VIDEO: C-N v. Mars Hill cinematic Highlights
VIDEO: C-N at Lenoir-Rhyne cinematic recap
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – With 990 career points as a collegiate basketball player, senior guard Trey Hubbard is within prime striking distance of scoring his 1,000th career point when Carson-Newman (16-7, 11-6 South Atlantic Conference) welcomes Mars Hill (6-13, 4-13 SAC) to Holt Fieldhouse for a 7:30 p.m. tip Wednesday afternoon.
Hubbard is fresh off a career night on Saturday at No. 16/18 Lenoir-Rhyne when he dropped 30 points, snagged 11 rebounds and handed out eight assists in the Eagles' 114-111 win. He has 791 career points in his time in a C-N jersey.
Carson-Newman won the first meeting between the teams two weeks ago 89-74. C-N shot better than 60 percent from the field from the field for a third time this season, and better than 60 percent from three for a second time. C-N finished at 65.1 percent for the game and 8-of-13 from deep. However, that was the good. The bad and the ugly came in the second half as Mars Hill did make 15-of-33 shots after halftime (45.5 percent), outscored C-N 46-41 and took advantage of a season-high 22 Eagle turnovers, including 14 after halftime.
The Eagles owned a 39-24 rebounding edge in the first meeting, its largest rebounding margin of the season.
Mars Hill started out the year 4-0 and was receiving votes in the NABC Coaches Poll before suffering through a nine-game losing streak. The Lions hopped off that skid and won two of three games, but have since lost four straight.
While the Lions are 13th in the SAC in three-point percentage this season, MHU bombed in 18-of-29 threes in the last meeting between the two teams in Holt Fieldhouse, a 109-99 win for C-N. The 18 threes made were the second-most allowed by a Chuck Benson-coached team. The Lions have made double-digit threes in four games this season, topping out at a 12-of-226 effort (46.2 percent) in a bonkers 131-117 loss at home to Coker in their last game. That score is from a 40-minute regulation game.
John Zhao is the ninth member of Carson-Newman's 200-three club. Nick Brenegan joined the club earlier this season. Brenegan has 253 career threes, six away from Malik Abraham and Charles Clark, who are tied for second with 259 career triples. With 223 career threes, Zhao passed assistant coach Luke Brenegan and is officially fifth all-time in threes made.
Zhao, Brenegan and Jack Browder are see-sawing around the all-time leading scoring list. Zhao has 1,312 career points Brenegan 1,208 and Browder 1,168. Zhao is oficially in the top 25 all-time in school history in scoring. He needs 56 points to draw even with Mike Morton to enter the top-20 all-time. Brenegan is 40 points away from the top 30, which is occupied by Carson Brooks (1,248 career points). Meanwhile, Jack Browder trails Jim Shuler for 32nd place and his 1,197 points, he needs 29 points to catch him.
Tipoff between the Eagles and Lions is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 7:15 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A video stream can be found with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/FloMbb.
