JEFFFRSON CITY, Tenn. – After dropping its first game of the season, Carson-Newman (3-1) faces a tight turnaround and a historically familiar foe when Milligan (3-4) arrives in Holt Fieldhouse for a 7 p.m. tip Monday.
Carson-Newman lost Saturday to Lander 81-72. The Eagles will play their first of two games against NAIA foes, and former Volunteer State Athletic Conference stable mates, in the form of Milligan. The Buffs enter after dropping back-to-back games to IU Kokomo and Shawnee State on Friday and Saturday.
"We've not played them in 11 years," head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "It's a furious 48 hours for us to get ready for them. We've had a good Thanksgiving holiday. Monday also signals the return to classes. We just have to keep on getting better and letting our experiences shape our next steps."
Carson-Newman and Milligan renew a storied VSAC rivalry. The teams played 63 times from 1957-1988 before the men's basketball program left the VSAC for the South Atlantic Conference. Since moving to NCAA Division II, the Eagles and Buffs have played just twice, C-N victories in 2008 and 2012. The Eagles lead the all-time series 54-12.
Of the 64 all-time meetings between Carson-Newman and Milligan, and 54 of Carson-Newman's all-time wins, 41 have come by double-digits. Even factoring in Milligan's 12 win all-time, Carson-Newman's average margin of victory in the series is 16.64 points. C-N's margin of victory in wins is 22.69 points per game.
The Eagles own six wins of 40 points or greater, four wins of 50 points or great and two wins of 60 points or greater all-time against the Buffs. Of the Eagles' 11 all-time 50-point wins, 36 percent have come against Milligan. The two 60-point wins, in successive years, 1965-66 and 1966-67, are the two largest margins of victory in school history. Carson-Newman won 109-43 in 1965-66 and followed that up with a 106-42 win in 1966-67.
Nick Brenegan has scored in double digits in 10 consecutive games. He is the only Eagle with a double-digit scoring effort in every game this year for C-N. Brenegan is averaging 16.5 points per game in his 15 career starts.
In spite of losing starting center Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman picked up where it left off last year rebounding the ball. C-N had a double-digit rebounding margin Lees-McRae, King and Southern Wesleyan. C-N's average of +13.3 on the glass, the fifth-best rebounding margin in the country and the best in the South Atlantic Conference. It's the third time this century Carson-Newman has outrebounded three straight teams by double-digits. The Eagles were +8 on the glass against Lander.
While the Eagles and Buffs haven't played in 11 years, there is some familiarity between the two programs. First and foremost, twins Matt and Chris Pope lead the respective athletic departments. Thus, this game has been dubbed the Battle for the Papacy or The Pope BowlTM. Additionally, Milligan assistant Alex Biggerstaff squared off with the Eagles for a number of years while an assistant on Vic Finora's staff at Mars Hill. Meanwhile, Luke Lentz transfers to Milligan from Limestone. Lentz's name also has a degree of familiarity, he is the son of Tennessee assistant and Lenoir-Rhyne 1,000-point scorer Bryan Lentz and grandson of legendary Lenoir-Rhyne head coach John Lentz - for whom the floor at Shuford Gym in Hickory is named.
Tipoff between the Eagles and Buffs is set for 7 p.m. Monday night. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 6:45 with the AEC Countdown on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/FloMBB.
