VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (4-4, 3-4 South Atlantic Conference) finishes off a four-game home stand with a rematch against Wingate (6-4, 6-4 SAC) Saturday at 4 p.m. inside Holt Fieldhouse.
Carson-Newman is trying to sweep the season series with Wingate for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Eagles prevailed Nov. 24 at Cuddy Arena 78-71. C-N set season highs that day for points scored and threes made (12).
"We're glad we just get a chance to compete again," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "It's been so long since we last played, both teams have evolved a lot since then. Quite possibly we've evolved more because we play so many young guys in our rotation. They've continued to improve and get comfortable rapidly. I have the greatest respect for Coach Good and his staff for how they play and go about their business. It's always a challenge when you play Wingate."
The Eagles defense has been off to a rollicking start for the 2020-21 season. Carson-Newman has the league's second-best scoring defense - averaging 66.5 points allowed per game, a figure that ranks 27th nationally. Carson-Newman boasts the league's top field goal percentage defense.
The Eagles rank 11th nationally in allowing opponents to shoot 39.6 percent from the field. Tusculum is the only team to shoot better than 45 percent on Carson-Newman this season.
Part of the Eagles defensive standing comes from shot blocking. Carson-Newman leads the SAC and ranks 11th nationally with 4.1 blocks per game. If the season were to end today, Carson-Newman would set a new school record for average shots blocked per contest.
Carson-Newman's defense will be tested against the Bulldogs. Wingate has the conference's second-highest scoring offense averaging 83.2 points per game - a figure that is also 22nd nationally. The Bulldogs have scored more than 70 in every game this season.
Wingate buries 9.2 threes per game, a total that is second in the conference. The Bulldogs have nailed double-digit threes against three teams, including a season-high 18 against Catawba. The Bulldogs knocked down 13 in an upset win at Queens and 15 in a home win over Coker.
Wingate has the top one-two scoring punch in the conference. Jarren Cottingham and Francis Sio combine to average 36.9 points per game. Wingate is the only team in the league that has two top 10 scorers. Cottingham averages 19.4 a game, the fourth highest total in the league. He has produced a quartet of 20 point games including a 34-point effort against UVA Wise in a 98-86 win over the Highland Cavaliers.
"The team itself understands that those guys are the guys," Benson said. "Sio and Cottingham can score in such a variety of ways. They both have NBA range and can break you down off the bounce and get to the rim. It's as strong a one-two punch as you could face."
Meanwhile, Sio has scored double-digits in every game this year for Wingate with a trio of 20-point efforts. Sio has scored 20 in back-to-back contests.
Carson-Newman is looking for its first three-game win streak since downing Mars Hill, Coker and Anderson in succession from Feb. 6-13, 2019. However, that streak is accompanied by an asterisk. The Mars Hill game on Feb. 6 was suspended due to a leak in Holt Fieldhouse and resume/completed on Feb. 25, making it a retroactive three-game win streak. The last true three-game win streak came at the start of the 2018- 19 season when the Eagles opened the year 5-0.
Tipoff between the Eagles and Bulldogs is set for 4 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on The Mountain 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
