VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview

VIDEO: Nick Brenegan Interview

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the fifth time under head coach Chuck Benson and the seventh time in school history, Carson-Newman's men's basketball program is bound for the NCAA tournament. 

The NCAA announced its pairings for the NCAA Division II national tournament with a selection show late Sunday night. 

"This is the fifth time we've made it in my tenure and we will never take it for granted," head coach Chuck Benson said. "We've had two at-large and two automatics of the previous four, but none of them have had the build up this one had due to the circumstances in our conference and in our region. This Sunday was nothing short of long and torturous waiting to get this information.  We are extremely thankful to get to compete in the national tournament."   

All games in the regional will be played in Columbus, Ga. at Columbus State's Frank G. Lumpkin, Jr. Center. 

The Eagles enter the field as the eight seed, their first time as an eight seed, and play regional host Columbus State at 5 p.m. Saturday.  This marks the third time in school history that C-N has earned an at-large bid to the tournament, instead of gaining access as the SAC tournament champion. 

This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the Eagles and Cougars, but the first in NCAA tournament play and the first visit to the Lumpkin Center since a Dec. 31, 2002 loss to the Cougars 82-81. 

The Eagles are 2-3 all-time against CSU, but 2-1 under head coach Chuck Benson.  Columbus State won the last meeting between the teams – 58-56  on Dec. 2, 2022. 

Carson-Newman makes its first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2021. The Eagles lost to Tusculum 65-63 in overtime in the opening round of that year's event. 

Carson-Newman is 1-6 all-time in NCAA tournament games. The Eagles are 33-20 in postseason play dating back to Carson-Newman's prolific NAIA tournament days.

C-N will be looking for its first NCAA tournament win in 23 years.  The Eagles won in the round of 32 in 2002, 77-66 over Johnson C. Smith behind 21 points from former All-American Kyle Gribble and a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double from Dustin Edwards.

The Eagles bowed out in the Sweet 16 that year to Shaw and future NBA player Ronald "Flip" Murray who scored 38 points to send the Bears to the Elite 8. 

Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network will get underway at 4:45 p.m. Saturday leading up to the 5 p.m. tipoff. The AEC Countdown to Tipoff begins the festivities on Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.