VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: Luke Brenegan Interview
VIDEO: Tyler Bowens Interview
VIDEO: Caleb Bridgewater Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (5-3, 3-2 South Atlantic Conference) had to contend with the country's fifth-highest scoring duo when Anderson (3-5, 1-5 South Atlantic Conference) came to Holt Fieldhouse Saturday evening.
Quin Nottingham and Crosby James entered the game averaging 40.3 points per game. C-N held the pair to 17 (all from Nottingham) as Carson-Newman's defense delivered an 80-57 win.
The Eagles limited Anderson to season lows for points (57), shooting percentage (34.3), three-pointers made (four) and three-point field goal percentage (21.1).
All the while, Carson-Newman suffered through an off-shooting night, knocking down 40 percent of its shots – a season low. However, the Eagles grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and scored 22 second chance points to pave the way for a fourth straight win this year and a third straight over the Trojans.
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— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) December 5, 2021
6️⃣th home win over Anderson in the last nine years by 2️⃣0️⃣+ points.
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"I really challenged our team, but I also directly challenged Caleb Bridgewater," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "I told him that I thought he could be a catalyst and could be a guy that establishes something for our team. He had five offensive boards in the first half, but not only did he get the boards, they were such energizing, all-out effort, physical tough plays. What he did is not something you see all that often."
As the team's slogged through a sluggish opening four minutes, Caleb Bridgewater (Charlotte, N.C.) grabbed three offensive rebounds. An unrelenting early effort that let the fuse on Carson-Newman's powder keg.
"Honestly, we knew this was in our favor when Bridge set the tone," Luke Brenegan said. "I can't remember what possession it was, but Bridge's effort was just so strong. I knew we were going to run away with it."
Carson-Newman outscored the Trojans 26-4 over an eight-minute stretch en route to building its largest first-half lead of the season.
Tripp Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) and John Zhao (Sevierville, Tenn.) canned back-to-back threes to start sparking C-N to a 12-4 edge with 14:12 to play in the half. The lead surged past 20 and stayed there once Nick Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.) drilled a three from the right win with 6:31 to play in the half. The Eagles led 30-8. The Trojans would get no closer than 20 the rest of the way.
"The tone was set earlier, that is no doubt a credit to our guys," Benson said. "We're asking them to do something and they are going and doing what we ask of them. They followed the request to a tee."
The lead was built somewhat surreptitiously based on Carson-Newman's offensive play, but not by the boisterous noise coming from C-N's bench. The Eagles were only shooting 10-of-30 from the field when Brenegan nailed his three to give C-N a 22-point lead.
������ Dagger by Jarius Satterfield
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) December 4, 2021
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While the initial shots weren't falling for C-N, its seconds and thirds were. Carson-Newman had 12 offensive rebounds and 19 second chance points – a season high – at the break to more than make up for the inefficient shooting.
"The guys on the floor were feeding off the energy that our bench was creating," Benson said. "Our bench guys were locked in. We didn't want to rely on anyone else to create an atmosphere or excitement if we could do that. Our guys who were out of commission, Trey Smith, Ivan, Ren and Nehemie were off the charts keeping everyone engaged and up. It was like a constant recharging of batteries by our guys."
Carson-Newman finished with 22 second-chance points and a 48-39 edge on the glass. Carson-Newman had also scored 13 points off eight first-half Anderson Trojan turnovers en route to carrying a 46-20 lead into the halftime lockerroom. Anderson shot 29 percent from the field in the first half.
The Trojans became the first team C-N held below 35 percent shooting since limiting Wingate to 31 percent shooting from the field in the SAC quarterfinals on March 1, 2021. Anderson is also the first team C-N has held to 20 or fewer in a half since the Eagles limited Mars Hill to 18 in the first half on Feb. 18, 2021 on the road.
Davis led the charge for C-N with a game-high 18 points. He was 8-for-12 from the field and 2-for-2 from deep. He pulled in a season-high six rebounds.
Brenegan and Bryant Thomas (Charlotte, N.C.) followed suit with 13 apiece. Brenegan handed out six assists, his fourth game this year with five or more assists.
Zhao rounded out C-N's quartet of double-digit scorers with 10 – his second-career game with 10 or more.
Nottingham was the lone Trojan in double-digits with 17. He heated up after halftime with 11 after the break. James came in to the game averaging 20.3 points per game. He was held scoreless for just the second time in his career and the first in a game in which he played more than 10 minutes.
✍️ PUT IT IN THE BOOKS!
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) December 4, 2021
The Eagles piledrive the Trojans leading wire-to-wire.
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"Our preparation was right," Benson said. "They were locked in to the scout and executed well. When you get up by 31, it's really hard to sustain that. Then two, if you're down, you tend to play freer. Quin is a really capable scorer and made some shots. James is an elite scorer and struggled tonight. The style made the fight and our defense was locked in to make life difficult for them tonight."
Carson-Newman hits the road for the first time in three weeks when it heads to Wise, Va. to take on the UVA Wise Highland Cavaliers Wednesday at 7:30 in the Prior Convocation Center. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 7:15 with the AEC Countdown To Tipoff on Mountain Sports 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
