Eagles, Pioneers unwrap pre-Christmas rivalry showdown
December 12, 2023

Eagles, Pioneers unwrap pre-Christmas rivalry showdown

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (5-2, 0-1 South Atlantic Conference) will look to halt a five-game skid to Tusculum (3-4, 1-1 SAC) Wednesday night at Pioneer Arena. 

C-N Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (5-2, 0-1 South Atlantic Conference) will look to halt a five-game skid to Tusculum (3-4, 1-1 SAC) Wednesday night at Pioneer Arena. 

All fans can attend the men's game, and the women's game before it at 5:30 p.m. for free. 

Tusculum has beaten Carson-Newman in five consecutive contests.  This is the longest winning streak for the Pioneers in series history.  Carson-Newman hasn't beaten Tusculum since a 60-59 win in the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Championship semifinals.  Four of the last six meetings between the two schools have been decided by four or fewer points.  Two of the last six meetings have been decided by points scored in the final two seconds. 

The Pioneers have played a brutal schedule to start the year, featuring four teams that made last year's NCAA Southeast Regional and two who were nationally ranked at the time the Pioneers faced them. 

"Tusculum has had the most challenging schedule to this point in the region, if not in the country," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "They will be battle-tested. This will be its own unique test. We have to go perform at a high level to get the outcome we want."

Nick Brenegan has scored in double digits in 13 consecutive games.  He is the only Eagle with a double-digit scoring effort in every game this year for C-N. Brenegan is averaging 16.5 points per game in his 18  career starts. 

Brenegan's 3.43 made triples per game are the second most in the SAC and ninth nationally.  He also ranks 20th nationally and second in the SAC in percentage at 48.0 percent for the season.  Brenegan has buried multiple threes in every game this season.  He's made a three in 14 straight games dating back to last season. 

In spite of losing starting center Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman picked up where it left off last year rebounding the ball. C-N has outrebounded its opposition by double digits in six of its first seven games.  C-N's average of +13.0 on the glass is the best rebounding margin in the country. 

Carson-Newman has outrebounded three straight teams just four times this century (but twice this season). Historically one of the best rebounding teams in the conference under head coach JT Burton, Carson-Newman hasn't ourtrebounded TU by more than four boards since Jan. 6, 2021. 

Carson-Newman has crested the century mark in four of its first seven games.  This has led to the Eagles averaging 93.0 points per game - 10th nationally and second in the SAC.  Carson-Newman has crested triple digits 37 times under head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson and 199 times all-time.  One needs to go back to the 2017-18 season to find three. 100-point games in a five-game stretch.  That year, the Eagles had eight, 100-point games.

During the JT Burton era, the Pioneers are 47-17 at home including 39-12 in the last 5 years. Two of Tusculum's home wins this year (UNC Pembroke and Anderson) featured the Pioneers rallying from a 19-point and a 12-point deficit, respectively. 

"That 3-4 record, throw it out," Benson said. "I know who they've played, and it's been close every game they've played. They'll have their A game. This game is big. We all know what this game means. Everybody who takes that floor Wednesday night will be ready for both sides."

Tipoff between the Eagles and Pioneers is set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 7:15 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. 

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