ANDERSON, S.C. – After suffering its first loss of the season four days ago, 10th-ranked Carson-Newman visits one of the toughest facilities to play in the country Monday night for a 5:30 p.m. contest against Anderson at the Abney Athletic Center.
"I think we will grow from it," Carson-Newman coach Mike Mincey said. "It's been an interesting year already with all of the stuff that is going on – I think every coach would say that. You hate to lose but can we grow from this? Absolutely and we will see how we respond."
Over the last four seasons, Carson-Newman (7-1, 7-1) has lost back-to-back games five times with its last three-game losing streak coming in Feb. 2016. Bouncing back from losses has been a strong point with the team earning double-digit victories in its last seven wins following a loss.
One area that the Lady Eagles are looking for some consistency is from its bench. The current starting five has combined for 83 percent of the team's scoring and is shooting 51 percent from the floor. The bench has scored 115 total points and has made 34 percent from the field and 22 percent from long distance. Over the last five years, Mincey's bench has scored at least 25 points per game in four of the five campaigns. This year's team is averaging 14, three behind the 17 from the 2018-19 unit, for the lowest in that stretch.
The Lady Eagles are 6-1 on Mondays under Mincey with the lone loss coming in the Elite Eight to Union in 2018. Four of the six victories have come by double figures with an average margin of 15. Mincey's first career head coaching win came on a Monday, a 103-67 dismantling of Bryan on Nov. 21, 2011.
C-N is seeking its third regular-season sweep over Anderson (9-5, 8-4) doing so 2011-12 and 2017-18 after winning the first matchup this year and holding a 14-12 edge through 26 meetings. Braelyn Wykle (Greeneville, Tenn.) led all scorers with an efficient 29 points and Carson-Newman won the battle on the glass in a 75-62 victory on Dec. 9. The sophomore went 10-for-19 from the floor.
The Orange and Blue snapped a four-game losing skid to the Trojans, three of which came by a single possession. Addison Byrd (Nashville, Tenn.) registered 17 points, five rebounds and three steals. Harli Smith (Jamestown, Tenn.) added 13 points and seven boards. Overall, Carson-Newman led for 36:08 of the game.
Anderson shot 53 percent from the charity stripe attempting 19. Four Trojans scored in double figures led by 13 points and eight rebounds from Britney Bailey and 13 from Jalyn Spurlin. Taylor Hair scored 11 points and had six rebounds and McKenzie Gadson tacked on 10.
The Trojans, who have played with five players in each of the last three games, are 5-1 at home this season with the one loss coming to Tusculum on Jan. 9 that snapped a 37-game home winning streak. Prior to that setback, coach Jonathon Barbaree's team had not lost at home since Jan. 20, 2018, a 56-51 defeat to Lenoir-Rhyne.
C-N is 4-7 against the Trojans in the Palmetto State having lost two straight and three of its last four visits to the Abney Athletic Center. The last victory came on Dec. 6, 2017, a 72-56 win during the Elite Eight season.
Taking a dive into the home/road splits, Anderson shoots four percent worse at home converting on 36 percent from the field. However, the club commits four fewer turnovers inside of the friendly confines and makes 71 percent the free-throw line versus 62 on the road.
The Trojans continue to be the best rebounding team in the conference pulling down 46 per night and outrebounding foes by seven, second-best in the league. There have been eight games with at least 45 boards with at least 10 offensive rebounds in every game.
Only two players are averaging double figures but six are posting at least seven per night. Taylor Hair, the team's leading scorer at 11 per game, has not scored more than 13 since a 23-point outburst to open the year.
Monday's affair can be enjoyed on two platforms. Radio coverage can be found on 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) with an audio stream available on cneagles.com/live starting at 5:15 p.m. with "The Appalachian Electric Cooperative Countdown to Tip-Off".
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