JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (11-15, 5-10 SAC) wraps up the road slate for 2022-23 with its longest trek of the year – a 243-mile ride to Wingate (15-9, 10-5 SAC) for a 4 p.m. tip Saturday.
After winning eight straight games on the road between last season and this season for just the second time this century, Carson-Newman now looks to put a halt to a seven-game road losing streak.
Carson-Newman has also dropped six straight games overall, the longest losing streak C-N has suffered through in 13 years. Carson-Newman hasn't dropped six consecutive games prior to this season 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.
Bryant Thomas is the ultimate shot-stopper. Carson-Newman's single-game, single-season and career record-holder for blocks now sits on 183. 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.
Thomas is in sole possession of ninth place on the league's all-time blocks list with 183. He needs nine more to catch Eric Burrow, Presbyterian (1995-99) and his 192 sitting in eighth on the all-time list.
With 1,070 career points, senior guard Luke Brenegan will look to begin moving up the program's all-time scoring list. Brenegan is currently 35th all-time in Carson-Newman history in scoring. Malik Abraham sits in 34th, 18 points ahead of Brenegan with 1,088 career points. •
Presumably, Luke Brenegan joins the 100-start club this weekend. The senior will join Charles Clark as the only members of the triple-digit start club since Carson-Newman joined NCAA Division II in the early 1990s. All-time leading scorer Mike Ogan holds the record for career starts with 138.
Brenegan's next three will bring him even with Antoine Davis for fourth on the all-time three-pointers made list at Carson-Newman with 213.
Carson-Newman has struggled with ball control over its last four contests. The Eagles have turned it over at least 18 times in four straight games and five times in the last seven contests. Carson-Newman has had 44 more turnovers than its opponents in its last four games and been outscored by 65 points off those giveaways. That's an average of 16.25 more points per game. Carson-Newman's opponents have taken 56 more shots than the Eagles in that span.
Tipoff between the Eagles and Bulldogs is set for 4 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on
