VIDEO: 2024 C-N v. Newberry Full Broadcast Replay
VIDEO: 2024 C-N v. Newberry Highlights
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (11-6, 6-5 South Atlantic Conference) travels to Newberry (6-7, 3-6 SAC) to tussle with the SAC's top scoring defense in a 2 p.m. tip from Eleazer Arena Saturday.
The Eagles will be looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the second time this season after falling to No. 14/16 Lincoln Memorial Wednesday. Newberry is the first team outside the top-25 C-N will have faced in three games. The Wolves enter the contest off a three-point road loss at Anderson, 60-57.
Newberry has the top scoring defense in the South Atlantic Conference. Only three teams have topped 80 points on the Wolves this season (Emmanuel, Lenoir-Rhyne and Mars Hill). The Wolves defend the three-point line well, and have only surrendered double-digit threes to foes on two occasions (10 for Alaska Anchorage and Emory & Henry). Only one team (LMU), has shot better than 50 percent against Newberry.
Newberry allows 70.4 points per game.
Jack Browder has been stellar offensively over Carson-Newman's last eight games. The junior forward is averaging 25.87 points per game while shooting 64.2 percent from the field, 55.8 (24-for-43) percent from three and 95.55 percent from the line. He has made 43 of his last 45 free thrws. He has scored 20 or more points in six of C-N's last eight games. He's also averaging eight rebounds per game in that stretch. Browder leads the league in both scoring and rebounding. Browder hasn't scored below 18 points since Nov. 30.
John Zhao is the ninth member of Carson-Newman's 200-three club. Nick Brenegan joined the club earlier this season. Brenegan has 237 career threes, 22 away from Malik Abraham and Charles Clark, who are tied for second with 259 career triples. Zhao needs four more threes to match Braun Dabbs for seventh all-time.
Zhao, Brenegan and Jack Browder are see-sawing around the all-time leading scoring list. Zhao has 1,175 career points Brenegan 1,143 and Browder 1,089. The top 30 is in sight for both Zhao and Brenegan. Jim Shuler is in 30th with 1,197.
The contest marks the first between the Eagles and Wolves since Nick Brenegan's legendary shooting performance on Jan. 6 last year. Brenegan reset the NCAA Division II record for threes made, going 18-of-27 from deep against the Wolves to finish with a C-N and SAC record 64 points. Brenegan outscored the Wolves single-handedly in a 103-51 win for C-N.
While Marcus Kirkland is in his first season as Newberry's head coach, he does have experience leading an opposing team against Carson-Newman. Brian Good's top assistant for more than a decade at Wingate, Kirkland led the Bulldogs to two wins over C-N while Good was out with the flu and CoVID. Kirkland led Wingate to an 82-79 win in overtime against C-N on Jan. 22, 2022. Destin Clark had 28 points to pace Wingate past C-N. On Jan. 26, 2019, Kirkland was on the bench in Holt Fieldhouse as Good stayed home with the flu. He guided the Bulldogs to a 76-74 win over C-N thanks to an Emarius Logan game-winning jumper.
Tipoff between the Eagles and Wolves is set for 2 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 1:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
