Eagles Set to Square Off with Catawba on Wednesday Night

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — The Carson-Newman men’s basketball team will face one of its most difficult challenges of the season on Wednesday night when defending South Atlantic Conference Tournament champion Catawba visits Mossy Creek.

The Eagles (8-9, 3-4) and Indians (11-7, 4-3) are set to square off at 8 p.m. in Holt Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast live on WMTN-AM 1300 out of Morristown.

“This game is big for two reasons,” C-N head coach Dale Clayton said. “One, it’s a home game in league play and a chance for us to get to .500 with both of our records. It’s also a chance to gain some momentum in SAC play. This would be three wins in four league games for us.”

C-N will attempt to collect back-to-back conference wins for the first time this season after it defeated Lenoir-Rhyne, 66-61, last Saturday at Holt Fieldhouse, but accomplishing that task won’t be easy against Catawba.

The Indians have been a thorn in C-N’s side as they have won 11 out of the last 12 meetings with the Eagles, including both matchups last season. C-N’s lone win was a 129-123 overtime victory at home on Jan. 30, 2008.

During the last three seasons, the Eagles-Indians matchup has been between two of the top scoring teams in the conference with both squads reaching 100 points or more in four out of the last five meetings.

While the Indians continue to pile up the points this season as the third-ranked scoring offense in the SAC (83.1 points per game), things have been different for C-N. With depth being an issue for the Eagles, they have turned to their defense to earn wins, ranking third in the conference in both scoring defense (71.8 ppg.) and field goal percentage defense (41.7 percent). C-N has held opponents to less than 70 points in seven out of its eight wins.

Catawba enters Wednesday’s matchup coming off a 94-88 overtime loss to Newberry last Saturday. Prior to falling to Newberry, the Indians had reeled off three straight wins over the conference’s top three teams in Brevard, Mars Hill and Lincoln Memorial.

A trio of seniors has carried the Indians this season in guards Antonia Houston and Rob Fields and forward Donald Rutherford.

Houston, a first team All-SAC performer, is sixth in the conference in scoring with an average of 16.2 points per game. The Charlotte, N.C., native also averaged 5.2 rebounds per game and leads the team in steals with 24.

“Since his freshman year, he’s been one of the dominant players in the league,” Clayton said of Houston. “He’s just a great player, inside and out.”

Fields, who is also a preseason first team All-SAC selection, is second on the team in scoring (15.5 ppg.) and assists (50), while Rutherford is averaging 14.5 points per game, 6.8 rebounds and leads the team in blocks with 28.

Wednesday will be the 47th meeting between the Eagles and Indians. Catawba leads the all-time series, 29-17.

Wednesday’s matchup will also be another opportunity to make an underwear donation that will go to the children of Haiti. All kids 12 and under will be admitted free with the donation of underwear sizes 2-14. Collection boxes will be located at the entrance of Holt Fieldhouse.