VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: John Zhao Interview
WISE, Va. – John Zhao erupted for a career-high 28 points and Carson-Newman (1-0) used a stellar second half to roll past Lees-McRae (0-1) 101-77 Saturday night at the Prior Convocation Center in the SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge.
Zhao was hyper effective in 20 minutes on the floor. He produced his third career 20-point game while drilling 10-of-12 shots and 5-of-6 threes. He was also 3-of-3 at the free throw line.
"We've been preaching this past week to push and be aggressive and that's what I tried to be," Zhao said. "Guys have been by my side continuing to put in work each and every day. My teammates were finding me, and we were moving it (the ball). Everything was just flowing offensively for us today."
The Eagles shot 54 percent from the field and crested triple digits in a season-opening game for a third time in the last four season-opening affairs with Lees-McRae in this SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge.
Jack Browder (Johnson City, Tenn.) joined Zhao with a 22-point night of his own. He collected his first career double-double, adding in a career-best 12 boards. The duo combined for 50 points and are the first pair of 20-point scorers for the Eagles since Browder (25) and Bryant Thomas (22) combined for 47 in a Feb. 22 win over Emory & Henry last season.
The duo paced five double-digit scorers for the Eagles. Nick Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.) chipped in an efficient 11 on 3-of-8 shooting, including a 2-of-4 mark from range. Ousmane Dia (Dakar, Senegal) marked his C-N debut with 10 points on a flawless 4-of-4 mark from the field.
Ben Beeker (Hendersonville, N.C.) rounded out C-N's five double-digit scorers with 11. He was a career-best 7-of-8 at the charity stripe. He was a rebound away from his first career double-double.
The teams swapped leads eight times and were tied eight times in a back-and-forth first half that saw C-N take a 46-41 lead into the halftime locker room. The Bobcats shot 52.9 percent from the field, but were just 2-of-10 from deep in the opening stanza.
However, the Eagles put the clamps on LMC in the second half.
Carson-Newman used an 26-7 run in the second half to blow things open while the Bobcats went through a four-minute field goal drought. Ben Beeker (Hendersonville, N.C.) keyed the run with five made free throws sandwiched around buckets from Jack Browder (Johnson City, Tenn.), Ren Dyer (Weaverville, N.C.) and Bryce Weinmunson (Ponchatoula, La.). That surged the Eagles ahead by double figures, 65-53 with 11:12 to play in the second half.
Carson-Newman poured it on with a Nick Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.) triple followed by six straight points from John Zhao (Sevierville, Tenn.). When the dust settled, the Eagles had a 22-point lead, 81-59 with 8:56 left in the game.
The Eagles limited LMC to 30.8 percent shooting after halftime. The Bobcats suffered through two separate four-minute field goal droughts after halftime. Meanwhile, the Eagles stayed toasty. Carson-Newman canned 50 percent of its shots after halftime and were selective in hitting 4-of-6 threes.
C-N finished the game shooting 54 percent from the field. The Eagles were 10-of-20 from range.
Sidney Dollar led five double-digit scorers for LMC with 13 points. Jaylin Stewart added 12 and LJ Rogers 11. Timon Jones and Nico Ashley each finished with 10.
Carson-Newman smashed the glass, outrebounding LMC 46-33. In a frenetic-paced game, the Eagles turned it over more than 20 times for a second-straight meeting with the Bobcats.
However, LMC also gave the ball up 17 times and only had a narrow 18-17 edge in points off turnovers.
C-N dished out 21 assists on its 34 made baskets.
The Eagles wrap up the SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge Sunday at 2 p.m. against King. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 1:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
