JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (10-8, 4-4 South Atlantic Conference) will try to pump the breaks on a six-game losing streak when it honors eight new members of its athletics Hall of Fame and takes on Lenoir-Rhyne (8-8, 2-5 SAC) Saturday at 4 p.m. inside Holt Fieldhouse.
Carson-Newman is trying to put a halt to a six-game losing streak, the longest losing streak C-N has suffered through in 13 years. Carson-Newman hasn't dropped six consecutive games since closing the 2008-09 season with nine consecutive losses from Jan. 24, 2009 - Feb. 25, 2009. That streak reached 10 games with a loss to Alabama Huntsville to start the 2009 season before snapping the skid with an 85-67 win over Concord.
Carson-Newman's shooting percentages have also been way off in losses. In wins, the Eagles are shooting a crispy 52.4 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from three while averaging 91.5 points per game. In losses, those numbers drop to 41.2 percent from the field, 29.9 percent from three and 65.9 points per game.
Bryant Thomas is the ultimate shot-stopper. Carson-Newman's single-game, single-season and career record-holder for blocks now sits on 167. He has the fourth most blocked shots among active players in NCAA Division II. Thomas leads the league this season with 2.1 rejections per game and is top 15 in the country in blocks per game in that regard.
With 1,009 career points, senior guard Luke Brenegan will look to begin moving up the program's all-time scoring list. His fifth-career 20-point game would put him past Allen Swader (1013), and Ishmail Simmons (1027) and into 37th place on the all-time scoring charts.
Carson-Newman is trying to do something against Lenoir-Rhyne that it has never done, win five straight games in the series. The Eagles won four straight when it swept the season series in 2000-01 and 2001-02, as well as when they took four straight from 2014-16 with a sweep of the season series in 2014-15 before this most recent-four game win streak over the Bears.
Carson-Newman is 10-2 under Chuck Benson against the Bears inside Holt Fieldhouse. Lenoir-Rhyne's last win in Jeff City came in the 2018-19 season. The Eagles have won three straight at home since.
Lenoir-Rhyne features the conference's top three-point shooter. LJ McCoy leads the SAC and is top 10 nationall in three-point percentage (47.5 - ninth), threes made per game (3.62 - third) and threes made on the season (58 - seventh). He hasn't hit fewer than three threes in a game since Dec. 19. His two worst days were against Mount Olive (1-3) and Wingate (0-5). In the 14 other games he's played, he's nailed at least two triples.
Tipoff between Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne is set for 4 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins 15 minutes prior to tip 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
