SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Wofford men's basketball team used a 17-0 run in the second half to overcome a double-digit deficit to take down the Furman Paladins on Saturday night, 74-70, at Timmons Arena.

The Terriers (12-7, 4-2) were led by 20-point performances from Kahmare Holmes and Nils Machowski. Brian Sumpter pulled down 14 boards and a team-high two steals. Holmes and Sumpter had three assists each, while three Terriers had a block each.

"We were at a crossroads," said head coach Kevin Giltner. "Are we going to get beat by 25, or are we going to find a way to scratch and claw and give us a chance to make some plays? And that's what we did."

How It Happened
Brian Sumpter opened the Wofford account with a second-chance layup. They went on to take their first lead of the night after Nils Machowski found one from behind the arc. Wofford found an early string of points, going on a 6-0 run before the Furman bench called the first timeout of the night. Back-to-back threes from Furman brought the game back to even as the teams would trade scores until the under-12 media timeout, 15-15.

Scoring slowed across the game, with only eight points scored over the next two minutes. Wofford missed three attempts in a row before Jayden Tyler finished a driving layup. This was the start of a 7-2 run to bring the game within one after Furman led by as much as six. The Terriers continued to fight back against the Paladins, exchanging scores and defensive stops. Furman held a 29-25 advantage heading into the final four minutes of the half.

Nils Machowski was the first Terrier to score ten points with a banked three-pointer to bring the game within two points. He was the only Terrier to make a three-pointer at that point in the game, as Wofford had missed ten attempts. With ten seconds left on the clock, Wofford was down by two points still, but the Paladins were able to score five points in those ten seconds to send the teams into the locker room, 30-37.

Brian Sumpter was the first to score again, finding the open back door off a pass from Watley. This sparked a 6-2 run to open the second half, bringing the game back to within three points. Furman pushed back right away with a 7-0 run of their own to give themselves a ten-point lead. The teams went back to trading scores until Furman found a 6-0 run to create some separation. The Terriers fought back, forcing multiple crucial defensive stops and converting on the offensive side to initiate a 17-0 run, which brought Wofford back into the lead, 63-59.

With three minutes left, Wofford had all the momentum in the game, forcing seven consecutive missed field goals. Furman finally found their basket, but Machowski and Holmes were able to create a five-point lead with just over one minute left in the game. Watley was able to maintain that lead with a layup before Furman made one of their own. Furman called a timeout with 28 seconds left in the game with Wofford up by three. After three personal fouls from the Paladins, Wofford went four for four from the line to ice the game, 74-70.

Inside the Numbers

• Starters: Cayden Vasko, Brian Sumpter, Chace Watley, Kahmare Holmes, Nils Machowski.
• Brian Sumpter had eight rebounds in the first half. This helped him on his way to his second double-double of the season.
• The 17-0 run is the longest scoring streak Wofford has reached this season.
• Wofford had four bench points, the lowest this season.
• The Terriers have not had consecutive wins over Furman since 2016.

Up Next
The Terriers return home to Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium for a game against Samford on Wednesday, January 21. Wofford will tip off against the Bulldogs in Spartanburg, South Carolina, at 6 p.m. Listen along on the Wofford Digital Network or watch on ESPN+.