By MONTE DUTTON

Furman University and Bob Jones University have little in common as basketball rivals, other than both being in Greenville. They may be rival institutions but not athletics rivals.

Last season, the Paladins played a couple games at BJU’s Davis Fieldhouse while Timmons Arena was being redesigned and upgraded. Tuesday’s 6:30 p.m. game is at Timmons.

Furman (6-4) goes in search of its third straight win and sixth in its last seven games.

The Paladins claimed a 79-69 victory over Harvard at Timmons Arena on Saturday behind 18 points from redshirt-sophomore Asa Thomas and 16 from Alex Wilkins.

Tuesday’s game marks the fourth all-time meeting between Furman and Bob Jones with the Paladins holding a 3-0 series lead. The Greenville foes last met exactly two years ago, December 9, 2023, with Furman rolling to 100-58 win at Timmons Arena.

Bob Jones is 3-3 on the season following a 100-86 setback in its last outing on Friday night at Brevard. Justin Skelton leads Dr. Tony Miller’s squad, averaging 19.0 points per game.

Following Tuesday’s contest, Furman is idle for exams before returning to action with a trip to New York City on Dec. 18 to face the Manhattan Jaspers.

Furman’s Evan James has been named to the 2025 FCS Central Freshman All-America squad.

James, a 5- 11, 170-pound product of Apopka, Fla., caught 65 passes for 796 yards and seven touchdowns — all Furman freshman records — despite missing three games due to injury. 

His 7.22 receptions per game average ranked second in the FCS among all receivers and was easily the top mark among freshmen, his closest class competitor ranking 14th. James’ 88.4 receiving yards per game ranked ninth overall, impressively outdistancing the next freshman, who finished 32nd.

James was named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team and was also a second team all-conference pick.

He was named Stats Perform National Freshman of the Week for his 10-reception, 134-yard performance in a 28-24 road win over Campbell that included a game-clinching,  late fourth-quarter, 30-yard touchdown grab  His catches against the Camels also produced six first downs.

The NCAA Division I Men’s College Cup bracket is set, and the No. 16 seed Furman Paladins are scheduled to face the Washington Huskies in the first men’s soccer semifinal match on Friday night in Cary, N.C.

Kickoff at First Horizon Stadium is at 6 p.m. on ESPNU with Saint Louis and No. 15 seed North Carolina State scheduled to play the second semifinal match at approximately 8:30 p.m. All tickets are general admission and can be purchased at NCAA.com.

The winners of Friday’s semifinal matches advance to the national championship match, which is at for 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 15.

I constantly hear TV guys say the analytics say go for it (on fourth down). Of course, the football coaches say punt or kick a field goal.

Here’s my thought. In college and high school, conversions after touchdowns are placed at the three-yard line. In the NFL, the refs place it at the two.

Why don’t they always go for two … from the two?

The Los Angeles Chargers’ 22-19 overtime football victory over the Philadelphia Eagles was something I almost never see in high schools.

A close, low-scoring game. A defensive struggle. By and large, defense is relative at the high-school level.

Uh. You know, back in my day.

I’ve written this before. Recent events just support my claim.

It doesn’t matter how many teams are in the College Football Playoff. Controversy will ensue. It’s the same whether the field is composed of four, 12 (at present), 16 or 24.

I love underdogs, but I don’t think James Madison or Tulane is going to win it all. I would be delighted if either wins a game.

If the field was 16 teams, the Dukes and Green Wave would have no business being there. If the field was 24, the same would be true.

Notre Dame is screaming loudest, lashing out at the playoff selection committee and the ACC and refusing to accept a mere bowl bid, but Vanderbilt and Texas (with victories over Vandy, Oklahoma and Texas A&M) make arguments better than the Irish.

It’s the committee’s job to choose the teams, and it did so. That committee has less chance of winning than James Madison and Tulane.

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