2021-22: EJ Bush became Carson-Newman men's basketball's program's 40th 1,000-point scorer when he powered in an and-one in the SAC semifinals against Lincoln Memorial.  Bush appeared and started in all 31 games on the year for C-N.  Bushed finished his C-N career with 1,006 points in three years.  He scored 1,901 points in his collegiate basketball career.  Bush finished one rebound shy of having 500 career boards for his time in the Orange and Blue, sitting on 499.  He finished his C-N career third all-time in offensive rebounds (158).  Bush averaged 11.9 points per game his senior year with 5.7 rebounds per contest.  He produced his ninth career double-double in the semis against Lincoln Memorial with 15 points and 10 boards.  All told, Bushedd scored in double digits in 22 games, with a pair of 20-point efforts on the year.  He dropped 23 at Anderson (1/24) and scored 21 on 9-of-15 shooting at home againt UVA Wise (1/5).  

HONORS

• Darkhorse Dunker Finalist 

2020-21: Carson-Newman's leading scorer, Bush averaged 13.0 points per game after starting all 22 contests for the Eagles.  Bush scored in double digits in 17 contests including six straight to close the year. He produced a trio of 20-point efforts including a season-high 23 in the SAC tournament semifinals at Tusculum (3/4). Bush also produced a pair of double-doubles on the year, going for 10 points and 10 boards at Tusculum (1/6) before turning in a 16-point, 10-rebound game at Catawba (2/6).  He snared a season-high five offensive boards that game. Bush averaged 4.8 boards per game for the year to rank second on the team.  He led C-N in rebounding in three games while being C-N's top scorer in six. Carson-Newman was 5-1 in games in which Bush was the leading scorer.  He earned SAC tournament MVP honors and TSWA State Player of the Week honors following his performance in the SAC Basketball Championships. The Oak Ridge, Tenn., native netted 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four boards, two assists and four steals versus Wingate in the quarterfinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament. The senior followed that with 23 points (11-of-18 field goals), five rebounds and three assists at Tusculum for his third 20-point game of the season.  Bush collected 15 points and four boards in the championship game at Queens, helping Carson-Newman win its first SAC Tournament title since 2015. The senior averaged 17.3 points per game for the week while shooting 56 percent from the field. The award was the first weekly honor of Bush's career.  

Honors

• SAC Basketball Tournament MVP 
• TSWA Player of the Week (3/10)

2019-20: Carson-Newman's second-leading scorer and leading rebounder in his junior campaign.  Bush averaged 12.5 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He was the only player on the roster to start all 28 games on the year for the Eagles. Bush was fourth in the SAC in rebounding and fifth with his 27 blocked shots.  His 7.7 rebounding average is the 29th highest single-season total in Carson-Newman men's basketball history, while his 2.5 offensive rebounds per game rank as the sixth highest single season total in C-N lore.  Bush exploded onto the scene in his first game as an Eagle against Lees-McRae.  Bush notched a season-best 27 points on a career-best 13 made field goals on 17 attempts to go along with 13 rebounds.  It would be the first of seven double-doubles on the year for the Bryan transfer.  Bush would top 20 points again on Nov. 26 with a 22-point game against Lincoln Memorial.  Bush had at least five rebounds in all but four of the games he played in.  He scored in double-ddigits in 19 games and had an eight-game streak from Dec. 4 through Jan. 25.  Bush led C-N in scoring seven times and was its leading rebounder on 17 occasions.   

PRIOR TO CARSON-NEWMAN: Bush earned NAIA All-American honors at the conclusion of his sophomore year at Bryan College.  He also garnered All-AAC First Team and All-Defensive Team recognition at the conclusion of the Lions' regular season. Bush led Bryan in a myriad of stats, including 474 total points for a 17.6 points per game average, 227 rebounds for an 8.4 rebounds per game average, 61 assists and 45 blocks. His 24 steals were second on the team. He shot 48 percent from the field. Bush tallied a team-best 11 double-doubles in his sophomore season at Bryan, which was the 5^th most in the AAC. He had a career-high 32 points in mid-January against St. Andrews University (N.C.). He ranked 12^th in the NAIA in blocks per game. As a freshman, he earned AAC Freshman of the Year honors as well as representing Bryan on the All-AAC second team, all-freshman team and all-defensive team.  As a freshman, Bush averaged 14 points on 57 percent shooting, both team highs for the Lions that year. 

HIGH SCHOOL:  In high school, he helped Oak Ridge to a 126-18 record in his four years with the program.  He helped the Wildcats to a quartet of district titles, a pair of region titles and three trips to the state tournament.  He was named MVP of the region tournament as a senior. 

PERSONAL: The son of Carrena and Eric Bush, he plans on studying political science at Carson-Newman.  His brother, Rober Austin, plays football at Pikeville.