VIDEO: Carson-Newman vs Lincoln Memorial SAC Quarterfinals Cinematic Recap
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Familiar foes meet again in the South Atlantic Conference women's basketball tournament as two-seeded Carson-Newman (22-7) battles three-seeded Anderson (22-9) on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Carson-Newman's quest for a fourth South Atlantic Conference Championship continues Thursday night in the semifinal round versus third-seeded Anderson. After making the championship game this past season, Mincey's team will aim to make back-to-back appearances in the league title game, something that has only been done one other time, 1998 and 1999. The Lady Eagles are one of three teams along with Catawba and Wingate to participate in each SAC Tournament since the first iteration in 1991.
The Lady Eagles advanced to the semifinals thanks to a balanced scoring effort in a 75-60 win over Lincoln Memorial in the quarterfinals. Tori Rutherford (Rutledge, Tenn.) and Jennifer Sullivan (Knoxville, Tenn.) each scored a team-high 18 points to pace four double-figure scorers. C-N scorched the nets for 52 percent shooting, the 10th time this season the Lady Eagles have managed to shoot 50 percent or better in a game.
Thursday night's clash in Rock Hill will be the fourth straight season that Carson-Newman and Anderson meet in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament. The two sides met in the conference championship game in 2022 and in the quarterfinals each of the past two seasons. C-N is 2-1 over the last three seasons in the postseason against AU. All-time, Mincey's teams are 4-1 in postseason games against the Trojans.
Both teams defended home court in the regular season meetings. The Trojans won the first meeting, ending C-N's unbeaten start to the season by winning the second half 49-29 in Anderson, S.C. Carson-Newman earned the split in the regular season by winning 78-75 in Holt Fieldhouse on January 25. Mincey's team held AU to just 24 percent shooting after halftime and got a season-high 20 points from Makayla Alvey (Dandridge, Tenn.) in the win.
Lindsey Taylor (Maryville, Tenn.) continues to close in on third place in scoring all-time. Her 1,686 career points are 52 away from Leah Jackson. The senior forward has the sixth-most rebounds in program history with 881. Taylor is having a historic year shooting the basketball. Her 68.3 percent shooting from the field is number one nationally and is more than five percent better than the best mark in a season in program history, which she set during the 2021-22 season.
Senior guard Campbell Penland (Sevierville, Tenn.) is making a surge up the scoring chart as well. She is six points from 11th and is 24 points from Haris Price's 1,377 career points. Penland has made 230 career three-pointers, the third-most in program history. She leads the conference with 67 made triples this season.
Anderson took care of business in the quarterfinal round, taking down the six seed Mars Hill Lions 80-73 late Wednesday night. All-SAC First team guard Zamiya Passmore led AU with 33 points and 12 rebounds while also dishing out seven assists. 25 of her 33 points came after halftime, a second half in which she made nine of her 14 baskets. Diamond McDowell made an impact as well, scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the year.
The Trojans have won 10 consecutive games, the 10th longest active winning streak in the country. AU has not lost since dropping back to back games in late January to C-N and the top-seed Coker. During this ten game winning streak, Anderson has six wins by double-digits. They have lost just three games since the beginning of December and all three losses are by four point or less.
Over the course of the regular season, Anderson proved to be one of the elite rebounding teams in the country. It grabs 45 boards per contest, including more than 15 offensive rebounds. Both of those marks rank top 20 nationally. Going up against the top three-point shooting team in the country will be a good challenge for an Anderson defense that is number one in the league at defending the three-point shot. Opponents shoot just 25 percent from deep.
Tip off from the Rock Hill Sports and Events Center is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Coverage with 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.
