Furman Paladins Face UNC Greensboro Spartans In High-Stakes SoCon Clash

The Southern Conference men’s basketball landscape is heating up as the UNC Greensboro Spartans and the Furman Paladins prepare to clash at Bodford Arena in Greensboro, North Carolina. Set for a 3 p.m. ET tip-off on January 23, 2026, and broadcast live on ESPN+, this matchup is shaping up to be a pivotal contest for two teams that find themselves neck-and-neck in conference play. Both enter the game with identical 4-3 SoCon records, but their overall journeys this season have taken markedly different paths.

Furman, boasting a 13-7 overall record, came into the new year as one of the Southern Conference’s favorites. However, the Paladins are currently navigating a rough patch, having dropped two consecutive games by a combined six points. Their most recent stumble came on the road against Citadel, where they fell 77-75. Despite the loss, Alex Wilkins put up a strong performance with 15 points and 9 assists, albeit shooting just 23.53% from the field and 2-of-10 from deep. Charles Johnston also contributed 15 points and dominated the glass with 12 rebounds, along with 3 blocks, shooting an efficient 53.85% from the floor.

On the other side, UNC Greensboro has had a rockier overall campaign at 8-12, but they’re showing signs of life. The Spartans are coming off a gritty 85-78 victory over VMI, powered by a monster performance from Justin Neely, who notched 22 points and grabbed an eye-popping 22 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field. Donald Whitehead Jr. chipped in 18 points on 54.55% shooting, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc. With that win, the Spartans appear poised to challenge Furman’s favored status at home.

The oddsmakers, however, are siding with the Paladins. Betting lines have varied slightly across sources, but Furman has been consistently favored, with the spread ranging from -3.5 to -5.5 points and a moneyline around -190 to -230. The consensus over/under for total points sits at 150.5, reflecting both teams’ ability to put points on the board. According to BetMGM’s predictive models, Furman holds a 54.9% chance of victory, with a 52% likelihood to cover the spread. But as any college basketball fan knows, the numbers don’t always tell the whole story.

Furman’s statistical strengths this season have been clear. They’re leading the Southern Conference with 16.4 assists per game, showing a penchant for sharing the basketball and creating open looks. The Paladins have also excelled on the defensive glass, averaging 26.1 defensive rebounds per contest—again, best in the league. On the offensive end, their 1.27 points per shot last season ranked fourth among Southern teams, and they remain a top-20 squad nationally in 2-point field goals made. Their Achilles’ heel, though, has been the three-point shot. Furman is converting just 31% from deep this season, which is tied for 20th lowest among Division 1 teams, and they tend to get pulled into three-point shooting contests that don’t play to their strengths.

Injuries have also played a role in Furman’s recent struggles. Cooper Bowser, a key scoring threat, is expected to miss this matchup, putting even more pressure on Wilkins and Asa Thomas to shoulder the offensive load. The Paladins’ shooting has dipped in their last two outings, hitting just 43.5% from the field compared to their season-long effective field goal percentage of slightly above 53%. If Furman is to right the ship, they’ll need to find a way to get back to their inside game and avoid settling for low-percentage looks from outside.

UNC Greensboro, meanwhile, is a team that lives and dies by the three. The Spartans shot an impressive 40% from deep last season—good for fourth best in Division 1—and they’re still hitting at a 35.4% clip this year, four percentage points better than Furman. Their offensive approach is complemented by a 43% free throw rate this season, the highest among Southern Conference teams, which shows their aggressiveness in getting to the line. But the Spartans’ biggest advantage may be on the defensive end. They allowed opponents to shoot just 40% last season, tops in the conference, and have continued to force tough shots this year.

However, UNC Greensboro’s Achilles’ heel has been turnovers. They rank in the bottom 25 nationally in turnovers committed, and those miscues have cost them in close games. Their assist-to-turnover ratio last season was a solid 1.5, best in the conference, but this year’s struggles with ball security have been a major storyline. Still, when the Spartans are clicking, they have the firepower and defensive discipline to hang with anyone in the SoCon.

Against the spread, both teams have had their ups and downs. Furman is 8-9 ATS this season, while UNC Greensboro sits at 8-10. The Paladins have been more reliable on the moneyline at 11-6, but the Spartans have shown a knack for hitting the over, going 12-6 in that category. As for recent betting trends, Furman has hit the first-half moneyline in 10 of their last 15 away games and the team total over in 11 of their last 15 road contests. UNC Greensboro, meanwhile, has hit the first-half game total under in 10 of their last 15 home games, suggesting a slow start could be in the cards.

So, what’s at stake in this midseason SoCon showdown? For Furman, it’s a chance to snap out of their slump and reassert themselves as title contenders. For UNC Greensboro, it’s an opportunity to turn the tide of their season and prove they can compete with the conference’s best. With both teams tied in the SoCon standings, every possession will matter, and the margin for error is razor-thin.

As tip-off approaches, all eyes will be on Bodford Arena to see whether Furman’s balanced attack and rebounding prowess can overcome their recent shooting woes—or if UNC Greensboro’s three-point marksmanship and defensive grit will carry the day. With the action set to unfold live on ESPN+, fans won’t want to miss a minute of what promises to be a tightly contested battle between two evenly matched squads.

With so much on the line and both teams hungry for a statement win, the stage is set for a classic SoCon showdown in Greensboro. Whether it’s Furman’s playmaking or UNC Greensboro’s perimeter shooting that tips the balance, one thing’s for sure: this game is far from decided, and the drama is just getting started.