Furman Eliminates CofC From SoCon Championships, 66-63 - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

Thursday, March 2

McAlister Fieldhouse and NC Coliseum

2:30pm

College of Charleston

Furman

Furman Eliminates CofC From SoCon Championships, 66-63 - CofCSports.com--Official Web site of College of Charleston Athletics

3/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

#articleRelated { display: none !important; } Tommi Paris scored 19 points and Furman connected on its final 12 free throw attempts as the Lady Paladins edged the College of Charleston, 66-63, in opening round action of the 2006 Southern Conference Women's Championships at McAlister Field House on Thursday.

Furman, which improved to 10-19 on the season, advances to take on No. 1 seed Chattanooga (24-3, 18-0) in quarterfinal action on Friday. The game is slated to start at approximately 1:30. The Cougars end the season with an 11-17 record.

The Paladins got 15 first half points from Paris en route to a 35-26 lead at intermission.

Parris' two free throws with 38 seconds left gave Furman a 64-60 lead. After Erica Irick cut the margin to 64-63 with 25 seconds remaining on a 3-pointer from the left wing, Furman's Chrissy Phelps hit two free throws with 19 seconds left for the final margin.

Jade Hughes missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 10 seconds left for the Cougars.

Charleston, which shot 40.4 percent from the floor, got a career-high 22 points and nine rebounds from Erika Smith and 10 points from Hughes. The Paladins got 12 points from Phelps and a team-high six rebounds from Melynda Gant.