VIDEO: Carson-Newman vs Lenoir-Rhyne SAC Semifinal Highlights
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – After completing an unbeaten home regular season in 2023-24, No. 14/7 Carson-Newman (2-0) will look to continue its success at Holt Fieldhouse when it serves as host to Lenoir-Rhyne (1-1) for its South Atlantic Conference and home opener on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
After losing its final two home games in the 2022-23 season, C-N was determined to defend Holt Fieldhouse and did so effectively by finishing its home slate unbeaten at 15-0 in 2023-24. 10 of those 15 wins came by double-digits. It marked the third time under head coach Mike Mincey that his team has finished a home regular season slate unbeaten. The current 15-game home winning streak is tied for the fourth longest active home winning streak and tied for the best among teams in the Southeast region. The program is amid its second-longest home winning streak, the longest being a 27-game streak that Lenoir-Rhyne brought to a halt in 2018.
The Lady Eagles have won 16 of their last 17 home openers and are 12-1 under Mincey. The lone loss in a home opener for C-N the past 17 years came to Catawba 63-58 on November 28, 2022.
Carson-Newman's offense has been on full display in both wins to start the year. It's the first time since 2017-18 that Carson-Newman has scored 90 points or more in its first two games and just the third time its happened in program history. Carson-Newman's 96.5 points per game ranks second-most nationally after the opening week of play. The 103-point scoring effort versus USC Aiken is the 32nd time under Mincey that C-N has scored more than 100 points. In the 35-point win, C-N made 42 baskets. It's the fourth time in the past four seasons that the Lady Eagles have made 40 field goals or more in a game.
"Our kids have been hungry," Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey said. "We took care of the ball and put it in the basket. It's hard to say that our energy and effort was there 100 percent of the time, but it was darn close. We never have to beg them to play hard, they get after it in practice the same way they get after in games. When you combine their effort and ability to score the ball the way we have to start, it certainly excites you as you move into the rest of the games."
After her first two games with Carson-Newman, junior guard Jennifer Sullivan (Knoxville, Tenn.) was named women's basketball player of the week by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association earlier this week. Sullivan averaged 21 points per game and shot 50 percent from the field. She was also sharp from the foul line, making ten of her 12 free throws in the opening weekend. The junior guard also totaled five assists and a pair of steals.
Saturday afternoon's matchup is a rematch on this past season's South Atlantic Conference tournament semifinal matchup that Carson-Newman won 60-57 thanks to a Braelyn Wykle basket in the final seconds.
. @B_Wykle gives the Eagles the lead & the WIN
— Carson-Newman Athletics (@CN_Eagles) March 7, 2024
�� @CNwbasketball 60
�� @LRUWBB 57
FINAL pic.twitter.com/Bi2Cp4SbrO
The Lady Eagles lead the all-time series 54-30 and have won back-to-back games against the Bears. The two teams have met four times the past two seasons, with only four meetings decided by single digits including three by one possession. Carson-Newman has won its last six games against Lenoir-Rhyne at Holt Fieldhouse.
Tomorrow's game will also serve as the first game in conference play, the earliest conference game that C-N will have played in program history. Since joining the SAC, the Lady Eagles are 23-12 in SAC openers, while holding a 10-3 record under Mincey with wins in six of their last seven. C-N has won its first SAC home game each of the last five seasons.
Lenoir-Rhyne was picked to finish third in the South Atlantic Conference's preseason coaches poll, and matched Carson-Newman with a league-high four first-place votes. The Bears are coming a 2023-24 campaign where they were 22-9 overall and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
All-SAC performers Blaikley Crooks and Emily Harman return after averaging 16 and 12 points per game last season, respectively.
Grahm Smith's squad has started this season 1-1. Like C-N, LR defeated USC Aiken at the SAC/Peach Belt challenge, but lost on Sunday to the host Lander 70-54 in its only true road game this season. Dating back to last season, LR has lost four of its last five road games.
After the first two games, the Bears have forced the second-most turnovers per game at 27 and are the third best scoring defense allowing 58.5 points per game.
Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 1:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on MIX 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
A live stream of the contest is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/flowbb.
