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JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (20-8, 15-7 South Atlantic Conference) faces off with the tallest task in the Southeast Region, a game inside Tex Turner Arena against nationally-ranked Lincoln Memorial (21-4, 19-3 SAC) Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
Both teams are under consideration for the NCAA tournament, receiving recognition in the first NCAA region rankings that arrived last Wednesday.
A win for LMU would lock up the one seed in the SAC tournament and no worse than a share of the SAC regular season title (the Railsplitters could also achieve this if Lenoir-Rhyne were to lose to Catawba at home Wednesday night). A win for C-N would guarantee the Eagles the three seed in the SAC tournament.
A loss for either team would do little to hamper the other's NCAA tournament chances, however, it will be a significant resume boosting win for whomever does prevail.
LMU is angling for the season sweep after felling C-N 89-80 in Holt Fieldhouse on Jan. 8.
Carson-Newman is seeking a rarity, a win at Tex Turner Arena. The Eagles haven't picked up a win in Harrogate since Feb. 4, 2015. C-N has dropped nine straight to LMU in Tex Turner.
While that's tough, that's precisely what LMU is at home. No SAC team has won a league game in Harrogate since Queens on Feb. 2, 2019. It's a string of 63 consecutive SAC wins at home for the Railsplitters.
Jeremiah Samarrippas is unbeaten at home in league games as LMU's fourth-year head coach. LMU has won 22 consecutive home games overall, the second-longest active streak in the country behind Nova Southeastern's 78-game streak, which is four off the NCAA Division II record.
John Zhao is the ninth member of Carson-Newman's 200-three club. Nick Brenegan joined the club earlier this season. Brenegan has 275, good for second all-time in school history. It is unlikely that he catches the program's all-time leader Ish Sanders, and his 340 career threes. With 228 career threes, Zhao passed assistant coach Luke Brenegan and is officially fifth all-time in threes made. He needs 31 triples to draw level with Charles Clark and Malik Abraham for third all-time. While Brenegan has hit plenty of threes in his career, he has struggled all-time against LMU. He is 3-of-22 from deep in 10 career games against the Railsplitters.
Zhao, Brenegan and Jack Browder are see-sawing around the all-time leading scoring list. Zhao has 1,361 career points Brenegan 1,301 and Browder 1,265. Zhao is oficially in the top 25 all-time in school history in scoring. He needs seven points to draw even with Mike Morton (1,368) to enter the top-20 all-time. Brenegan is 10 points away from 22nd all-time, which is shared by Dustin Edwards and Leon Williams and their 1,311 career points. Browder is 26 points away from the top-25 all-time and catching Will Kinnick.
Nick Brenegan is the fourth player in school history with multiple 80-three seasons. With 80 threes, he leads the SAC this season with his 80 triples, a figure that is 18th nationally. John Zhao can join him in that capacity with three more threes himself. Brenegan (108) and Ish Sanders (99) are the only two players in program history with more than 90 threes in a season.
This is Carson-Newman's sixth game this season against a nationally-ranked opponent. C-N played six nationally-ranked foes in both the 2017-18 and 2021-22 seasons. However, what makes this season's slate of nationally-ranked foes unique is that the six games C-N has played have all been against five different teams. C-N is 4-1 in such games.
Tipoff between the Eagles and Railsplitters is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night. 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.
