Eagles use hot start to blow by Bulldogs 103-73
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – For the second night in a row, Carson-Newman’s men’s basketball team used a monster early first half run to take down an opponent at the Pioneer Classic at Tusculum’s Pioneer Arena. On Friday night, the Eagles (3-0) used a 24-2 run to propel themselves to a win over Columbus State. Saturday night, it was a 20-2 run that helped Carson-Newman to a 103-73 victory over Knoxville College (0-5).
On Friday night, the Eagles (3-0) used a 24-2 run to propel themselves to a win over Columbus State. Saturday night, it was a 20-2 run that helped Carson-Newman to a 103-73 victory over Knoxville College (0-5).
It was the first time the Eagles broke the century mark since a 2011 game at Newberry.
The Eagles led by as many as 26 in the first half thanks to some Jared Johnson (Springfield, Mass.) free throws with 5:21 left in the frame before extending the lead out to 33 points in the second stanza.
"We challenged the guys to come out and start fast," Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "We wanted to energize our defense so we went with some more of our trap packages in the half court. That inspired us a little bit and our offense sort of fed off our defense."
The Eagles forced 19 turnovers and turned them into 29 points. An up tempo pace produced 23 fast break points for Benson's Bunch.
For the second straight game the Eagles finished with five players in double-digits. Antoine Davis (Rustburg, Va.) turned in a 23 point night on 9-15 shooting from the field and 5-10 shooting from three-point land. The junior was a rebound shy of putting up his third career double-double.
While Davis didn't have a 10-10 game, Cody Henegar (South Pittsburg, Tenn.) did. The UNC Greensboro transfer turned in a 10-point, 11-rebound effort for the Eagles second double-double of the year. O'Dell Parker (Knoxville, Tenn.) produced the first with a 25-10 outing against Lees-McRae in the opener.
Eight of Henegar's 10 points came on second chance opportunities. Ish Sanders (Cleveland, Tenn.), Carson Brooks (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Parker joined the double figure scoring brigade with 17, 13 and 11 points respectively.
Henegar's 10 and Brook's 13 were both career highs for the first-year Eagle players.
"We're taking good shots," Benson said. "When you have so many potential threats, when you share the ball, you get a chance to get clean looks and our kids are capitalizing on them."
The Eagles ripped down 53 boards to the Bulldogs 32. Carson-Newman picked up 22 rebounds off the offensive glass en route to 26 second chance points, compared with five for Knoxville.
"Second chance points are usually made at a 60 percent clip and third chances at about 80," Benson said. "The guys knew the odds were in their favor if we could get some of them. We made a big emphasis of rebounding the basketball this game. Our guys responded to it."
The Bulldogs got 23 points from Marcus Smith and 18 from Demetrus Dorsey. But for the second straight night, the Eagles held and opponent below 40 percent from the field while shooting 50 percent or better.
The 3-0 start for C-N is the Eagles' first three-game win streak to begin a season since 2007-2008 when Carson-Newman won six of its first seven to begin the year.
The Eagles play their first game inside the friendly confines of Holt Fieldhouse Wednesday evening at 7 against the Hiwassee Tigers. Pregame coverage begins at 6:45 p.m. on the Coca Cola Eagle Sports Network with the Farm Bureau Countdown to Tipoff.
-CN-
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