January 27, 2015

Eagles look for back-to-back wins against Anderson

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (8-10, 6-6 South Atlantic Conference) will try to win back-to-back games for the first time ever against Anderson (8-10, 4-8 SAC) when the Trojans make the trek to Holt Fieldhouse for a Wednesday evening tipoff at 8.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (8-10, 6-6 South Atlantic Conference) will try to win back-to-back games for the first time ever against Anderson (8-10, 4-8 SAC) when the Trojans make the trek to Holt Fieldhouse for a Wednesday evening tipoff at 8.

Anderson leads the all-time series 6-4, however, the Eagles have performed well against the Trojans at home. Carson-Newman collected a 92-55 win over the then-first place Trojans in 2013 before winning 87-79 last year.

C-N led by as many as 21 in last year's game before a late barrage of Anderson threes brought AU back.

"They are a team very much like us, that's searching for new identities," head coach Chuck Benson said. "We're both on similar paths at this point still looking for the right combination. Their head coach Jason Taylor does an outstanding job and I think they'll put together an optimum performance on the court."

The Trojans are one of the better three-point shooting teams in the SAC and the nation. Nick Jackson is 22nd in the nation and second in the SAC with 54 made threes this season. Myson Jones follows at 88th in the country and 7th in the SAC with 45 made treys.

"They all shoot the ball well," Benson said. "When they get their penetration going, that fuels their ability to make three-point shots. We have to contain them to ensure that they don't get open looks."

Meanwhile, Carson-Newman hopes to avoid losing a third consecutive home contest. The Eagles have lost three straight home games once under head coach Chuck Benson. That occurred in his first season with the program in 2010 when the Eagles lost to Wingate, Bluefield College and Tusculum on three straight home dates.

Carson-Newman has dominated inside of late, three of C-N's last four games have seen Carson-Newman score 50-points or more in the paint. Included in that is a 66-points-in-the-paint effort against Newberry - the first 60+ game inside for C-N under head coach Chuck Benson.

The Eagles are led by reigning SAC Player of the Week Carson Brooks (Knoxville, Tenn.) who has strung together back-to-back double-doubles.

"Historically Anderson mixes in their man and zone defenses," Benson said. "Depending what opportunities that come, our guys have to capitalize. This game will be different from the up-and-down nature of the game against Newberry. This will be a more grind it out affair."

The Trojans have dropped three straight contests and five of their last six. The three-game skid is the program's longest since the 2010-11 team dropped three consecutive decisions during the month of February. However, that team eventually posted a 21-12 record on the way to making an appearance in the Elite Eight. Anderson is looking to avoid suffering four straight regular-season setbacks for the first time since falling to Queens, Barton, Coker and Pfeiffer late in the 2006-07 campaign.

The past three seasons, Anderson has been among the league leaders in offense averaging roughly 80 points per game; however, Jason Taylor's group has struggled to score the ball without noted male nurse and point producer Chandler Hash. The Trojans are last in the league with a 67.7 scoring average.

The Trojans have cracked 60 points twice in their last six games, but fell 80-65 in both those contests to Queens and Coker.

Tipoff between the Eagles and Trojans is slated for 8 p.m. from Holt Fieldhouse. Pregame coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 7:45 with the Appalachian Electric Cooperative Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Country 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.