VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview
VIDEO: Nick Brenegan Interview
VIDEO: Joshuwa Butts Interview
VIDEO: Cam McElhaney Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (20-10, 15-9 South Atlantic Conference) turned it over 18 times and Coker (19-9, 15-9 SAC) drilled 17-of-39 threes to put a damper on C-N's senior day celebration. The Cobras handed the Eagles a 108-92 loss Saturday in Holt Fieldhouse.
"We turned the ball over way to much, they got too many second shots and they shot the ball as well as they could have," head coach Chuck Benson said. "Some of the threes they made late in the shot clock were just backbreaking."
The loss puts Carson-Newman in a three-way tie for third in the SAC standings. Coker wins that tiebreaker and will be the third seed in the SAC men's basketball championship. UVA Wise and Carson-Newman will meet in the SAC quarterfinals in a four v. five matchup. C-N is the five seed by virtue of the Highland Cavaliers' win over SAC champion Lincoln Memorial.
Coker used a 17-1 first-half run to build a 20-point first half lead. The Cobras canned four threes in a 2:30 stretch while C-N went a full media without a field goal. Coker turned a one-point lead into a 17-point, 35-18 lead with 7:47 to go in the first half after the burst.
Carson-Newman did use a 14-3 run spanning the halftime break to get within nine early in the second half, but that was as close as the Eagles would get.
The Eagles shot 56 percent from the field and was 9-of-21 from beyond the arc. It marks the first time Carson-Newman has lost a game win scoring 90 points since falling 98-91 to Catawba on Jan. 4, 2020, snapping a 41-game win streak for the Eagles when scoring 90 or more.
However, Coker shot 50 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from beyond the arc. The Cobras took 80 shots compared to just 57 for C-N.
Jamie Muldowney led five Cobras in double figures. He had 24 points off the bench and was 7-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from three. Judson Coan added in 16 points and had four steals.
Max Hurray knocked down 4-of-5 threes to finish with 14 points. Sebastian Cole and Xavier Harris had 11 and 10, respectively.
"Credit to coach Lamberti and their team for coming here and kicking our front teeth in," Benson said. "When I say that I hate a day like today from a performance standpoint, it's an understatement. It's senior day, we have guys who have left an indelible mark on this program. For today to be the final day to play in Holt and to perform like that sickens me. Then we have some loyal fans who have supported this program for years, I hate it. I'm sorry it was like that. The good of this season's performances outweighs the bad. We have to move onto the next one quick as we play Wednesday at noon."
Trey Hubbard (Charlotte, N.C.) led C-N with 23 points, four boards and seven assists.
Jack Browder (Kingsport, Tenn.) produced his 24th career double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
John Zhao (Sevierville, Tenn.) returned from injury to score 18 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Nick Brenegan (Greenville, S.C.) rounded out the Eagles quartet of double-digit scorers with 11 points.
Carson-Newman outrebounded Coker 38-30. C-N outscored the Cobras in the paint 44-38 and on the fast break 34-6. However, Coker's bench outscored C-N 60-11.
The Cobras snapped a five-game losing streak to C-N.
Carson-Newman opens the South Atlantic Conference tournament Wednesday at noon against UVA Wise. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network will begin at 11:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
