Defense Keys 61-58 Men’s Basketball Win Over Furman

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DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson freshman Jake Cohen hit two free throws with 3.1 seconds left on the clock, and Justin Dehm's buzzer-beating, 40-foot, 3-point try was off the mark as the Wildcats took a 61-58 Southern Conference men's basketball victory in Belk Arena Saturday afternoon.

Cohen led the Wildcats (14-13, 9-6 SoCon) with 14 points and added four rebounds, while senior Will Archambault scored 12 points off the bench. Freshman JP Kuhlman posted 10 points and a career-high seven rebounds, and junior Brendan McKillop tallied eight points and three assists.

Dehm led the Paladins (12-15, 6-10 SoCon) with 22 points after hitting a career-best six 3-pointers. Amu Saaka posted nine points and five rebounds, Bryson Barnes had nine points and Darryl Evans scored eight.

After holding a double-digit lead with 5:06 to play, the Wildcats had to grind out the win on the defensive end. Consecutive 3-pointers by Evans and Barnes made the score 57-55 with 1:24 to play.

Davidson could not score on its next two offensive possessions, but the Wildcats dug in on the defensive end. Saaka missed a runner, and Cohen blocked a Dehm shot on a drive to the basket, got the rebound and was fouled with nine seconds left.

The rookie made both free throws for a 59-55 Davidson lead, but Dehm and the Paladins were not finished yet. His triple from the wing brought Furman within one point, and Jordan Miller was forced to foul Cohen with 3.1 remaining. Cohen dropped in another pair from the charity stripe, and Dehm's last-gasp effort bounced off the rim.

Davidson scored the first 11 points of the game as five different Wildcats made baskets. Furman came roaring back as Dehm made four triples, part of his 17 points in the first half, in a 16-0 Paladin run. The game went back and forth from there until the Wildcats scored the last five points of the frame to take a 34-30 cushion into the locker room at halftime.

Leading 34-32 early in the second half, a McKillop jumper sparked an 8-0 run as Davidson opened a 10-point lead. The game stayed even from there, and a Cohen layup made the score 53-41 with 5:50 left. But Dehm's layup sparked a 14-4 Furman run late in the contest as the Paladins trimmed the cushion to two points with 1:24 to go.

The Wildcats forced 19 Furman turnovers and held leading scorers, Saaka (17.1 ppg) and Miller (14.4 ppg), to single digits. Archambault led a 22-12 Wildcat advantage in bench scoring, and Davidson's nine offensive boards turned into eight second-chance points.

The Wildcats return to action in a 7 p.m. contest at Chattanooga Monday before returning to Davidson Wednesday, Feb. 24, for the home finale against UNC Greensboro.

Game Notes: Archambault and Bryant Barr each became the school's all-time leader in games played with 131… The game is part of a stretch in which Davidson plays five contests in 11 days… Davidson moved into sole possession of third place in the SoCon South Division… The 'Cats have won 10 straight against the Paladins.

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