Returning home, C-N gets two at Holt hosting Coker Monday
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Having not played at Mossy Creek since Jan. 5, Carson-Newman returns to Holt Fieldhouse for a quick, two-game homestand over a three-day period starting on Monday at noon against Coker in a South Atlantic Conference clash.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Having not played at Mossy Creek since Jan. 5, Carson-Newman returns to Holt Fieldhouse for a quick, two-game homestand over a three-day period starting on Monday at noon against Coker in a South Atlantic Conference clash.
"It's a quick turnaround," Carson-Newman coach Mike Mincey said. "We have to get back in the gym on a typical day off on Sunday. I know they are having a decent year. They have some pieces and have given some teams fits. They beat a Division I program in Winthrop. It's going to be one of those games because it will be nice to get back home."
After falling to Wingate on Nov. 27, the Lady Eagles have reeled off four straight wins with three of the those victories coming by at least 15 points. In six home outings this year, the team is averaging 86 points per game shooting 45 percent from the field.
After falling to Wingate on Nov. 27, the Lady Eagles have reeled off four straight wins with three of the those victories coming by at least 15 points. In six home outings this year, the team is averaging 86 points per game shooting 45 percent from the field.
Wednesday marks the 17th meeting between Carson-Newman (13-3, 11-2) and Coker (3-7, 2-6) as Mincey's crew has a commanding 14-2 lead with wins in each of the last 11 outings. The average differential in that span has been just south of 30 points per game with a trio of 100-point efforts and eight with at least 80.
Coker's last win over the Lady Eagles came on Jan. 17, 2015 in Hartsville, a 68-61 win. While C-N's first road win after that was a seven-point game, Mincey's club has won by 38, 39, 26 and 19 in its four visits to the DeLoach Center prior to the Feb. 15 meeting. The Lady Eagles overcame a 14-point deficit to take down the Cobras 71-66.
The Cobras opened the year with wins in two of their first three affairs but have dropped six of their last seven outings with all but one coming by double figures. The lone victory in that stretch came on Dec. 4, a 75-70 at home triumph over UVA Wise.
Over the last two years, Coker is 1-13 in road games having lost all five this year and seven in a row dating back to a 69-61 defeat at Queens on Feb 10. Over that time, six of the seven setbacks have been by double figures with four by at least 19. The lone outlier was the most recent contest, a 49-46 defeat at Queens on Dec. 11.
At the offensive end of the floor, the Snakes are ninth in the SAC in field-goal percentage making 37 percent from the field scoring the third-fewest points in the league with 59 per outing. Coker is the worst three-point shooting team burying 25 percent from outside making 22 of the 42 trifectas in the first three games of the year.
Defensively, the unit is in the middle of the pack in field-goal percentage defense yielding a 37 percent margin and 65 points per game. However, opponents have found success from long distance drilling 35 percent from long range, the 22nd-worst rate allowed in Division II.
Saquita Joyner is the only player averaging more than eight points per game leading the way with 13.5 on a nightly basis. The senior has been in double figures in six of eight outings with a pair of 21-point efforts. Against SAC foes, she is posting 14.2 points and converting at a 51 percent rate.
Tune into the broadcast on the Eagle Sports Network starting at 11:45 a.m. for "The Appalachian Electric Cooperative Countdown to Tip-Off" on Mountain Sports 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) with audio and video streams available on cneagles.com/live free of charge.
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