NCAAB · Final/OT

Western Carolina Upsets Furman in Overtime Thriller

Saturday, January 3, 2026, 4:00 PM ET · Timmons Arena

Western Carolina Catamounts 80, Furman Paladins 77, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

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Quick answers

Who won Western Carolina Catamounts vs Furman Paladins?

Western Carolina Catamounts beat Furman Paladins 80-77 at Timmons Arena on January 3, 2026.

Who was favored in Western Carolina Catamounts vs Furman Paladins?

Furman Paladins were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -440 (about 81% implied). The underdog won.

In a thrilling encounter at Timmons Arena, the Western Carolina Catamounts defeated the Furman Paladins 80-77 after overtime. This result marks a significant upset, especially considering Furman's strong home record of 10-5 prior to the game. The Paladins had been on a six-game winning streak, showcasing an impressive average of 82.1 points scored per game in their last ten outings, while allowing 69.7 points. In contrast, Western Carolina entered the game with a 5-8 record and a four-game losing streak, averaging 80.7 points scored and 78.5 points allowed over their last ten games.

Furman had been dominant at home, boasting a 7-0 record, while Western Carolina struggled on the road with an 0-5 away record. The Paladins had previously bested the Catamounts in their two meetings during the 2025 season, winning 90-61 and 84-75. However, the tables turned in this matchup, as Western Carolina capitalized on their opportunities in overtime.

The game was tightly contested throughout, with both teams exchanging leads. In the overtime period, Asa Thomas made crucial free throws, extending the Catamounts' lead to 78-71. Julien Soumaoro contributed with a 13-foot jumper, pushing the score to 78-71. Furman fought back with layups from Tom House and Charles Johnston, narrowing the gap to 78-75. However, Cord Stansberry sealed the game for Western Carolina with two successful free throws, bringing the final score to 80-77.

The odds from DraftKings had favored Furman, with a spread of -8.5 and a moneyline of -440, while Western Carolina was priced at +340. The total for the game was set at 157.5. The conditions in Timmons Arena were conducive to a high-scoring affair, and both teams delivered with their offensive capabilities.

As the game unfolded, viewers were treated to a showcase of resilience from Western Carolina, who overcame their recent struggles to secure a vital victory. Furman, despite their strong season, will need to regroup to maintain their momentum moving forward.

Odds

Book	Spread	Total	Moneyline
DraftKings	FUR -8.5	157.5 o -105 / u -115	Western Carolina Catamounts +340 · Furman Paladins -440

What these prices pay on $100 · What these numbers mean

Leaders

PointsAlex Wilkins24Furman Paladins
AssistsAlex Wilkins6Furman Paladins
ReboundsBen Vander Wal8Furman Paladins
PointsJulien Soumaoro16Western Carolina Catamounts
AssistsTidjiane Dioumassi4Western Carolina Catamounts
ReboundsJulien Soumaoro8Western Carolina Catamounts

Recent form

Furman Paladins

Last 10: 9-1Streak W682.1 scored · 69.7 allowed per game7-0 at home

W74-72vs Mercer BearsDec 31
W84-76vs Charleston Southern BuccaneersDec 21
W75-68at Manhattan JaspersDec 19
W105-57vs Bob Jones BruinsDec 9
W79-69vs Harvard CrimsonDec 6
W97-88at Elon PhoenixDec 4
L65-72at Illinois State RedbirdsNov 28
W73-72vs Richmond SpidersNov 27
W90-79vs Queens University RoyalsNov 23
W79-44vs Ohio Christian TrailblazersNov 19

Western Carolina Catamounts

Last 10: 4-6Streak L480.7 scored · 78.5 allowed per game0-5 away

L74-79vs Wofford TerriersDec 31
L82-112at Georgia BulldogsDec 19
L74-96at Virginia Tech HokiesDec 12
L67-78at South Carolina Upstate SpartansDec 6
W124-62vs Virginia Lynchburg DragonsDec 2
L73-93at High Point PanthersNov 29
L62-83at Lipscomb BisonsNov 22
W80-73vs UNC Asheville BulldogsNov 20
W76-65vs Stetson HattersNov 16
W95-44vs Voorhees TigersNov 14

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
East Tennessee State	23-11	-	13-5
Mercer	19-13	2	11-7
Wofford	19-13	2	11-7
Samford	18-14	2	11-7
Furman	22-13	3	10-8
Western Carolina	15-16	3	10-8
UNC Greensboro	15-19	4	9-9
Chattanooga	13-19	6	7-11
The Citadel	11-22	6	7-11
VMI	6-26	12	1-17

Box score

Stat	Western Carolina Catamounts	Furman Paladins
Field goals	30-68	29-65
Field goal %	44	45
Three-pointers	10-20	11-32
Three-point %	50	34
Free throws	10-16	8-17
Free throw %	63	47
Rebounds	48	35
Offensive rebounds	17	11
Defensive rebounds	31	24
Assists	13	18
Steals	7	7
Blocks	3	2
Turnovers	12	10
Team turnovers	1	1
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	16	13
Fast-break points	3	16
Points in the paint	28	34
Fouls	18	13
Largest lead	11	4
Lead changes	16	16
Time in front	65	21

How the scoring went

2nd Half42-44Alex Wilkins makes 11-foot jumper
2nd Half45-44Justin Johnson makes 25-foot three point jumper (Abdulai Fanta Kabba assists)
2nd Half47-44Marcus Kell makes 19-foot jumper
2nd Half49-44Marcus Kell makes 4-foot dunk (CJ Hyland assists)
2nd Half49-45Eddrin Bronson makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half51-45CJ Hyland makes 8-foot jumper
2nd Half52-45Tidjiane Dioumassi makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half52-48Charles Johnston makes 25-foot three point jumper (Alex Wilkins assists)
2nd Half52-50Alex Wilkins makes 9-foot jumper
2nd Half52-53Asa Thomas makes 25-foot three point jumper
2nd Half54-53Tidjiane Dioumassi makes layup
2nd Half56-53Marcus Kell makes layup
2nd Half58-53Tidjiane Dioumassi makes 15-foot jumper
2nd Half58-56Tom House makes 23-foot three point jumper (Ben Vander Wal assists)
2nd Half58-58Alex Wilkins makes 12-foot jumper
2nd Half58-60Alex Wilkins makes layup
2nd Half60-60Julien Soumaoro makes layup (Samuel Dada assists)
2nd Half60-61Ben Vander Wal makes free throw 1 of 2
2nd Half62-61Samuel Dada makes 0-foot tip in layup
2nd Half62-63Ben Vander Wal makes 1-foot dunk (Alex Wilkins assists)
2nd Half63-63Tidjiane Dioumassi makes free throw 2 of 2
2nd Half63-65Alex Wilkins makes layup
2nd Half65-65Julien Soumaoro makes layup
OT67-65Marcus Kell makes 14-foot jumper
OT67-68Tom House makes 23-foot three point jumper (Ben Vander Wal assists)
OT68-68Julien Soumaoro makes free throw 1 of 2
OT69-68Julien Soumaoro makes free throw 2 of 2
OT72-68Marcus Kell makes 26-foot three point jumper (Cord Stansberry assists)
OT74-68Marcus Kell makes 11-foot jumper (Julien Soumaoro assists)
OT75-68Tidjiane Dioumassi makes free throw 1 of 2
OT76-68Tidjiane Dioumassi makes free throw 2 of 2
OT76-69Asa Thomas makes free throw 1 of 3
OT76-70Asa Thomas makes free throw 2 of 3
OT76-71Asa Thomas makes free throw 3 of 3
OT78-71Julien Soumaoro makes 13-foot jumper
OT78-73Tom House makes layup
OT78-75Charles Johnston makes layup (Ben Vander Wal assists)
OT78-77Alex Wilkins makes layup (Ben Vander Wal assists)
OT79-77Cord Stansberry makes free throw 1 of 2
OT80-77Cord Stansberry makes free throw 2 of 2

Win probability

Above the line favours Furman Paladins, below favours Western Carolina Catamounts.