SALISBURY, N.C. – Posting 86 points per game over its last 10 games, 12th-ranked Carson-Newman is back on the road on Saturday afternoon for South Atlantic Conference affair at Catawba for a 2 p.m. tip-off looking to push the winning streak to five games in a battle of the final two one-loss teams in the league.
"For the first time in my career I feel like we are living with shots close to the basket," Carson-Newman coach Mike Mincey said. "That's how you can win consistently on the road and shoot a high percentage when you are shooting the ball close to the rim. I like it. I do wish we could hit a few more threes and shoot it better but when you can get the inside shots the way we have been able to get it you feel more comfortable especially when you play in someone else's gym."
The Lady Eagles have scored 90 points in back-to-back games and will look to make it three straight on Saturday. It would mark the first such streak since a string of five in a row from Jan. 17-31, 2018 when the club averaged triple digits during the Elite Eight season. Since that time, the program has produced 90 points in two consecutive games six times.
Carson-Newman (11-1, 11-1) is playing its first Saturday road game of the year and have won five in a row since losing 77-74 at No. 16 Anderson on Dec. 7, 2019. In 2021, the Orange and Blue have won all four games on Saturdays with the last three coming by 31, 26 and 18 points.
In the 71st all-time meeting with Catawba (5-1, 5-1), Mincey's squad looks to continue its eight-game winning streak, the longest for the school in the history of the series. The Indians lead 37-33 and are looking for their first win over C-N since an 82-78 triumph at Holt Fieldhouse on Feb. 6, 2016.
Last season when the teams met at Goodman Gym, neither side led by more than six points with Kayla Marosites hitting the game-winning foul shot in overtime in a 69-68 victory. The Lady Eagles turned the ball over a season-high 26 times but limited the Indians to 16 points off of those giveaways.
Catawba has been limited to six total games this year, four fewer than any other club in the conference with Saturday being its first game in 17 days when it lost 68-61 at home to Tusculum on Jan. 25. Overall there have been 13 total postponements due to Covid issues. The team was picked third in the preseason poll receiving two first-place votes.
While the Indians are a flawless 4-0 on the road, they are 1-1 at home scoring fewer points and being less efficient from the floor shooting 35 percent in two games being held under 40 percent in both outings.
Defense is the team's calling card leading the league and ranking 23rd in the country in turnovers forced per game at just under 22 per contest racking up 11 steals on average. There have been four games of double-digit steals by the unit. Catawba has taken advantage averaging 22 points per game off of turnovers with four of six games netting at least 20.
Although it is one of the top scoring defenses in the league yielding 63 points per game, third in the conference, the Indians have been called for an average of 24 fouls per game, the third-highest margin among 211 qualifying schools in Division II.
When the team is in possession, the club ranks eighth in efficiency making 38 percent from the field and ninth in three-point percentage at 29 percent. The program has made no better than 44 percent in any game this year from the field and no better than 36 percent from distance attempting 22 or more three-pointers in five of six outings.
Six players are scoring seven or more points per game this year and nine are playing at least 14 minutes per night. Shemya Stanbeck is the team's leading scorer registering a dozen on average with double figure efforts in four of five games.
Saturday's affair can be enjoyed on two platforms. Radio coverage can be found on 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) with an audio stream available on cneagles.com/live starting at 1:45 p.m. with "The Appalachian Electric Cooperative Countdown to Tip-Off".
- CN -
