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JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (17-5, 10-4 South Atlantic Conference) brings the nation's most efficient offensive back to Holt Fieldhouse for a three-game home stand beginning with the conference's top scoring defense and the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (11-11, 6-8 SAC).
Tipoff between the Eagles and Bears is slated for 4 p.m. Saturday.
"Lenoir-Rhyne starts a really challenging stretch against upward-trending programs," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "That first game was tough. I expect it to be a dogfight come Saturday."
Carson-Newman has won six consecutive over the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears. A seventh straight win would both be the longest winning streak in the series for either team, and mean that Carson-Newman has more wins than the Bears for the first time in the series' three-decade history.
C-N prevailed earlier this season against the Bears 72-63 in Shuford Arena. Carson-Newman trailed by four at the break, 29-25, as it tried to find its offensive footing with lineups that had never seen the floor before this season. C-N made one shot in a seven-minute stretch late in the first half while LR rattled off a 17-4 scoring spurt to grab a nine-point lead.
The Eagles took over in the second half with rebounding. Carson-Newman didn't allow LR to have an offensive board after halftime, and outrebounded the Bears 26-6 in the second half. The glass crashing led to 11 fast break points after halftime. C-N was held scoreless in the category for the first half.
Lenoir-Rhyne has the top scoring defense in the South Atlantic Conference. Opponents average 73.9 points per game against the Bears. Lenoir-Rhyne hasn't given up more than 90 points in a game this season.
The Bears are 6-3 in Shuford Arena this season (Carson-Newman represents one of those losses), but 4-7 on the road. The Bears average 70.1 points per game on the road, shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from three. L-R averages a higher percentage from three on the road than at home.
Nick Brenegan's 4.33 made triples per game are the most in the country. He has buried 91 this season. also first nationally among all divisions by pure volume. If he were to maintain this pace, he would break Ish Sanders' single-season record of 99 and become the first Eagle with triple-digit threes in a season. There have been 11 triple-digit three-point seasons in SAC history. He also ranks fourth nationally and third in the SAC in percentage at 50.0 percent for the season.
Nick Brenegan and John Zhao are both top 10 in Division II among active players in career three-point field goal percentage. Brenegan is fourth amoing active players at 45.5 percent. Zhao is eighth at 44.6 percent.
Carson-Newman has been on another level offensively at home. C-N has topped triple digits in eight of its 11 home games. The Eagles average 103.4 points at home, while shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 45.3 percent from three. Carson-Newman has scored at least 90 in all 10 of its home victories this season.
This iteration of the Eagles has the most 100-point performances since moving to NCAA Division II with 10. There have been just five seasons in Carson-Newman men's basketball history with double-digit 100-point games in a season. The last was in 1987-88 when a fourth straight Chris Jones-coached team accomplished it with 11. The 1970-71 team holds the record with 12 such games.
Carson-Newman is second in the country in rebounding margin, averaging an 11.2 rebound advantage per game. Carson-Newman has outrebounded 16 of 22 opponents this year by double digits. Tusculum is the only team this season to outrebound Carson-Newman. C-N has outrebounded four teams this year by 20 or more. Eight teams this season have grabbed six or fewer offensive rebounds against the Eagles.
Tipoff between the Eagles and Bears is set for 4 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff 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
