Carson-Newman Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles basketball team (12-7, 6-6 South Atlantic Conference) will finish their three-game homestand by facing the Mars Hill Lions (5-15, 2-10 South Atlantic Conference) at Holt Fieldhouse on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Carson-Newman is in the midst of a season-high two-game losing streak, losing on Saturday to the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears 55-49.

"Mars Hill is playing really good basketball," said Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey. "As always, it's tough in our conference and it's a must-win game for us and it's one that we have to be focused and ready to go for."

The Lady Eagles led by eight at halftime, only to see the Bears open the second half on a 15-2 run and outscore Carson-Newman 40-26 in the second half for the six-point victory. For the first time in the regular season, no Lady Eagles scored in double-digits, and senior Courdne Miles (Burlington, N.C.) led Carson-Newman in scoring with 9 points.

The Lady Eagles continue to be led in scoring by junior Shyra Clark (Cleveland, Tenn.), who is averaging 11.3 points per game. Clark had a chance to tie Saturday's game in the final ten seconds with a pair of free throws, yet missed both before L-R hit necessary free throws in the final seconds to win 55-49.

The Lady Eagles beat Mars Hill 70-49 in the first meeting on Jan. 16, 2013 at Shuford Arena in Mars Hill, N.C. The Lady Eagles led by 12 at halftime, and led by as many as 25 points in the second half as Shyra Clark (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Courdne Miles (Burlington, N.C.) scored in double figures for Carson-Newman. Clark led Carson-Newman in scoring for the third straight contest with her team-high 14 points, and Miles posted a season-high 12 points playing in her home state of North Carolina.

Carson-Newman is now in sixth place in the SAC standings at 6-6, while the Lions are last in the league with a 2-10 mark in conference play.

The Lions have lost two of their last three games, yet picked up a 63-52 win over Brevard in its last game at home on Wednesday. Mars Hill is led in scoring by sophomore forward Armeka Booker who averages 16.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest.

Although Mars Hill won both meetings last year, the Lady Eagles lead the all-time series 41-18 in a series that dates back to 1968.

Coverage of the game is available on the Coca-Cola Eagle Sports Network, beginning with the Farm Bureau Countdown to Tipoff at 5:45 p.m. and the broadcast is also available on www.cneagles.com.