Furman vs. Tulane | 7:00 PM | ESPN+
Furman and Tulane will battle once again in the return matchup of their home and home tonight at Bon Secours. Last season, Furman fell to Tulane 117-110 after a highly entertaining game, that was sent to overtime on a questionable call on a last second heave. The Paladins will be looking to exact revenge, with the home court advantage this time around.
PJay Smith will be a focal point, as he likely will be in most games this year for the Dins. In the last matchup against the Green Wave, he had 23 points on 6 of 10 from beyond the arc. He’s continued his offensive production this season, averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the two games he has played this season. It is likely that Tulane will be focusing on Smith defensively, which should open up the opportunity for his playmaking ability to find shooters all over the floor.
Despite Tom House and Charles Johnston being two of Furman’s most productive scorers early in the season, keeping them in a bench role has given life to the second unit. I would not be surprised to see Johnston move into the starting lineup at some point, but it is hard to see him supplanting Hein or Bowser on the inside. Garrett Hien has been an absolute star, shooting 41% from three and averaging over 7 rebounds per game to go along with his 10 ppg. Receiving this type of production from Garrett could push this team to legitimate championship contention. He works best operating on the top of the key, where he can shoot it or find cutting teammates.
The experience and hustle of Ben Vanderwal has earned him plenty of minutes and the starting role, and I see no reason why Bob Richey would switch up what has worked well so far:
Projected Starting Five:
PJay Smith
Nick Anderson
Ben VanderWal
Garrett Hien
Cooper Bowser
Tulane
Tulane has started out the season well, dominating their first three opponents, all at home. They will face their first true road test tonight against the Dins. Tulane is another team that has almost entirely flipped their roster, with a lot of their guys moving on in the portal. However, they mostly refilled from some high major teams.
Kaleb Banks has been the Green Wave’s top scorer so far, averaging over 19 points per game and just under 11 rebounds. The Indiana transfer is a 6’8 versatile threat, who has made 7-of-10 from beyond the arc this season. He will be a handful, and will be someone Furman needs to dial in on. The Tulane offense is controlled by Rowan Brumbaugh, a 6’4 guard who transferred in from Georgetown. Averaging almost 6 assists, Rowan has a steady hand, and can also contribute offensively, dropping 22 points against UL-Monroe. Tulane shoots around 41% from three as a team, and it will be up to Furman to improve their rebounding to prevent wide open second chance shots.
Projected Starting 5
Rowan Brumbaugh: 13.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.7 APG
Mari Jordan: 10.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.0 APG
Kaleb Banks: 19.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 1.7 APG
Greg Glenn: 9.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 APG
Tyler Ringgold: 7.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 0.7 APG
Keys to the Game
Rebounding: Furman struggled to rebound at times against Jacksonville, and Tulane is a physical rebounding team
Make the other guys beat you: Don’t let Kaleb Banks have his way, make his life hard and force it to the other guys
Keep the shooting going: Nick Anderson was the only one who really struggled last game, but we have seen what he can do. Furman can bury opponents from the outside, if they take good shots and make them.