VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: Caleb Bridgewater Interview
VIDEO: Luke Brenegan Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For 33 minutes, Carson-Newman (10-6, 4-2 South Atlantic Conference) and Tusculum played to a stalemate Wednesday night in Holt Fieldhouse.
The other seven minutes? Squarely in favor of the Pioneers.
Tusculum broke open a game that featured six ties and six lead changes in its first 12 minutes with a 21-3 run to close the first half. The teams were tied 22-22 heading into the eight-minute media timeout.
Carson-Newman would finish the half 1-of-7 from the field, turn it over six times in the final 7:22 and see Tusculum knock down nine of its final 12 shots en route to snatching a 43-25 halftime lead.
"Credit goes to Tusculum, they played well and did what they needed to do to get a really good road win. I'm disappointed for the people that they witnessed this outcome," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "I'm disappointed in us for our mindset, our response to adversity and how we continue to self-inflict ourselves with wounds."
C-N turned it over nine times in the first half, leading to a 12-0 advantage in points of turnovers for the Pioneers. Tusculum was +5 in turnover margin on the day, 13-8, and had a 16-8 advantage in points off turnovers.
The loss is both the fourth in-a-row to Tusculum and the fourth consecutive this season for Carson-Newman.
"We have to make choices as individuals to get honest with ourselves and go win day-by-day while making the right investment and right commitment. We have to relearn how to win games," Benson said. "In the 20 years I've been a college head coach, I can't remember a time where I've seen the kind of self-mutilation and implosion I've seen from our team. Unfortunately, there's not a lot any one person can do for another unless that person can help themselves first. We have some capability, but in less than two weeks, we have absolutely imploded. We have to relearn, reconnect and recommit."
Caleb Bridgewater (Charlotte, N.C.) paced all scorers with 17 points, all in the second half. Je was 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-5 from three.
"When you take that floor, you have to be alert and aware of what you are doing," Bridgewater said. "I don't think that's our state of mind right now. Hopefully it gets fixed soon. But whoever is on that court needs to do their job night in and night out."
Bryant Thomas (Charlotte, N.C.) was Carson-Newman's only other double-digit scorer. He had 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
Tusculum had a balanced scoring effort. Inady Legiste paced the Pioneers with 13 points and 12 rebounds. He picked up his nation-leading 10th double-double.
Four other Pioneers, James West, Jalen Crowder, Connor Jordan and Kyle Brown, all had 10 points.
"We only turned it over four times after halftime," Benson said. "They are en elite offensive rebounding team and they only had five today. We had positives. We need to quit playing the scoreboard and be present and in the moment. We did that in the second half. The overarching concern is where we are right now. We need to do the work to give ourselves the best chance at a good performance."
Carson-Newman shot 39.6 percent from the field, but went 10-of-25 from deep.
Tusculum connected on 47.5 percent of its shots.
Carson-Newman hits the road Saturday to Newberry for a 4 p.m. tip. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
