December 2, 2001

FURMAN'S IVORY DIAGNOSED WITH SPRAINED MCL,
TO MISS SATURDAY PLAYOFF GAME VERSUS LEHIGH

GREENVILLE -- Furman senior All-America tailback Louis Ivory has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee and will not play this Saturday when the Paladins host Lehigh in an NCAA I-AA quarterfinal playoff game, according to head athletic trainer Brian Reese.

Evaluated by team physician Dr. Tom Baumgarten earlier today, Ivory, the 2000 Walter Payton Award winner and Furman's all-time leading rusher, suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter in the Paladins' 24-20 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday. The Fort Valley, Ga., native, who earlier in the week was named Southern Conference Offensive Player-of-the-Year for the second consecutive season, rushed 33 times for 170 yards against the Hilltoppers prior to exiting the game on the Paladins' game winning touchdown drive.

"To lose a player of the caliber of Louis Ivory is a tremendous setback, especially at this time of the season, and I'm sure there is nobody more disappointed than Louis," said Furman head coach Bobby Johnson Sunday afternoon. "He's played a major role in getting us to this point, but as we proved yesterday we've got a pretty good team, and I'm sure this will solidify us even more and someone will step up to the challenge."

Expected to step in for Ivory, who is tentatively scheduled to undergo an MRI as early as Monday, will be three sophomores, Hindley Brigham (17 att., 230 yds., 2 TDs), Toreico O'Neal (30 att., 146 yds., 1 TD), and Lamar Rembert (22 att., 144 yds. 0 TDs), with the starter to be determined this week. Ivory's ability to return to action past Saturday if the Paladins defeat Lehigh is uncertain, according to Johnson. Ivory has rushed for 1,662 yards and 19 touchdowns this year, and 5,838 yards and 55 touchdowns in his career, which includes three playoff games.

Saturday's Furman-Lehigh game is scheduled for noon at Paladin Stadium. Lehigh defeated Hofstra 27-24 in overtime on Saturday to advance into the quarterfinal playoff round.