JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Carson-Newman men’s basketball coach Dale Clayton has stressed to his team all season the importance of winning its home games.

And after losing three out of their last four South Atlantic Conference contests, holding serve at home on Saturday night against Lenoir-Rhyne becomes even more important for the Eagles (7-9, 2-4).

C-N and the Bears (3-13, 1-5) are slated to tip off at 8 p.m. in Holt Fieldhouse.

“It’s just so hard to win on the road in this league,” said Clayton, who is in his 22nd season with the Eagles. “When you don’t win at home, it complicates everything. Our whole thing for this game is we have to defend “The Creek.” I expect us to play well.”

The Eagles are coming off a heartbreaking 67-65 loss at Brevard on Wednesday, but a bright spot for C-N in the defeat was the play of sophomore guard Cameron Sharp (Knoxville, Tenn.). Sharp scored a career high 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including seven 3-pointers.

“(Sharp) gave us a great lift, especially on the offensive end,” Clayton said. “Cameron missed last year (with an injury). When a guy misses a year like that, sometimes we are unrealistic in thinking that they are just going to come out and pick up where they left off.

“It seems that he’s really starting to come out of that and is playing a lot better. We are a much better basketball team when Cameron is playing well.”

Lenoir-Rhyne enters the contest on a five-game losing streak. The Bears opened conference play with a convincing 18-point win over Catawba on Dec. 2 but they have dropped their last five SAC games, including their last three by a combined 13 points.

“They are just trying to find themselves,” Clayton said of the Bears. “The thing that I have paid particular attention to is that fact that this is a team that beat Catawba at home by 18 points. That says something to me. I think their record is not a true indicator of what kind of team they are. Our league is a tough league, and there is no one in our league that can’t beat you.”

C-N will be faced with the tough task of trying to slow down junior forward D.J. Blackmon, who has been the Bears’ go-to player. The Albemarle, N.C., native is third in the conference in scoring with an average of 20.4 points per contest. He also leads Lenoir-Rhyne in rebounds (6.7), steals (32) and blocks (11).

“Blackmon is a veteran player,” Clayton said. “He’s 6-6 guy that can score inside and outside. He’s one of the better players in this league.”

Lenoir-Rhyne leads the all-time series with C-N, 27-16. The Eagles have lost the last five meetings with the Bears, including all three last season.

The game will be broadcast across the Lakeway region on WMTN-AM 1300 out of Morristown, Tenn.

Saturday’s game has been designated as Skivvies for Haiti Night. All kids 12 and under will be admitted free with the donation of underwear sizes 2-14 that will go to the children of Haiti, who are in serious need of help after last Tuesday’s devastating earthquake.