JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (10-2) will look to wrap a bow on 2022 when it welcomes Lander (8-2) to Holt Fieldhouse on New Year's Eve for a 2 p.m. tip.
Carson-Newman is receiving votes in the NABC poll for the first time this season. Carson-Newman is searching for a sixth straight straight win. Carson-Newman hasn't surpassed five straight wins since winning 11 straight to en route to a SAC tournament title in the 2020-21 season. Carson-Newman won five straight games twice last year, but saw streaks come to and end against Newberry (55-51) and Wingate on the road (82-79 in overtime)
Bryant Thomas is the ultimate shot-stopper. Carson-Newman's single-game, single-season and career record-holder for blocks now sits on 159 career rejections after a 10-block week last week. He has the fourth most blocked shots among active players in NCAA Division II. Thomas leads the league this season with 2.5 rejections per game and is top 10 in the country in blocks per game in that regard.
Luke Brenegan is officially on 1,000-point watch. The senior guard sits on 949 points, 51 away from a grand. That's within the single-game school and SAC scoring record, but a touch above Brenegan's career high of 34. Brenegan should become the 40th man in Carson-Newman men's basketball history with 1,000 career points.
Chuck Benson has been responsible for coaching a quarter of that list (nine). Included are Antoine Davis (1,526 - 12th), Ish Sanders (1,922 - 6th), Carson Brooks (1,248 - 29th), Sawyer Williams (1,559 - 11th), Charles Clark (2,339 - 3rd), Mason Bates (1,106 - 33rd), Malik Abraham (1,088 - 34th), Tripp Davis (1,039 - 36th) and EJ Bush (1,006 - 39th).
Carson-Newman will have to defend against the Peach Belt's top scoring team and one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country. The Bearcats can 11.9 threes per game - third nationally. Lander has hit double-digit threes in all but three games this season (Wingate, Fayetteville State and Southern Wesleyan).
Lander ranks third nationally in assists. The Bearcats hand out 20.3 assists per game and have five games on the plus side of 20.
The Bearcats have tremendous balance. While only three players average double figures, seven average at least seven points per game. The same is true of the Bearcats three-point marksmanship. Jaylon Pugh has hit the most (21), but six players have knocked down 10 threes, or at least one three per game.
Carson-Newman has never beaten Lander inside Holt Fieldhouse. The Eagles fell 72-65 in the first meeting between the schools on Nov. 14, 2015. Lander outscored C-N 40-25 in the second half to overcome and eight-point deficit.
Tipoff between the Eagle and Bearcats is set for 2 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 1:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A paid video stream is available through FloSports at cneagles.com/flombb.
