NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After the greatest three-point shooting display in Carson-Newman men's basketball history, junior guard Nick Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.) has added to his person trophy case.
A day after being named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week, Brenegan has garnred Tennessee Sportswriters Association State Player of the Week honors, the organization announced Wednesday morning. \
Brenegan and John Zhao have swept the pair of weekly honors in consecutive awards cycles.
Against Tennessee Wesleyan on Dec. 19, 2023, the Eagles buried 22 threes as a team to reset the program's single-game mark, while Brenegan buried 12-of-25 threes to reset the single-game marks as an individual for both threes made and taken. The 22 made threes as a team resets the mark of 20 previously set on Jan. 21, 2009 against Brevard. Meanwhile, Brenegan's mark of 12 triples bests Ish Sanders' 12-year-old school record. Sanders hit 11 when he originally set the single-game record for points (since bested by Charles Clark) against Mars Hill on Feb. 16, 2011. Sanders and Brenegan are the only players in school history to make more than 10 in a game, and also the only two to take more than 20 threes in a game.
We crammed all 22 threes from @cn_hoops under 100 seconds. Relive a record-setting performance. #TalonsUp pic.twitter.com/mdN7HfgNBQ
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) December 21, 2023
Brenegan's 12 threes are also tied for the most in an NCAA Division II game this season and the second-most in SAC history. He sits even with Saint Anselm's Josh Morrissette, who buried 12 against Franklin Pierce. In league history, he matched Lenoir-Rhyne's RJ McClure, who hit 12 for the Bears in 2014 against Newberry.
The junior buried 5-of-8 threes in the first half before going 7-of-17 from deep in the second half. He started 11-of-19 from beyond the arc before missing five straight. Ultimately, a second-chance triple with 36 seconds left snapped that string of misses and set the game's final margin at 107-83.
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— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) December 20, 2023
Count 'em - 12 triples for Nick Brenegan
Most in @CN_Hoops history. Tied for second-most in @SAC_Athletics history. Tied for the most in a @NCAADII game this season. #TalonsUp pic.twitter.com/5JG09DLsm9
He helped C-N to a 2-0 week, with 11 points against Belmont Abbey in a 98-87 win over the Crusaders on Dec. 30.
The country's leader in both threes made this season (50), and threes made per game (4.47), Brenegan is on pace to become the 12th player in league history with triple-digit threes in a season.
Brenegan has buried multiple threes in every game this season. He's made a three in 17 straight games dating back to last season. He has made at least three threes in seven straight games.
For the week, he averaged 24.0 points and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 51.7 percent from the field and from three.
He reset his career high with seven dimes dropped against TWU.
Brenegan is Carson-Newman's third TSWA Player of the Week this season. John Zhao won the honor before the Christmas holiday while Jack Browder garnered the accolade after the opening week of the year.
Brenegan and the rest of the Eagles are in action Wednesday night at 7:30 at No. 22 Lincoln Memorial. Pregame coverage against the Railsplitters begins at 7:15 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live
