Preview: Furman Paladins at Mercer Bears MACON, Ga. (Interstat) — Two Southern Conference teams looking to rebound from tough losses will meet Wednesday afternoon when the Furman Paladins visit the Mercer Bears at Hawkins Arena. Furman (16-9) enters on a two-game skid, including a narrow 67-64 home loss to UNC Greensboro on Sunday. Mercer (15-10) seeks to reset after a 69-49 road defeat at Samford on Saturday, its second consecutive loss. The matchup features a compelling duel between two of the league’s top performers. Furman will lean on forward Cooper Bowser, who is averaging 15.7 points over his last three games. He scored 20 points with six rebounds in the loss to UNCG. Mercer counters with dynamic guard Baraka Okojie, who has been a consistent offensive force. Despite the team’s recent struggles, Okojie poured in 25 points against Samford and is averaging 20.6 points over his last eight contests. The Paladins won the season’s first meeting, 74-72, in Greenville, S.C., on Dec. 31. Wednesday’s rematch carries weight in the conference standings, with both teams jockeying for position ahead of next month’s tournament. Furman’s recent woes include an overtime loss at East Tennessee State on Feb. 4, though they had won three straight prior. Mercer had been on a five-game winning streak before its current two-game slide, a run that included high-scoring home victories over VMI and UNCG. The game will test Furman’s ability to win on the road, where they are 2-3 in their last five away contests. Mercer will aim to protect its home court, having gone 4-1 at Hawkins Arena during its recent hot stretch before the Samford loss. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Wednesday. Furman visits VMI on Saturday, while Mercer travels to face The Citadel.