VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: Tyler Bowens Interview
VIDEO: Caleb Bridgewater Interview
VIDEO: Bryant Thomas Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (3-3, 1-2 South Atlantic Conference) became just the second team to knock down better than 45 percent of its shots against the SAC's top scoring defense in a 77-68 win over Wingate (4-2, 2-2 SAC) Saturday at Holt Fieldhouse.
The Eagles made 12-of-17 shots from inside the three-point stripe after halftime to stiff-arm the Bulldogs to a fourth-straight win in the series.
The four straight wins matches Carson-Newman's longest win streak in series history, set from 2013-15.
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"Wingate has an outstanding program and we knew we'd have our work cut out for us," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "They had been playing really well and knew this would be a challenge. Add in we were down an important man in Ren Dyer. We didn't ask anyone to step it up offensively, but we did ask them to step things up with our defensive urgency. We wanted to make this a dog fight. Caleb Bridgewater got his first start and he set a good tone in this one."
The teams were tied five times and swapped leads six times before Carson-Newman pushed out the lead spanning the halftime break. C-N led by one, 29-28 with 58 seconds left in the first half before C-N used a 10-0 run spanning the halftime break to take an 11-point lead.
The Eagles closed the first half with four straight free throws from Tripp Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) and Luke Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.). C-N then scored the first six of the second half with three more free throws before Caleb Bridgewater (Charlotte, N.C.) canned a corner three to put C-N up 39-28 with 18:06 to play in the contest.
Carson-Newman built the advantage without making a field goal over a five-minute span.
Wingate responded near instantaneously. Sean Elmore and Jarren Cottingham both canned triples to put Wingate on an 8-0 run to get it back to a single possession. However, the Bulldogs never grabbed a lead.
Carson-Newman smashed the glass, becoming the first team to outrebound Wingate this year, 35-29. C-N only allowed the Bulldogs four second-chance points.
"We got good looks offensively from three, we just struggled to make them," Benson said. "I thought we did a good job impacting their three-point marksmanship. Credit goes to our guys defensively and them defensively. There were plenty of rebounds to be had. That's a testament to our guys tenacity on the glass."
Tyler Bowens (Greenville, S.C.) reset his career high with eight rebounds, including three on the offensive glass. Bryant Thomas (Charlotte, N.C.) added in seven rebounds. Both players chased double-doubles. Thomas finished with a game-high 17 points, while Bowens topped double digits for the first time this season with 10.
"With having Ren out we had to step up," Bowens said. "We needed this to be a statement game on the glass. CB texted me early this morning saying I missed this Tyler. I had to come through rebounding."
The duo were two of five Eagles in double-digits on the night. Tripp Davis (Nashville, Tenn.) finished with 13 points, four boards, five assists and three steals. Luke Brenegan had 12 on an off-night from the field. He was 3-of-13 and 2-for-11 from long range. However, Brenegan did match a career high with seven assists.
EJ Bush (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) rounded out the Eagles' double-digit scorers with 10 on 4-of-7 shooting.
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"Everyone made shots inside tonight," Benson said. "Nothing had changed, the styles made the fights tonight. We were determined to get it inside tonight and guys stepped up and made baskets. That's what we need those guys to do."
While Carson-Newman, the nation's most efficient three-point shooting team, struggled to make shots from long range, C-N pounded the ball inside effectively. Carson-Newman only made 6-of-23 threes (23.1 percent). However, in the second half, Carson-Newman was 12-for-17 inside the three-point stripe. Carson-Newman was 20-for-30 from the field on its two-point buckets for the game.
For a third straight game, the Eagles dished out at least 20 assists. Carson-Newman dropped helpers on 20 of their 26 made baskets. It marks the third three-game streak of 20 or more assists for C-N in the last five years.
"Credit to our guys," Benson said. "We want to trust each other and that trust is shown by sharing the ball on offense. We've done that at a strong level here of late."
Carson-Newman held Jaren Cottingham, Wingate's leading scorer, to an off night. Cottingham led the Bulldogs with 15 points, albeit on 5-of-13 shooting and a 1-of-7 effort from deep. Cottingham came into the game shooting 38 percent from deep.
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Sean Elmore had 12 and Quantra Taylor 10 to round out the Bulldogs double-digit scorers.
The game was sloppy at times. Both teams turned it over 19 times. For both teams, 12 of those giveaways were deadball turnovers. C-N had the edge in points off turnovers though, outscoring the Bulldogs 18-12.
Carson-Newman starts December at home against Lenoir-Rhyne on Wednesday. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Sports 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and cneagles.com/live starting at 7:15 p.m.
