VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: Kaleb Wallace Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Buoyed by the first 20-point performance by a freshman in half a decade, Carson-Newman (10-17, 7-14 South Atlantic Conference) used a stingy defense coupled with an efficient offense to down UVa-Wise (5-22, 1-20 SAC) 91-78 Wednesday night at the Prior Convocation Center.
Kaleb Wallace (Atlanta, Ga.) became the first Eagle to post a 20-point outing as a freshman in a win since Charles Clark's three-game stretch with 20 or more to close his first year at Mossy Creek in 2015.
Wallace reset his career marks for points (20), rebounds (eight) and assists (six), while shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 2-of-4 from three. He also added in a block and two steals with just two turnovers.
"You can tell that Kaleb is getting more comfortable," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "We've had the conversation at what point do some of these younger guys start emerging. It's become clear that he is. The way he goes about things, and we reference Bird. Charles was much more deliberate and was very efficient but not very optically pleasing. Wallace does some things at times that make your jaw drop."
Carson-Newman shot 56.7 percent from the field while holding UVa-Wise to 35.3 percent shooting, including a 9-of-31 effort (29.0 percent) from long range. The Cavs kept thing from trending toward blowout territory by knocking down 21-of-31 free throw attempts.
"We didn't do anything different today," Benson said. "Guys just found some confidence early. We maintained that and did so for 40 minutes. Hopefully we can carry that confidence into Saturday."
Aside from Wallace's efforts, the Eagles had three others finish in double-digits. Richard Henderson (Maryland Heights, Mo.) struck for his second-straight double-digit scoring effort with 14 points and five boards in just 16 minutes. Henderson was 7-of-10 from the field.
Bryant Thomas (Charlotte, N.C.) posted his third double-digit effort of the season with an even 10 on 5-of-11 shooting. Thomas also snared seven boards, the second most of his sophomore campaign.
"We pounded it in to them better," Benson said. "Our players got the ball inside more today. We had a better post presence and they made shots confidently near the rim."
Finally, Reece Anderson (Douglasville, Ga.) toted 12 on 5-of-6 shooting. Anderson was the catalyst for a second-half surge that helped stretch things out.
Carson-Newman led by three, 33-30 with two minutes to play in the first half. Anderson scored three straight fast break buckets sandwiched around a pair of Tripp Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) free throws to give the Eagles' a momentum seizing 8-0 run before the halftime break.
The Eagles carried a 41-32 lead into the locker room. C-N stretched the lead to 19 midway through the second half with a pair of Davis free throws, a Henderson slam and another jumper from the Austin Peay transfer.
Wise would cut the deficit to nine twice the rest of the way, but would draw no closer.
The Cavs operated with a three-man crew. Cameron Whiteside, Chance Sheffey and Briggs Parris combined for 56 of the Cavaliers 78 points. Whiteside and Parris each had 19, while Sheffey added in 18.
Carson-Newman carried a 43-39 rebounding edge on the Cavs, and inspite of being minus four (15-11) in turnovers, outscored the Cavs 18-12 in points off giveaways.
"I thought we were very efficient on the offensive side, we won the rebound battle and had more assists than turnovers," Benson said. "The road season is in the books and we'll see how we grow as we wrap this up."
The win keeps Carson-Newman a perfect 13-0 all-time against the Cavs. The loss was Wise's 16th straight this year and its fifth in-a-row by double-digits.
The Eagles finish the year Saturday against Newberry at 4 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on The Mountain 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
