VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: Preseason Hype Video
VIDEO: 2022 Meet the Eagles
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman, fresh off a 20-win campaign, cracks open the 2022-23 campaign with the SAC/Conference Carolinas Challenge Friday and Saturday in Bristol, Tenn. at the Student Center Complex.
Carson-Newman opens the season Friday at 5 p.m. with the Lees-McRae Bobcats before playing against host King at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
"I've loved our approach," head coach Chuck Benson said. "Our vets have done a nice job setting the bar and being great examples and leaders. It's been good this preseason and we go into this first weekend with one thought in mind and that's putting our best foot forward."
Carson-Newman men's basketball is 43-22 all-time in season opening games. The Eagles are 7-3 over the last 10 seasons in lidlifters.
Carson-Newman had dropped its season opener in back-to-back seasons for the first time in decade with a loss in 2019 to Lees-McRae 103-101 and a 67-53 loss to Coker to open the 2020-21 campaign.
The 53 points the Eagles scored were the lowest opening day of Chuck Benson's head coaching career at Carson-Newman and the lowest scoring total since C-N scored 47 in a 74-47 loss at Alabama-Huntsville on Nov. 16, 2009.
Carson-Newman countered that with a 108-75 explosion to throttle Lees-McRae on opening night in 2021. The 108 points are the most scored to start a season since starting 2016 with a 106-83 win over Southern Wesleyan.
This marks the first season Carson-Newman has opened with a neutral site game since opening the 2017-18 season. Carson-Newman started that year at a challenge in Anderson, S.C. and scored an 82-78 win over Lander before taking down Southern Wesleyan 95-68. Carson-Newman has won its last two season openers at neutral sites.
"We have to take them one at a time, so we begin thinking strictly about Lees-McRae," Benson said. "I wish I had a penny for everytime I said style makes the fight. It really will be about our defensive scheme against both Lees and King's offensive schemes. For both teams, these have historically be higher scoring games."
The opening weekend features two electrifying offenses. Both Lees-McRae and King ranked in the top 25 in scoring offense a year ago and were two of the three highest-scoring offenses in Conference Carolinas. King poured in 84 points a night, while Lees-McRae sat one spot behind the Tornado nationally, averaging 83.8 points per game.
However, while the two sides offenses were elite a year ago, the defenses gave up points. Both LMC and King ranked in the bottom 25 of scoring defense. King gave up 84.3 points per game (264th), while LMC gave up 86.7 points a night (289th).
Lees-McRae was picked to finish fifth in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll, while King was selected 10th in the 13-team league. These are the first two of five non-conference games C-N will play against Conference Carolinas. Matchups with Belmont Abbey, Southern Wesleyan and Erskine follow in November and January.
Drew Gardner, a member of the 2021-22 All-Conference Carolinas Second Team, returns for his fifth year in Banner Elk as the 6-8 forward led the Bobcats in scoring at 15.7 points per game on the year. He had 14 points in the meeting last year.
"Gardner has been there forever," Benson said. "He came in as a big-bodied post and has evolved into a stretch big. He shot fakes more than any other post I've seen. He can definitely get you to bite."
King's returning all-conference performer is third teamer Michael Mays. Mays led CC in threes per game and three-point percentage. He had 21 last year against C-N.
"He's an elite shooter and scorer," Benson said. "He walks in and if you're foolish, he'll burn you. He's jet quick and makes tough shots. That's a credit to his confidence and freedom that Coach Gillespie has provided him."
The Eagles will cope with the loss of two, 1,000-point scorers in EJ Bush and Tripp Davis. But loads of starting experience returns in the form of reigning defensive player of the year Bryant Thomas, 2021 SAC Freshman of the Year Ren Dyer and two-time All-SAC selection Luke Brenegan.
Both contests are available on the Eagle Sports Network. Broadcast coverage begins 15 minutes prior to tipoff each day. The Lees-McRae game can be found over the airwaves on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville). Both games will be webstreamed at cneagles.com/live.
