February 2, 2021

Carson-Newman continues home stand versus Anderson

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the second time in three days, Carson-Newman (6-5, 5-5 South Atlantic Conference) will hit the hardwood at Holt Fieldhouse.

Anderson (S.C.)

2-5 (2-5 SAC)

Carson-Newman

7-5 (6-5 SAC)

Final

Anderson (S.C.) 2-5 (2-5 SAC)

Carson-Newman 7-5 (6-5 SAC)

C-N Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the second time in three days, Carson-Newman (6-5, 5-5 South Atlantic Conference) will hit the hardwood at Holt Fieldhouse.

The Eagles welcome Anderson (2-6, 2-6 SAC) for a 6 p.m. tip Wednesday.

Carson-Newman has won four straight games at home. The last time the Eagles won four straight, they didn't lose at home for a year, winning 15 straight at home from Jan. 18, 2017 to Jan. 17, 2018.

Carson-Newman is looking to sweep the season series with the Trojans for a fifth season out of six. Carson-Newman took a 72-66 decision from the Trojans in the meeting in Anderson on Jan. 9.

"They have such a huge number of guys who can shoot the ball well," head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "They'll try to pick a part our zone with the three ball and driving gaps. It'll be a style-makes-the-fight kind of match between their offensive identity and our defensive identity."

The Eagles shot a then season-best 50 percent from the field in spite of a season-low 3-for-11 effort from long range. Carson-Newman dominated inside, outscoring Anderson 48-20 in the paint. Carson-Newman hadn't been +28 in the paint on an opponent since the Eagles outscored Newberry 56-20 (+36) on Feb. 28, 2018.

�� @_tripp10 �� @Rendyer2000.

Showtime in Holt last night. pic.twitter.com/UmtlJcSAJc
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CNathletics) February 2, 2021

Carson-Newman has the league's top scoring defense - averaging 65.5 points allowed per game, a figure that ranks 20th nationally. Carson-Newman boasts the league's second-best field goal percentage defense. However, the Eagles are one of three schools nationally (Southwest Baptist and Lincoln Memorial are the others) that is holding opponents under 40 percent shooting with double-digit games played.

Tusculum has been the only team to shoot better than 45 percent from the field on the Eagles.

Part of the Eagles defensive standing comes from shot blocking. Carson-Newman leads the SAC and ranks 11th nationally with 4.5 blocks per game. If the season were to end today, Carson-Newman would set a new school record for average shots blocked per contest. Bryant Thomas has swatted 23 shots this year to rank second in the country.

Ren Dyer will look to regain his shooting stroke. After scoring in double-digits in seven straight games, Dyer is averaging 5.0 ppg over the last two contests. He hasn't found the bottom of the bucket from deep since the Wingate game, missing seven straight threes in the interim.

Quin Nottingham was a thorn in Carson-Newman's side last year. The first-team All-SAC performer averaged 25.5 points per game last year against the Eagles while making 16-of-33 shots from the field and 7-of-18 threes.

Nottingham had an insane final four minutes in Anderson's 75-72 win over Carson-Newman in Holt Fieldhouse on Feb. 1, 2020. After starting 1-of-7 from three-point range, Nottingham buried four threes in the final 86 seconds, including a 35-footer, an and-one four-point play, and a 75-footer as the final horn sounded to give Anderson the win.

Nottingham hasn't quite returned to the form he had a year ago. The senior is averaging 9.8 points per game after averaging 19.3 a year ago. Nottingham is shooting 28.9 percent from the field and has made fewer threes this year (three) than he did in the final 86 seconds of last year's meeting in Holt Fieldhouse (four).

Anderson is looking for its first road win of the season. Part of that comes from playing during a pandemic. The Trojans have played a league-low six games and had to go through two separate program pauses.

Anderson opened the year with a 90-78 road loss to Catawba. The only time the Trojans have played on the road in 2021 was an 87-58 loss at Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 6.

Crosby James and Josh Livingston have had the hot hand for AU. Over the last two games Crosby James has led the Trojans with 16.0 ppg. He is 12-of-24 from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line

Livingston was 8-of-13 from the field, including 6-of-8 from long range. His 6.0 boards per game lead the Trojans over the last two.

Coverage of the contest with the Trojans will be available on the Eagle Sports Network online only at cneagles.com/live. The broadcast starts 15 minutes prior to gametime with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff.