Penultimate road trip takes C-N to Cuddy Arena, Wingate
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (18-8, 13-7 South Atlantic Conference) packs its bags for its second-to-last road trip of the season as it heads to Cuddy Arena for a rematch with Wingate (10-11, 8-10 SAC) Saturday at 4 p.m.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
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43 | 44 | 87 |
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33 | 52 | 85 |
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (18-8, 13-7 South Atlantic Conference) packs its bags for its second-to-last road trip of the season as it heads to Cuddy Arena for a rematch with Wingate (10-11, 8-10 SAC) Saturday at 4 p.m.
The Bulldogs handed C-N an 87-73 defeat back on Jan. 18 inside Holt Fieldhouse.
Wingate has a SAC Player of the Year candidate on its roster in Kendall Taylor. is 14th nationally and the SAC's leader at 22.4 points per game. He has produced 15, 20-point games this season (by comparison, C-N's Zhao has 12) and topped 30 points on four occasions. Taylor has scored 20 in five straight and eight of his last nine. He had 25 the first time the teams met.
Carson-Newman hit just five-of-25 threes in the first meeting, an 87-73 Bulldog win in Holt Fieldhouse. Not only is that a season-low for the country's most efficient three-point shooting team, C-N hadn't made five threes in a game at below 30 percent since going 4-for-18 from deep in a 58-56 loss to Columbus State on Dec. 2, 2022.
Carson-Newman is looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the second time this season. Meanwhile Wingate is aiming to continue a trend that has been present since December. The Bulldogs lost their first four games of the season before winning their next four. Since then, Wingate has been streakless. The Bulldogs have alternated wins with losses since Dec. 21. Wingate lost its last game, 81-72 at Limestone.
John Zhao is the ninth member of Carson-Newman's 200-three club. Nick Brenegan joined the club earlier this season. Brenegan has 266, good for second all-time in school history. It is unlikely that he catches the program's all-time leader Ish Sanders, and his 340 career threes. With 228 career threes, Zhao passed assistant coach Luke Brenegan and is officially fifth all-time in threes made. He needs 31 triples to draw level with Charles Clark and Malik Abraham for third all-time.
Zhao leads the SAC and is ninth nationally this season with 77 threes made this year. Three more threes will give him 80 for the year - the 12th season in school history with 80 triples. Zhao would join Ish Sanders (three), Malik Abraham (three) and Calvin Owen (two) as the only players to hit that mark twice. Nick Brenegan is 14 threes away from that same distinction. Ish Sanders (99) and Brenegan (108) are the only two players in school history to make more than 90 in a season.
Zhao, Brenegan and Jack Browder are see-sawing around the all-time leading scoring list. Zhao has 1,361 career points Brenegan 1,259 and Browder 1,229. Zhao is oficially in the top 25 all-time in school history in scoring. He needs seven points to draw even with Mike Morton (1,368) to enter the top-20 all-time. Brenegan moved past Carson Brooks in the Eagles overtime loss at Tusculum on Feb. 12 and into the top-30 all-time. He also bypassed Eddie Carter and Todd Lucas agaisnt the Pioneers. Brenegan is 24 points away from Will Kinnick (1,283) and 25th on the all-time scoring list. Browder needs 19 to catch Brooks for 31st and 25 to equal Lucas' 1,254 for 30th all-time.
Tipoff between C-N and Wingate is slated for 4 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 3:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
Team Stats
Wingate
| Game Statistics | Carson-Newman | Wingate |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (30-60) | (29-66) |
| Field Goal % | 50.0% | 43.9% |
| Rebounds | 39 | 33 |
| Assists | 22 | 16 |
| Turnovers | 13 | 7 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 7 | 9 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 12 | 10 |
| Pts in the Paint | 34 | 24 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 6 | 4 |
| Bench Pts | 10 | 11 |
