Furman hosts East Tennessee State after Taylor's big game

Paladins look to bounce back from recent losses against Buccaneers

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The Furman Paladins men's basketball team will host the East Tennessee State Buccaneers in a Southern Conference matchup. This comes after Furman's leading scorer, Mike Taylor, had a 28-point performance in the team's previous game.

Why it matters

This is an important conference game for both teams as they jockey for position in the SoCon standings. Furman is looking to bounce back after some recent losses, while ETSU is aiming to maintain its spot near the top of the conference.

The details

The Paladins are led by junior guard Mike Taylor, who is averaging over 18 points per game this season. In Furman's last outing, Taylor poured in 28 points. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, have been one of the top teams in the SoCon, posting an 11-3 conference record so far.

  • The game will be played on Monday, February 17, 2026.
  • Furman is coming off a loss in its previous game.

The players

Mike Taylor

A junior guard for the Furman Paladins who is the team's leading scorer, averaging over 18 points per game.

East Tennessee State Buccaneers

The men's basketball team from East Tennessee State University, which currently has an 11-3 record in Southern Conference play.

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What they’re saying

“We need to bounce back strong after that tough loss. East Tennessee State is a tough opponent, but we're ready for the challenge.”

— Mike Taylor, Furman Guard (Greenville News)

What’s next

The winner of this game will take a step closer to securing a higher seed in the upcoming Southern Conference tournament.

The takeaway

This matchup between two of the top teams in the Southern Conference should provide an exciting college basketball game as Furman looks to get back on track against the conference-leading Buccaneers.