VIDEO: Mike Mincey Interview

Carson-Newman Women's Basketball Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles (18-9, 12-9 South Atlantic Conference) will honor three seniors, Jassmine Franklin, Whitney Kyle and Lacy Miller, Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. when the Newberry Wolves (18-9, 14-7 SAC) come to Holt Fieldhouse for the 2014-15 regular season finale.

"I think this is the best leadership we've had probably since Ashley Kyle was on the roster," Carson-Newman coach Mike Mincey said. "I think it's one of the things that give you a successful team is putting us in a position to where theoretically we can win 20 games or go to the NCAA Tournament is because we have good leadership in the locker room. I had one of the underclassmen one time this year tell me this is the best leadership of any team she has ever played on."

Franklin, a transfer from Roane State Community College, played two seasons for Mincey. The Lexington, Ky. native has averaged 4.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in her career while racking up 47 blocks. Franklin has seven career double figure scoring efforts and has record her career high in points, 14 at Wingate on Valentine's Day, and rebounds, 10 versus Catawba on January 31, this season.

"She's given us great depth at the post position," Mincey said. "She has played probably not as many minutes as she would have liked but the minutes she has played and the production she has provided for us has been really key in the victories we've been able to produce over the last two seasons."

Kyle, a transfer from Morehead State, also played two seasons for Mincey and will start her 50^th career game on Saturday. The Jefferson City, Tenn. native has averaged over 25 minutes in her career while averaging 6.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per night. In her senior year, Kyle made 25 consecutive free throws during a stretch and ranks second in the SAC with an 89.2 percent percentage, a number that would set the school record for a single season if it holds. The forward has eight double figure scoring games this season including a pair of career-high 15 point nights. On December 10 at Holt Fieldhouse against Lenoir-Rhyne, Kyle recorded her first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds.

"She's been a real key part to our success the last two years and has been a real heady player with a high IQ," Mincey said. "She doesn't score a bunch of points but we always put her on the other team's best player. She's a great defensive player."

Miller is the lone four-year player to be honored Saturday afternoon as she played in 74 career games. A knee injury limited the Dandridge, Tenn. native to 23 games while an ACL injury limited her to 19 games this season. Despite the injuries, Miller has 151 career assists and led the team in assists per game when she suffered the season-ending injury. She had nine games with three or more assists this year and led the team in helpers on six occasions this year. In a December 20 victory at Kentucky Wesleyan, Miller had 10 points, seven assists and a career-high five steals.

"Lacy came in when I came in as the head coach," Mincey said. "She was already coming in so I like to claim her as mine even though she had already been recruited. We've had winning records every year she has been here. We have .500 or better in league play. There's a lot of things that Lacy has been able to experience."

Carson-Newman and Newberry clash for the 46^th time with the Lady Eagles holding a 27-18 lead in the series that includes a 53-50 win at Newberry on January 24. Carson-Newman used a 23-2 run where they held Newberry without a field goal for a six minute period to turn an 11-point deficit into a 10-point lead in the second half.

Newberry's bench did not score a single point in the game as sophomore guard Kailyn Brooks (Lafayette, Tenn.) led the way for Carson-Newman with 16 points and six assists.

The game can be heard on 106.3 WPFT-FM and seen on cneagles.com/live beginning at 1:45 p.m. with "The Appalachian Electric Cooperative Countdown to Tip-Off" on the Eagle Sports Network.

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