Chuck Benson LMU preview

C-N Men's Basketball Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the third time this season, Carson-Newman (19-8) and sixth-ranked Lincoln Memorial (27-2) will tangle.  This time, the stakes are driven to another level.  Loser goes home in a first round NCAA tournament matchup. 

The Eagles are seeded seventh in the Southeast Region; the Railsplitters are the two seed. 

The squads go at it at 2:30 p.m. Saturday from site host USC-Aiken's Convocation Center in Aiken, S.C.

The Eagles and Railsplitters split the regular season meetings.  C-N won 79-77 in Holt Fieldhouse, while LMU took a 77-60 decision in Tex Turner Arena.

Carson-Newman is 1-0 all-time against LMU in postseason play. C-N triumphed 86-74 over the Railsplitters in the 1984 NAIA District Tournament. 

Carson-Newman was knocked out of the South Atlantic Conference quarterfinals by Coker in a seven versus two seed upset 80-72.

"After the way the conference tournament went, just the chance to continue to play is a blessing," C-N head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "We're looking forward to the opportunity to compete and hopefully advance."

The postseason appearance is Carson-Newman men's hoops first since 2001-02 and its third as a member of Division II (the 93-94 Eagles reached the NCAA tourney after a fifth-seeded C-N club scored an upset over Lenoir-Rhyne in the SAC title game to earn a berth). Carson-Newman made 13 NAIA tournaments from 1960-1984.  This will be C-N men's basketball's 16^th postseason appearance all-time. 

A Dale Clayton-coached club topped Johnson C. Smith in the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2002 77-66 before bowing out to Shaw 69-68. 

The Eagles have been led by first team All-South Atlantic Conference performers Ish Sanders (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Antoine Davis (Rustburg, Va.) all season long.  Sanders averages an even 20.0 points while Davis chips in 19.1. 

"We've tried to de-emphasize to our players that need to do anything other than play within themselves," Benson said. "We don't want anyone playing under any pressure or having to play like they have to have the game of their lives.  We've just got to play good team basketball – focus on our plan to execute offensively and defensively."

The trip will be the fourth trip to postseason play for fourth-year Eagle head coach Chuck Benson.  Benson guided Martin Methodist College to three consecutive NAIA tournament appearances from 2001-03, including back-to-back appearances in the Sweet 16 in 2001 and 2002.

LMU is making its fourth straight trip to the NCAA tourney under head coach Josh Schertz.  He won South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year honors.  Senior post Vinny Bailey was named SAC and Southeast Region Player of the Year after posting 14 double-doubles and averaging 22 points per game. 

"They do a lot of things well," Benson said. "They make a high percentage of shots.  They have great schemes offensively and defensively.  They have the best player in our region (Vinny Bailey) and they arguably have the best coach in our region (Josh Schertz). That's a dangerous combination."

The winner of the game will take on the winner of the Montevallo – Georgia Southwestern game Sunday at 5 p.m.

Carson-Newman and LMU tip at 2:30 Saturday. Pregame coverage begins at 2:15 on the Eagle Sports Network with the Countdown to Tipoff on 106.3 ESPN Radio The Zone (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. 

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