JEFFERSON CTY – For the first time since 1975-76, Carson-Newman (8-2, 3-0 South Atlantic Conference) collides with Emory & Henry (7-3, 1-2 SAC) Saturday at 4 p.m. in the King Center.
This is Carson-Newman's first meeting with Emory & Henry since the 1975-76 season. Carson-Newman has won all 13 meetings in the recorded history by double-figures. The Eagles' average margin of victory in the series is 30.53 ppg. While that is ancient history, five of the Eagles 51 all-time 40+ point wins have come against the Wasps, the most of any one foe with the exception of King and Milligan.
"Knowing they were able to go on the road last time and beat Tusculum at Tusculum tells me everything I need to know about them," head coach Chuck Benson said. "They are a tough physical team and are one of the best all-around offensive teams in our league, second only to LMU. We have to be prepared to expect the unexpected with what they do defensively."
The Eagles rebounding has been off the charts good to start 2022. C-N has produced a double-digit rebounding margin in six of its last eight games and has been outrebounded once (by Clayton State). Carson-Newman is 21st nationally and second in the SAC in rebounds. The Eagles are eighth nationally in rebound margin (+10.5).
The Eagles are one of 20 schools shoot better than 50 percent from the field this season. However, the Eagles are one of three schools on that list to rank in the top 60 nationally in offensive rebounding (Nova Southeastern and East Stroudsburg are the others). Carson-Newman is second in the SAC in both field goal percentage and offensive rebounding.
Carson-Newman is trying for a seventh-consecutive road victory. The Eagles are tied for the sixth-longest active road winning streak in NCAA Division II. Carson-Newman hasn't dropped a true road game away from Holt Fieldhouse since Feb. 5, 2022 when it lost at Queens 74-50.
Carson-Newman has won more than five straight true road games just twice this century. Between the Eagles run to the Sweet 16 in 2002 and the start of the 2002-03 season, Carson-Newman won eight in-a-row away from Holt.
Emory & Henry head coach Ben Thompson is the first of three Josh Schertz (former Lincoln Memorial head coach and current head coach of Indiana State) disciples that Carson-Newman will face this season (Lander - Omar Wattad and Lincoln Memorial - Jeremiah Samarripas are the others).
Thompson was with the Railsplitters in 2015-16.
Emory & Henry has the second-highest scoring offense in the South Atlantic Conference, and were leading the league until Lincoln Memorial exploded for 122 points against Tennessee Wesleyan. The Wasps have put up at least 80 points in all but two games (losses to Lincoln Memorial and Malone).
E&H has shot at least 50 percent from the field in six of its 10 games.
Gabe Brown leads the Wasps with 14.8 points per game. However, he has been held to single digits in back-to-back games.
"He's big and a good perimeter player," Benson said. "He's got NBA range, but he's also good off the bounce. He's one of the biggest unknowns in the league this year coming in. But his upside is really dangerous."
Tipoff between the Eagles and Wasps is set for 4 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
