession, but the Terriers failed to convert the opportunity when a long three-point attempt by Greg Taylor failed to draw iron as the possession clock expired. Furman took over with 29 seconds left, and from that point the Paladins worked the clock down for the final shot, which Ndoye delivered over an outstretched Taylor.
Furman returns to action on Monday against Western Carolina in Cullowhee, N.C. Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.