Lady Eagles drop high-scoring affair in Hickory
HICKORY, N.C. – Carson-Newman (10-4, 6-2 SAC) saw its six-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday, losing 102-93 to a Lenoir-Rhyne (10-4, 6-2 SAC) team that made a program-record 17 three-pointers in the win.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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13 | 32 | 26 | 21 | 92 |
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28 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 103 |
HICKORY, N.C. – Carson-Newman (10-4, 6-2 SAC) saw its six-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday, losing 102-93 to a Lenoir-Rhyne (10-4, 6-2 SAC) team that made a program-record 17 three-pointers in the win.
Not only did the Bears drill a program-best 17 three-pointers, they did so at an absurd 68% clip. That three-point percentage is the highest by an opponent since Queens went 60 percent on nine threes on December 10, 2016. The 17 made triples is the most by an opponent against C-N in at least the past 24 years.
"Have to give credit where credit is due," Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey said. "I thought LR kind of took it to us early and we found ourselves in a hole. Brown got started early in the game making threes, and really their whole team did. We will have a hard time beating any team that shoots that well from three and a player that goes for 42. Proud of our effort and proud of our grit."
Paired with LR's best three-point shooting day in program history was one of the more impressive individual efforts in the SAC this season. Freshman forward Abigail Brown scored a career-high 42 points on 12 of 23 shooting with seven made three-pointers and 11 made free throws. She entered the contest with eight threes in her first 14 career games. She is the first opposing player to score 40 or more points against C-N since Bri Johnson's 41 point day for Catawba on December 14, 2016 against the Lady Eagles.
Jennifer Sullivan (Knoxville, Tenn.) matched her career-high in a losing effort. She scored 29 points on 11 baskets, which featured five three-pointers.
Two minutes into the game, C-N would gain an early lead at 4-2. But, LR would answer with an 8-0 scoring run to lead by six four minutes into the first. The Bears would go on another scoring run at the midpoint of the first, hitting three consecutive three-pointers to increase their lead to 19-6. The good three-point shooting continued for LR, making two more late in the third to increase the lead to 17 late in the first.
Carson-Newman began to find its groove early in the second quarter. It scored 12 of the first 15 points to make it a six-point game with 7:32 until halftime. LR freshman Abigail Brown would score LR's next 12 points which included a pair of three-pointers to extend the lead back to nine. Despite making just two baskets in the final four minutes of the half, C-N stayed within single digits, trailing by nine at intermission. The Bears were 11-16 from three-point range in the first half
LR started the third quarter strong, scoring seven of the first nine points to lift the lead back out to 14. Brown drilled another three-pointer, but C-N would go on its longest scoring run of the day after. Sullivan scored six of the ten points during the two-minute run to make the deficit five with 5:49 left in the third quarter. C-N would get as close as four in the frame, but a Trista Charles three-pointer in the final seconds pushed the deficit back out to eight heading to the fourth.
LR would increase its lead back to double-digits after another Brown three-pointer with 5:22 left in the game. Elyseia Brown would drill a dagger three with 3:16 left, her fifth of the game to push out to a 13-point game and help seal the win. LR was six for nine from long range in the second half.
LR's other two double-digit scorers also had career days. Elyseia Brown scored a career-high 19 points on a career-best five three-pointers, nailing five of her six attempts. Off the bench, Trista Charles made all five of her shots and both of her threes, scoring a career-high 13 points.
The Bears made 51% of their shots, highlighted by the elite three-point shooting day. Their 103 points is the first time allowing 100 or more points in a game since giving up 102 to Limestone on December 7, 2022.
Sullivan was one of four Lady Eagles to finish in double-figures. Emily Gonzalez (Lenoir City, Tenn.) scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Mattie Nuckolls (Chatsworth, Ga.) recorded her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Chloe Heath rounded out the double-digit scorers with 13 as well.
Remarkably, it's just the third time in the Mincey era that the program loses when scoring 90 or more. C-N entered the game 81-2 under Mincey when scoring 90 or more.
C-N won the rebounding battle 45-35, holding a distinct 16-6 advantage on the offensive glass.
Carson-Newman returns home on Wednesday evening against Lincoln Memorial. Tip off with the Railsplitters is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 5:15 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A live camera of the broadcast crew "On Press Row" will also be available on YouTube.
Team Stats
Lenoir-Rhyne
| Game Statistics | Carson-Newman | Lenoir-Rhyne |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (33-74) | (32-63) |
| Field Goal % | 44.6% | 50.8% |
| Rebounds | 45 | 35 |
| Assists | 16 | 20 |
| Turnovers | 12 | 10 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 10 | 18 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 15 | 5 |
| Pts in the Paint | 48 | 30 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 8 | 8 |
| Bench Pts | 11 | 26 |
