Eagles travel to East Tennessee State on Tuesday for first exhibition of 2010-11
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — First-year coach Chuck Benson is just a few days away from seeing his team under live fire. The Carson-Newman College basketball teams open their exhibition season Tuesday, Nov. 2 at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn. Benson's team won't be full strength, thanks to some early season injuries and older injury flare ups that have sidelined some of the players he was counting on.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — First-year coach Chuck Benson is just a few days away from seeing his team under live fire. The Carson-Newman College basketball teams open their exhibition season Tuesday, Nov. 2 at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tenn. Benson's team won't be full strength, thanks to some early season injuries and older injury flare ups that have sidelined some of the players he was counting on.
"The big problem we face is just injuries," Benson said. "That's the frustration for us."
Senior center Brandon Evans (Salem, Va.) could miss three to six weeks. Freshman Levon Tate (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) had an MRI last week on an injured ankle he suffered as a senior in high school. Returner Joe Meady (Strawberry Plains, Tenn.) has only recently returned to practice after suffering a concussion.
For those players that have been able to practice, Benson has been pleased with the work he's seen.
"The effort overall has been really good," Benson said. "The attitude and competition has also been good. What we found, though, is when you have a new environment with a lot of young guys, it starts to wear on them, mostly mentally."
The Eagles will follow up ETSU with road exhibition games against Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State. The real action begins on Nov. 13, when Carson-Newman hosts Belmont Abbey in their season and home opener.
"Our whole focus is Nov. 13 and Belmont-Abbey," Benson said. "Our guys are going to be very hungry based on what we've done here. They're going to be ready to play somebody else."
The injuries have opened up opportunities for freshmen to step in. Ishmael Sanders (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Tyler Smith (Andersonville, Tenn.) have both surprised coaches with their early work. Still, Benson isn't taking it easy on his freshmen, showing them multiple looks for defensive packages and trying to speed up their maturation process.
"They're in that transition that all freshmen go through," Benson said. "They're trying to figure out the pace, the pressure and the expectation. We've not taken it easy on them at all."
Freshman Kevin Leatherwood (Charlottesville, Va.) has shown what a physical presence he can already be at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds.
"He (Leatherwood) is relishing the role as a tough guy," Benson said. "He's a former football player and he has a different mentality on being physical. He's still a freshman, though, and there's nothing like game reps."
Game reps are at a premium. None of Benson's returning players have much game experience. Of those, junior forward Kevin Hare (Lexington, S.C.) and sophomore forward Collin Crane (Knoxville, Tenn.) will be looked to as leaders as the season starts.
"They are veterans in the broadest sense of the word," Benson said. "Everyone of the returning guys has a greater sense of urgency. They've endured some tough seasons. I think they are really believing in what we're doing on a day-to-day basis and the way we approach our practices."
Game time for Tuesday night's game at ETSU is 7 p.m.
