Stingy Cobras come to Holt Fieldhouse Saturday
January 15, 2016

Stingy Cobras come to Holt Fieldhouse Saturday

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (8-7, 4-5 South Atlantic Conference) will play host to one of the SAC’s toughest defenses when Coker (6-7, 2-7 SAC) comes to town for a 4 p.m. tip Saturday in Holt Fieldhouse.

C-N Game Notes

VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (8-7, 4-5 South Atlantic Conference) will play host to one of the SAC's toughest defenses when Coker (6-7, 2-7 SAC) comes to town for a 4 p.m. tip Saturday in Holt Fieldhouse.

Coker gives up just 67.9 points per game – the only team in the SAC giving up less than 70 on the season. 

"They have created so many problems for us against us offensively and defensively," head coach Chuck Benson said. "We've only got one regular season win against them here at home.  We know nothing will be easy for us. They run waves of people at you and are relentless on the offensive boards."   

The Cobras have had their way with the Eagles in the series, especially defensively. In Coker's four wins over C-N since joining the league in 2013, the Cobras have forced 20 turnovers on two occasions and kept the Eagles to 40 percent shooting or worse twice.

On the flip side, Coker has struggled offensively at times.  Coker ranks 295 out of 303 teams in field goal percentage (38.3), but the Cobras ruthlessly attack the offensive glass. Coker ranks third in the country in offensive rebounds per game with 15.4 collected a contest.

"A lot of it goes to coach Dan Schmotzer and his passion," Benson said. "They send big long athletes to the glass and clean up a lot of shots."

The Cobras are at the bottom of the league's statistical rankings for assist-to turnover ratio (.77), assists per game (9.9), defensive rebounds per game (24.9), field goal percentage (38.8), scoring offense (69.4) and three-point field goal percentage (30.6).

Trey Marshall is second in the league and 41st in the country with 2.08 steals per game. He has 10 career steals against the Eagles in six games. Donte' Samuels leads the club with 17.8 points per game.

The Eagles have won four of their last five games with the lone loss coming at Wingate 71-48.  

Against Wingate, C-N's guards we're a combined 3-for-21 from the field, against Brevard in the Eagles' 87-60 win Wednesday, C-N's guards had 20 made buckets in 36 attempts and were a collective 12-for-24 from three.

Furthermore, C-N showed its high-rise ability against the Tornados. The Eagles dunked the ball five times against Brevard - a season high. Carson Brooks (Knoxville, Tenn.) had three dunks against Mars Hill, the previous single game high watermark. Four different Eagles produced the dunks against the Tornados with Mason Bates (Cookeville, Tenn.) leading the way with two. 

Charles Clark (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) continues to lead the Eagles with his 19.4 points per game, Sawyer Williams (Owenton, Ky.) follows with 15.9.  They are the third best one-two scoring punch in the league behind Queens' duo of Sean Morgan and Rob Lewis and Lenoir-Rhyne's combo of Keenan Palmore and Will Perry. 

Tipoff between the Eagles and Tornados is set for 4 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Country 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.

 

 

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