VIDEO: Chuck Benson Postgame Press Conference
HARROGATE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (16-6) coughed up a season-high 19 turnovers and couldn't get a shot off to tie things up in the overtime session in a 65-63 NCAA tournament first round loss to Tusculum (15-5) Saturday at Tex Turner Arena.
"You hate to go out in the first round," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "Their defensive pressure gave us troubles. However, in spite of the loss, I'm still proud of the year this group put together. We were picked ninth in the preseasaon in the conference. We continued to grow as the year came along and had an incredible seven week run where we won a conference championship. As disappointed as we to exit in the first round, we're proud that we earned the right to be here."
The Pioneers win their first ever NCAA tournament game while Carson-Newman ends its season at 16-6.
The Eagles grabbed a 12-point lead late in the first half before the Pioneers rattled off an 11-0 run spanning the halftime break to get back into things. Tusculum snatched its first lead with 11:19 to play in regulation following a Keaston Brown jumper.
The Pioneers used a 9-1 burst to surge to snatch a seven point lead with 3:42 to play as C-N failed to put a bucket in over a five minute span.
However, C-N snapped out of the doldrums. Tripp Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) snapped the skid with two free throws before he shuffled to the rim to make it a three-point game with 2:30 to play. Bryant Thomas (Charlotte, N.C.) capped a 6-0 burst with a put-back bucket with 101 seconds.
Tusculum went 2-for-4 at the stripe in the final minute to allow Davis to tie things up with 14 seconds left in regulation.
Neither team could grab a lead of more than two in the overtime session. The Pioneers broke a 63-63 tie with 46 seconds left on a James West free throw.
C-N had a couple cracks at the lead, but Tyler Bowens had a missed jumper at the tin and the Eagles turned over their final possession.
"Turnovers defined the game," Benson said. "Up until tonight, we'd done a good job of taking care of the basketball. Credit Tusculum, I thought their pressure was good. We just did a bad job of responding to some things they did defensively. Our execution in general was slow. The turnovers were the determining factor in the outcome."
Ren Dyer (Weaverville, N.C.) led Carson-Newman with 15 points. He was 5-for-12 from the field and 2-for-7 from deep. EJ Bush (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) plopped in 14 on 7-of-13 shooting.
Davis rounded out C-N's trio of double-digit scorers with 13 points. Davis had nine boards.
All of Carson-Newman's players will return for the 2020-21 season.
"I think it's a testament to what we've been able to create culturally," Benson said. "The culture is connected to the people who are high character, low maintenance, egoless, team first guys as a group. As exciting and fun as this season has been, those guys are determined to come back and use their extra year of eligibility because of CoVID. Guys at dinner last night weren't on their phones. They were eating talking to one another and investing in one another. I'm fortunate to coach a unique group of guys. We'll learn from this and build on these successes for next year."
Trenton Gibson guided Tusculum with a game-high 22 points. Joshua Scott chipped in 12 while Keaston Brown and Brandon Mitchell each added 10.
C-N limited Tusculum to 42.6 percent shooting and a 1-of-12 effort from long range. Meanwhile, Tusculum held C-N to 41.1 percent shooting. The Eagles were 2-for-13 from long range.
Carson-Newman outrebounded the Pioneers 41-33 and had more second chance points. However, even though C-N and Tusculum had even points off turnovers, C-N's six fewer positions ended up making a difference for TU.
For news and notes on Carson-Newman men's basketball in the offseason, follow @CN_Hoops and @CNathletics on Twitter.
