“The Eddrin Bronson Game” — A Backup Steps Up to Secure Furman’s Conference Win
Furman held off a furious late rally by Jadin Booth and the Samford Bulldogs to secure a 78–73 conference win on Thursday.
The first half resembled more of a high school gym class than a Division I conference matchup, as both teams struggled to knock down open shots. Furman opened the game carelessly with the ball, with possession after possession ending in near-disasters or outright turnovers—a troubling trend that lingered throughout the night. The Paladins finished with 14 turnovers, a particularly notable figure given that Samford is not a team known for forcing mistakes.
Samford set the early tone on the glass. Dylan Faulkner dominated inside, bullying Charles Johnson and controlling the interior, while Zion Wilburn made his presence felt off the bench with energetic work on the boards. For Furman, Ben Vander Wal was the lone consistent physical presence in the first half, playing strong, disciplined defense.
Defensively on the perimeter, Samford sagged off everyone on the floor except Alex Wilkins and Tom House. Faulkner carried the Bulldogs offensively before the break, pouring in 15 first-half points and decisively outplaying Johnson. Even so, Furman weathered the physical opening stretch and went into halftime clinging to a narrow 35–33 lead despite being outmuscled early.
Second Half Surge and the Wilkins Takeover
The second half opened with Wilkins flipping the script. He seized control early and carried that momentum through the middle portion of the half, scoring efficiently and pushing Furman’s lead into double digits. However, this season Furman has struggled to protect leads, and this game followed that familiar pattern as Samford slowly clawed its way back.
Wilkins finished with an impressive stat line—20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, 3-of-4 from three, and a perfect 3-of-3 at the free-throw line. His five turnovers, though, were emblematic of Furman’s ongoing ball-security issues.
Samford’s comeback was driven by Booth on the offensive end, but the Bulldogs also found life through defensive energy rather than scoring alone. Jaxon Pollard did not score in his 10 minutes of action, yet his defensive intensity and rebounding shifted the game’s flow. Wilkins had been carving up the Bulldogs, and Pollard’s presence disrupted that rhythm just enough to pull Samford back into contention.
The Eddrin Bronson Game
While his box-score numbers were modest, Eddrin Bronson’s impact was enormous. He knocked down a huge three late in the first half as the shot clock expired, a moment that seemed to set the tone for his confidence. In the second half, he added a timely block and played excellent on-ball defense against Booth.
His biggest contributions came late. With 2:38 remaining, Bronson delivered a beautiful dish to Johnson that stretched a two-point lead to four. With 1:47 left, he calmly buried an eight-foot jumper to push the margin from four to six. Then, with 18 seconds remaining and teammates struggling at the line, Bronson stepped up and knocked down both free throws to help seal the game.
In 17 minutes of action, Bronson finished with seven points on 2-of-3 shooting, including 1-of-2 from deep and 2-of-3 at the line, while adding one rebound and three assists. His poise and decision-making stood out amid the chaos of the closing moments.
Individual Performances
Booth may be the most relentless scorer in the SoCon—he’s got that dog in him. Despite being hounded all night—pun intended—he poured in 23 points and never stopped attacking. Kam Martin chipped in 14 points and provided some much-needed offensive punch off the bench for Samford. After his hot start, Faulkner finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
For Furman, Tom House led the way with 21 points on an efficient 8-of-14 shooting night. Johnson struggled early against Faulkner but recovered to pull down 16 rebounds, helping Furman survive on the glass. Vander Wall delivered a strong all-around performance, scoring 11 points on perfect shooting from the field, grabbing six rebounds, and shocking the entire city of Greenville by going a reliable 3-of-4 from the free-throw line—though he fouled out before the final buzzer. Wilkins was magnificent before fouling out.
Isaiah Campbell-Finch endured a brutal outing, going 1-of-6 from the field in just 16 minutes. The Norris brothers combined to shoot an anemic 4-of-15, and Wilburn, despite his activity, finished scoreless. Booth and Faulkner desperately need help heading into the second half of the conference season, or it’s going to be a long one.
Conference Implications
With the win, Furman improved to 6–3 in conference play, moving into a two-way tie for third place. Samford dropped to 3–6, settling into a two-way tie for eighth. The standings reflect a Furman team capable of winning despite its flaws and a Samford squad that competes hard but continues to struggle closing games.
Give Furman credit for finding ways to win despite the mounting injuries, but they feel like dead men walking unless Asa Thomas and Cooper Bowser return soon. Mercer, Wofford, and ETSU appear poised to separate themselves in the standings, and despite their inconsistency, Western Carolina cannot be ignored, given the upsets they have already notched.
The Payout After
Samford covered the +5.5 underdog spread, and the over of 149.5 cashed. The moneyline closed with Furman at -244 and Samford at +198.
