Carson-Newman hosts Catawba Wednesday night
Feb. 24, 2009
Audio Webcast (5:45 p.m.)
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JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- The Carson-Newman basketball teams will host Catawba in South Atlantic Conference action on Wednesday night at Holt Fieldhouse.
The women's game is set to tipoff at 6 p.m., followed by the men's contest at 8 p.m.
The Lady Eagles enter the contest having lost three out of their last four games, including an 81-79 loss at Lincoln Memorial on Saturday.
C-N coach Dean Walsh said his squad needs to win the next two games to stay in contention to host a first round game in the SAC tournament. The top four teams in the SAC will host a first round contest, and the Lady Eagles (17-8) are tied with Newberry in the standings at 8-6. Newberry holds the tiebreaker, meaning C-N is currently fourth. Catawba and Wingate are close behind with 7-7 conference records.
"We are in a must win situation our next two games," Walsh said. "Lose and we are on the road for the first round of the conference tournament, and it also could cost us a chance to get into the national tournament."
"We've put ourselves in this position by playing as poorly as we did on Saturday. Their lack of focus and intensity cost us that game. Hopefully they can turn it around starting with practice and get ready for a very winnable next two games."
The Lady Eagles will be looking to get some revenge as they fell to Catawba 77-75 on a last second shot in overtime in their matchup on Jan. 28.
Catawba (15-10) is coming off a 79-68 loss at Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday but has won three out of its last four games. C-N must find a way to slow down Catawba's leading scorer Dana Hicks (11.9 ppg.). The York, S.C. native is averaging 22.7 points per game in her last three outings.
In the men's game, the Eagles (6-19, 3-11) will be looking to snap an eight-game losing streak after falling to Lincoln Memorial 73-70 on Saturday.
The Eagles lost to Catawba 109-100 in their first matchup on Feb. 9. C-N held a 50-43 lead at halftime, but the Indians shot a scorching 67.6 percent from the floor in the second half to come from behind and win.
Eagles coach Dale Clayton said his team must play better perimeter defense on Wednesday night, especially on Catawba guards Antonio Houston (18 ppg.) and Rob Fields (16.1 ppg.). Fields torched the Eagles for 28 points in their first meeting, while Houston scored 20.
"One of the things that we have to do is make sure that Antonio Houston and Rob Fields don't dominate the game from the perimeter," Clayton said. "You've got to contest threes and make them shoot threes that are not wide-open looks. When you do that, you can do a pretty good job against them."
"If we can do a good job defending them and rebound the ball and not turn the basketball over, then I think we will have a good chance to win."
