VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: Highlights
VIDEO: Trey Hubbard Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (4-1) did its best impersonation of a feral cat pouncing on its pray and waylaid Johnson & Wales (1-2) early, before playing with its food a touch in cruising to a 100-72 non-conference win to open the doors to Holt Fieldhouse Tuesday night.
The Eagles bounded out the gates, sinking 16 of their first 26 shots and six of their 10 threes en route to swelling a 39-11 lead in the first 11 minutes of the game. C-N built that out to a 34-point halftime lead and never looked back in the 28-point wire-to-wire win.
"I really liked the first half," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "I thought we created a lot of excitement - guys having a great time. I thought the second half, there was minimal game pressure and we were trying to play a lot of people and playing some different rotations while we can in these non-conference games. At at the very end of the day you come up with a win. We take that overall quality performance. Now the second half - not what I'd wanted. But nonetheless in our home opener, I'll take a win every day."
Carson-Newman was on it from the jump. To score the Eagles first points, Trey Hubbard (Charlotte, N.C.) stole a pass on the wing and worked a three-on-two break into an alley oop lob for John Zhao (Sevierville, Tenn.)
What followed would be 11-0, 12-0 and 10-0 runs to set C-N up with a 20-point advantage it would never surrender.
Johnson & Wales did start the second half on a 9-0 run, but would get no closer than 22 in the second half. The Wildcats outscored C-N 48-42 after halftime.
Hubbard paced Carson-Newman with his 13th career 20-point night. He didn't miss from the field, firing in all eight shot attempts and going 2-for-2 from deep.
"He puts a lot of pressure on the rim, but he can also shoot the basketball." Benson said. "I'm happy for him. Not only does he score it well, but he also leads us in rebounding. He sort of took over in a multitude ways. So happy for Trey tonight."
He did lead C-N in boards as well with seven and had four assists plus two steals to boot.
Going �� @TreyHubbard_
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) November 13, 2024
Coming ⏬ @JonathanZhao22
��⤵️https://t.co/lzIUUv0xCL@cn_hoops x #TalonsUp x #GMTE x @FloHoops pic.twitter.com/KJMOPSpl9Z
For the first time this season, Carson-Newman with five players in double figures.
Zhao followed Hubbard with 19, primarily from beyond the arc. He connected on 5-of-8 threes, while knocking down 7-of-11 shots from the field.
Nick Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.) added in 13 and a season-high five assists.
Keliese Frye (Newport, Ky.) and Tate Mulkey (Charlotte, N.C.) both turned in their first career double-digit efforts for the Orange and Blue. Both players had 12.
Mulkey's were exclusively from behind the arc. He finished 4-of-11 from three. After missing his first four shots from deep, Mulkey finished 4-of-7 from range.
"Very happy for him because he's a guy that we want to shoot the basketball," Benson said. "It's really hard from a minute distribution standpoint for him to get the same kind of minutes he got in his last stop at Coker. I think he was averaging about 20 minutes a game. He's not really gotten those kinds of minutes yet, until tonight. He's one of the best shooters in the country and we're glad we got him."
Frye's 12 came on 5-of-9 shooting. He also grabbed three rebounds.
✅A flawless ��-�� night from the field for @TreyHubbard_
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) November 13, 2024
✅ Opening the doors to Holt Fieldhouse with a dub for a fourth straight year@cn_hoops x #TalonsUp x #GMTE x @FloHoops pic.twitter.com/f0FfyRay1T
William Givens led JWU with 12 points. Nicholas Levy was the Wildcats other double-digit scorer. He had 10.
C-N shot 51.4 percent from the field, its fourth straight above 50 percent. The Eagles were 15-of-40 (37.5 percent) from long distance.
The Eagles limited JWU to 37.2 percent shooting.
The Wildcats played 17 different players, with its bench outscoring the Eagles 72-36. That was a season-best 36 points that C-N's bench turned in.
Carson-Newman hit for 100 for the 47th time in Benson's 15-year tenure as head coach.
C-N returns home Saturday to take on Lenoir-Rhyne to open SAC play. Tipoff with the Bears is set for 4 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on MIX 105.5 FM (Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/FloMBB.
