Box Score Box Score: Furman 74, VMI 72 (OT)

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The VMI Keydets held a lead for nearly 34 minutes in regulation, but the Furman Paladins forced overtime on a 3-point shot by Jordan Lyons with 7.4 seconds left and went on to prevail 74-72 in overtime Wednesday night in Southern Conference basketball action at Timmons Arena.

The Keydets appeared poised for their first win in Greenville since January of 2015 when junior guard Greg Parham hit a lane runner with :47 left in regulation to put VMI ahead, 61-58. On the ensuing possession, Lyons missed a 3-point attempt resulting in a subsequent foul on Furman's Jalen Slawson, but the Keydets twice missed opportunities at the free throw line to make it a two-possession game in the final :36 of regulation.

Keydet forward Jake Stephens opened up the overtime with a three-pointer to put the Keydets ahead, 65-62. VMI then went scoreless its next four trips down the floor as Furman wrestled the lead back for good on a 7-0 run capped by a layup by forward Clay Mounce with 1:21 left.

The Keydets would later pull within 73-72 on a Kamdyn Curfman 3-pointer with 6.7 left in overtime and went for a quick foul on Furman's Jalen Slawson who would convert just one of two free throws leaving the door open for the Keydets with 5.7 left. VMI worked the ball front court, but could not get a shot off before time expired.

Lyons, who poured in 40 points the last time the Paladins faced the Keydets at Cameron Hall on January 1, went inside for most of his production in the rematch and finished with a game-high 26 points. Joining Lyons in double figures scoring were Mounce (14), Gurley (13), and Mike Bothwell.

Parham scored in double figures for the sixth straight game and led the Keydets with 19 points while Stephens added 12 points.

VMI (6-17, 1-9 SoCon) outrebounded Furman 39-36 on the boards and held a 14-7 advantage in second chance points while getting 30 points from its bench.

The Paladins (18-5, 8-2 SoCon) missed their first 15 three-point attempts of the game and finished 3 of 24 beyond the arc. Furman recovered with 44 points in the paint and overcame a 29-21 halftime deficit with the help of 54 percent shooting from the floor in the second half after firing at 31 percent over the first 20 minutes.

Both teams finished the game with identical 27-of-61 shooting from the floor for 44.3 percent.

VMI returns home to face Wofford next Wednesday at Cameron Hall with tip-off slated for 7 pm.

VMI head coach Dan Earl 

"I'm hurting for the guys. They were hurting in the locker room. I thought we competed throughout the game and played really hard. Our defense was pretty good throughout, obviously, but we didn't shoot the ball well. There were a lot of things we could do better down the stretch. If we had made one more free throw, we probably would have won the game. There was a jump ball and if we had wrestled it away, we probably would have won the game. Not turning the ball over, or a big defensive rebound...our guys are trying, they're fighting, and I'm proud of their effort. I just want it for them to pull one of these games out."