Chuck Benson By The Slice – LMU Preview

C-N Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Lincoln Memorial (22-2, 18-2  South Atlantic Conference) has already wrapped up a South Atlantic Conference regular season championship, but that doesn't mean there isn't intrigue when Carson-Newman (18-6, 15-5 SAC) invades Tex Turner Arena Wednesday night. 

Carson-Newman is ranked ninth in the Southeast Region and trying to extend its region best seven-game win streak.  The Railsplitters are second in the region and trying to stay step-for-step with top-ranked USC-Aiken. 

The Eagles ended a 13-game win streak for LMU with a 79-77 win at Holt Fieldhouse earlier this year.  Carson-Newman shot 47.1 percent from the field in that game, the second highest field goal percentage the Railsplitters have allowed this year. 

"I'm not holding anything back when I say we want to reproduce what we did on both side of the ball from the first meeting,"  "LMU's coach Josh Schertz, who is just absolutely fantastic at what he does, knows what we're going to do and we know what they're going to do. It's going to be a battle of will and a battle of pride."

Carson-Newman and Lincoln Memorial haven't split a season series since the 2009-10 season. The Railsplitters took three games from the Eagles in 10-11 and 12-13.  Carson-Newman blanked LMU in 11-12. 

The game will feature five conference players of the week in Carson-Newman's Ish Sanders (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Antoine Davis (Rustburg, Va.) – the reigning player of the week – and LMU's Luquon Choice, Vinny Bailey and Lorenza Ross. 

All three player of the week award winners for the Railsplitters have 30-point games to their names. Sanders is coming off a 31-point game for the Eagles while Davis averaged 26 points, 8.5 boards and six assists in earning his player of the week award. 

Carson-Newman is shooting 57 percent over its past five games, but Benson said his players still see room for growth. 

"We hope our guys are still hungry to get better," Benson said. "Our guys have stayed on task and are having great practices. They haven't been going through the motions. We've got guys who are trying to expand their defensive capabilities. As long as we have that mindset, I think we'll be in a position to win games."

Bailey is the league's second leading scorer with 21.5 points per game and the league's second leading rebounder with 9.5 caroms a contest.  The sure-fire first team all-conference selection had 16 points and 10 boards in the first meeting between the two schools. 

"Their style offensively speaking is inside-out in its approach and that means he's going to get a lot of touches," Benson said. "But this season he's come in a cut above to take advantage of that. It's a credit to him. He's invested his time and effort and is now being rewarded for his performance. He's arguably the best player or the most valuable player in this league with the season he's had.  But then again, I wouldn't trade him for Ish or Antoine either."  

The rematch from Tex Turner Arena is set to tip at 8 p.m. Wednesday with pregame coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starting at 7:45 p.m. on 106.3 ESPN Radio The Zone (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.