BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Furman dominated the fourth quarter as Tate Walters came to the rescue in a 73-66 victory over Gardner-Webb at Paul Porter Arena on Wednesday evening.

Walters only scored two points in a first half marred by three fouls, but the redshirt junior scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half. The Paladins came back from a 13-point, third-quarter deficit by outscoring the Bulldogs, 25-12, in the fourth quarter.

Tate Walters scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half to power an impressive Furman comeback that put Gardner-Webb on the leash, 73-66, in women’s basketball play Wednesday evening at Paul Porter Arena.

Furman (5-3) shook off 9/36 (.250) first-half shooting by hitting 13/29 (.444) in the final two quarters. Significantly, the Paladins outscored Gardner-Webb by 21 points, canning 25/34 free throws.

In the second half, Walters stepped up with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Four teammates scored in double figures, led by Jada Session with 16 points, Niveya Henley with 15, Sydney Ryan with 14 and Kate Johnson with 13.

Trailing 47-34 with 6:20 remaining in the third quarter, Furman cut the Bulldogs’ advantage to 54-48 by the end of the period and took its first lead since the first quarter when Johnson took an across-the-lane feed from Session for a layup that put the Paladins up, 59-58, with 4:01 left.

On its next trip down the court Johnson scored again off a Walters dish, and Henley closed a 9-0 Paladin run with a 3-pointer at the 2:41 mark for a 64-58 Paladin advantage. 

Gardner-Webb (0-7), which connected on 6/15 3-pointers in the first half, went 0/9 from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter.

Session, who entered the game averaging a double-double in points and rebounds, kept pace by grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds, and Ryan also went for a double-double with 11.  Henley just missed making it a double-double trifecta by totaling nine rebounds.

The Paladins finished the contest with a 51-37 advantage on the glass.

Furman plays at Georgia on Sunday in a 2 p.m. contest.

Take a look at the stats here.

Walker Zimmerman, among the Furman soccer players who went on to broader stardom, is on the MLS Best XI.

Zimmerman became the sixth player in league history to be named to the MLS Best XI five or more times and has the most selections among all active players. A two-time MLS Defender of the Year and recent inductee into the Furman Athletics Hall of Fame, the center back anchored a Nashville defense that tied for fewest goals allowed en route to a fourth consecutive playoff appearance.

The four-time MLS All-Star and United States International registered two goals and an assist in 24 matches this season. He started for the MLS All-Star squad in their July match versus English Premier side Arsenal and has also tallied three goals in 42 appearances for the United States since joining the national team in 2017.

Zimmerman became the third Paladin to appear in the FIFA World Cup for the United States last winter and earned three starts for his country, while helping the Americans advance to the knockout stage in Qatar. He captained the U.S. in its final qualifying match and helped the team compile a 6-2-2 record during World Cup qualifying, including a 0-0 draw at Mexico and a 5-1 victory over Panama.

 During his time at Furman, Zimmerman netted five goals and added two assists while starting all 22 games as a freshman in 2011. He earned freshman All-American honors from College Soccer News and Soccer America, while earning Southern Conference Freshman of the Year and first team all-league honors as the Paladins posted a 14-4-4 record and earned an NCAA berth.

In 2012, he scored six goals and added three assists in 17 matches. The center back captured College Soccer News First Team and NSCAA Second Team All-America honors after leading the Paladins to a 12-4-3 record and captured first team All-SoCon accolades. He was tabbed as the No. 7 pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas.

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