Chuck Benson By The Slice – Newberry Preview

C-N Game Notes

The Eagles must respond from a 71-64 loss to Tusculum that snapped a 13-game skid for the Pioneers. Meanwhile, Newberry is trying to extend a four-game win streak.  The Wolves have scored 90 points in five straight games and have scored no fewer than 83 points in a game this year.  The Wolves are second in the nation in scoring with 95.7 points per game. 

"They will try to wear you down with their effort and intensity," Carson-Newman head coach Chuck Benson said. "They take great pride in scoring the ball and have a lot of people who can do it.  We've got to be ready to play crazy basketball for 40 minutes."

The Wolves drain a SAC-best 10.7 threes a game. That tally is sixth best in the nation.  Dondray Walker leads the way with 17.3 points per game.  His 51.3 three-point field goal percentage is second in the SAC and ninth in the nation. 

"It seems like Walker has been there forever," Benson said. "He's been a cornerstone for them and he knows how to produce points.  He has extreme focus both at home and on the road."

Additionally, the Wolves 11.9 steals per game is second only to Salem International's 13.4 a contest.  Carson-Newman has taken good care of the rock since the calendar turned to 2014.  The Eagles are averaging nine turnovers a game this year. 

"They want to try to turn you over and get easy scores," Benson said. "It goes back to the opponent; if you take care of the ball and limit their points off turnovers then you've got a big plus."

The Eagles took both meetings from the Wolves last season, winning 98-76 at Mossy Creek before taking an overtime decision in Eleazer Arena 89-83.  The Eagles overcame a 12-point second half deficit in the second contest. 

Ish Sanders (Cleveland, Tenn.) still sits on the cusp of a couple marks in the South Atlantic Conference.  He needs eight points to match Walt Baxley of Mars Hill for eighth on the conference's all-time scoring list (1,655 points from 2003-06). From there, Sanders has aways to go before seventh place on the all-time list and Kyle Moore of Tusculum's 1,813 career points. Sanders is the first C-N player in the SAC's top 10 all-time scorers. Sanders also needs five treys to match Moore as the SAC's all-time leader in made threes. Moore astoundingly reached his mark in three years.

Coverage of the contest is available on the Eagles Sports Network on 106.3 ESPN Radio The Zone (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.

-CN-