VIDEO: Tyler Bowens Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – This is the final part in a series breaking down the Carson-Newman men's basketball program's positions heading into the 2021-22 season. This part features the forwards with aid of sophomore Tyler Bowens (Greenville, S.C.).
Much like the Eagles' backcourt, everyone in the front court returns for 2021-22.
"It's fun knowing that we have the same people running the same offense and the same defense," Bowens said. "It's made for an easy transition this year. Everyone on this team can go. It's made it easy on us. And I think it's made it easy on the coaching staff."
The top two returners are both preseason All-SAC selections and the reigning tournament MVP (EJ Bush) and SAC Freshman of the Year (Ren Dyer).
Carson-Newman's leading scorer, Bush averaged 13.0 points per game after starting all 22 contests for the Eagles. Bush scored in double digits in 17 contests including six straight to close the year. He produced a trio of 20-point efforts including a season-high 23 in the SAC tournament semifinals at Tusculum (3/4).
Bush also produced a pair of double-doubles on the year, going for 10 points and 10 boards at Tusculum (1/6) before turning in a 16-point, 10-rebound game at Catawba (2/6). He snared a season-high five offensive boards that game. Bush averaged 4.8 boards per game for the year to rank second on the team. He led C-N in rebounding in three games while being C-N's top scorer in six. Carson-Newman was 5-1 in games in which Bush was the leading scorer.
"EJ is different," Bowens said. "Once he gets it inside 15 feet, you're praying for him to miss. His confidence is through the roof. The more confidence we have as a group, the better."
He earned SAC tournament MVP honors and TSWA State Player of the Week honors following his performance in the SAC Basketball Championships. The Oak Ridge, Tenn., native netted 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting with four boards, two assists and four steals versus Wingate in the quarterfinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament.
The senior followed that with 23 points (11-of-18 field goals), five rebounds and three assists at Tusculum for his third 20-point game of the season. Bush collected 15 points and four boards in the championship game at Queens, helping Carson-Newman win its first SAC Tournament title since 2015. The senior averaged 17.3 points per game for the week while shooting 56 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, Dyer became the first Eagle to earn freshman of the year honors from the South Atlantic Conference. Not even Ish Sanders (Keon Moore from Catawba won in 2011) nor Charles Clark (Jerrin Morrison from Catawba won in 2015) earned the honor.
Dyer has done things no other freshman has done in Carson-Newman history. Dyer became the first Eagle freshman with seven straight double-digit scoring efforts and the only freshman with three double-doubles in his first season at Mossy Creek. Dyer averaged 11.6 points per game with 7.0 boards per game. He's third on the team in assists with 52, second in blocks with 19 and second in steals with 26. The Weaverville, N.C.-native led all freshmen in the league in scoring and rebounding.
"He brings the urgency," Bowens said. "He's very energetic. A ball is shot and you think you've got the rebound, and he's coming and jumping over you to get it. Ren brings another dynamic. He is the standard. He's going to do all the little things that no one else wants to do."
He is the first freshman in the Division II era to produce double-doubles in back-to-back games and the second freshman in the last 21 years with two double-doubles in a season. The double-double against Lenoir-Rhyne is also the quickest a freshman has attained a double-double with Dyer doing it in his seventh career game. He added his third double-double against Anderson on Feb. 3.
Carson-Newman also returns the SAC's best shot-blocker in Bryant Thomas (Charlotte, N.C.).
Thomas was an elite shot blocker in his second year at Carson-Newman. His 2.05 blocked shots per game ranked fifth in the nation and first in the SAC while his 45 total blocks were second nationally.
An elite rim protector, he finished the year third in school history in total blocks and second in blocks per game. Thomas averaged 6.4 points per game to go with 5.8 rebounds per game while knocking down 60.4 percent of his shots. Thomas scored in double digits five times. However, he had a breakout career night at UVA Wise (2/10) when he produced a career-high 20 points on a flawless 10-for-10 shooting. He became the fourth Eagle and the fifth player in SAC history to take at least 10 shots without missing. He joined Shaun Jones (12-for-12 v. Newberry – 12-3-16), Carson Brooks (12-of-12 v. Barton - 11-14-14) and Jeff Marshall (11-for-11 v. Gardner-Webb – 2-28-95) as the only Eagles to perform flawlessly from the field on 10 or more shots.
"BT has been absolutely unguardable," Bowens said. "On the offensive side his confidence is through the roof scoring the ball. On defense, it's out of this world. In practice, you think you're all by yourself for a layup and here he comes smacking the ball off the glass. He is a remarkable player. Unlike last year, he has slowed down and gotten more comfortable, people will have a hard time guarding him."
Former Queens post Sean Morgan is the only other player in the league to accomplish such a feat. Thomas also had six boards and played with only one turnover. However, for the first time this season – the nation's second-best shot blocker didn't have a rejection.
Thomas turned in his first career double-double in the quarterfinals of the SAC tournament against Wingate (3/1). He had 11 points and 10 boards. That was one of three double-digit rebound games on the year for Thomas. He also had six blocks against the Bulldogs - one off a SAC tournament record and tied for the Carson-Newman single game record for blocked shots. He had three or more blocks in seven games on the year.
The first two men off the bench in 17 of the Eagles' 22 games last year were Joshuwa Butts (Fairburn, Ga.) and Bowens.
After sitting out the first three games of the year due to injury, Butts came off the bench in 19 games while averaging 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game. Butts made an instant impact in his second career game, swatting four shots in 17 minutes at Anderson (1/9). He produced his lone double-digit scoring effort against Catawba (2/6) with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting. He also had a season-best four boards against the Indians.
"Joshuwa was 230 last year, now he's 205 and even springier and bouncier," Bowens said. "His game has changed over the summer based off the things CB has had us work on over the summer. For me, it's been about getting to my move and not passing up open shots."
Bowens averaged 7.1 points and 4.0 boards per game. He knocked down 54.7 percent of his shots and 57.1 percent of his free throws. Bowens topped double-digits on eight occasions culminating with a season-high 13 in the Eagles' SAC-title win over Queens (3/7). He turned in 10 games with at least five rebounds. His most productive game on the glass came in his first career contest against Coker (11/21) when he pulled down seven boards, a total he matched against Wingate (1/23). He dished out four assists against Anderson (2/3). Bowens led Carson-Newman in rebounding in three games and blocks twice.
Finally, Camden McElhaney (Sevierville, Tenn.) Dima Bykov (Moscow, Russia) and Ivan Hadzic (Sabac, Serbia) all provide substantial experience down low.
McElhaney appeared in 20 games off the bench, averaging 1.2 points and 1.3 rebounds per game. He scored six points twice, burying a pair of threes against both Anderson (2/3) and Mars Hill (2/17). He snatched a season-best six boards (three offensive and three defensive) at Tusculum (1/6). He had his only two steals of the year against Anderson (2/3).
An elite role player for Carson-Newman, Bykov appeared in 15 games off the bench. He scored 2.5 points per game and added in 1.7 boards. he had a season-high seven on perfect 3-for-3 shooting against Mars Hill (2/17). He also had a season-best five boards that game against the Lions. Bykov knocked down 68.2 percent of his shots.
Hadzic came off the bench in five games as a reserve post player. He made 3-of-7 shots and 3-of-4 free throws to finish with 1.8 points per game. He snatched four rebounds in his debut against Limestone (2/1). He had a season-high five points against Mars Hill (2/18) on the road.
The lone newcomer down in the paint is North Carolina Central transfer Nehemie Kabeya (Ngaliema, Congo).
In a CoVID-abbreviated season at Division I NCCU, he played nine games with five starts, and averaged 9.7 minutes per game. He totaled 10 points and 19 rebounds, and went 4-for-9 from the floor. He pulled down a season-high five rebounds against Southern.
Carson-Newman gets its season rolling Saturday at 7 p.m. against Lees-McRae. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 6:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff online at cneagles.com/live.
