November 5, 2020

After fits and starts, Benson releases 2020-21 men’s hoops schedule

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Behind the scenes, Carson-Newman’s men’s basketball’s 2020-21 schedule has gone through about a dozen iterations thanks to a variety of changes owed in large part to the ongoing global pandemic.

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Behind the scenes, Carson-Newman's men's basketball's 2020-21 schedule has gone through about a dozen iterations thanks to a variety of changes owed in large part to the ongoing global pandemic.

However, Friday afternoon, Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson unveiled a 21-game slate for the Eagles for the 2020-21 season.

The schedule is limited to 22 possible games, down from the typical 28 (plus postseason play). The Eagles presently sit at 21 contests, 20 of which will be against SAC opposition.

"I think we all realize as we've gone through these last eight to nine months, that we have to have poise and stay patient while handling things that are constantly changing," Benson said. "I think our staff has done a pretty good job of that and I think our players have done a really good job of that. Even now at the 11^th hour, we have to be prepared for there to be change. Do I feel confident that we will participate for 21 games as it is presently constructed? I don't. We'll just keep rolling with the punches and controlling what we can control."

Carson-Newman's lone non-conference contest is slated for Jan. 20, 2021 inside Holt Fieldhouse against Bluefield State (a departmental rule requires all non-conference foes to meet or exceed the South Atlantic Conference's CoVID-19 testing protocols the week of competition).

This will be just the third meeting between the Eagles and Big Blue in Benson's 11-year tenure as head coach. Carson-Newman collected a 99-80 win over Bluefield State in 2011 and lost to the Big Blues in 2010, 80-72. The Eagles are 4-6 against Bluefield State all-time, with the vast majority of the meetings between the two schools occurring during the 1980s.

"Everyone would prefer to have preseason scrimmages and pre-conference games to knock out some kinks and find some rhythm. We're all in that boat," Benson said. "We're allowed up to two non-conference games and we've got Bluefield State coming in January. We're still looking for one more game, it again emphasizes poise and patience."

The Eagles are scheduled to open the season with their two longest road trips of the year, jaunts to Coker on Nov. 21 and Wingate Nov. 24. Carson-Newman opens the doors to Holt Fieldhouse on Nov. 28 against Anderson.

Carson-Newman closes out the first semester with a sandwich of home games. The Eagles tackle Newberry Dec. 2 and first-year league member Limestone Dec. 12 after a week-long break for finals. The Eagles head to Mars Hill on Dec. 5.

The New Year is highlighted by a four-game home stand in January. The Eagles take on Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne, Bluefield State and Wingate in Holt from Jan. 13-23. Those four contests are sandwiched by a pair of two-game road trips. The Eagles open 2021 at Tusculum and Anderson before finishing the month at LMU and Newberry.

February opens with a visit from Queens on the sixth before the Eagles hit the road for back-to-back games at UVA Wise and Catawba. Three of Carson-Newman's final four games are at home with back-to-back contests in Holt to close the year against Lincoln Memorial and Coker for Senior Day on Feb. 27.

"People that do possess poise and patience, we've been improving those parts of our personal skill sets over the last several months for sure," Benson said. "We've tried to express to our guys that we could have games cancelled or postponed and that individual guys could be unable to participate due to Covid testing. We're trying as a staff to help our guys understand that this is an opportunity for growth, and I feel like I see that with our guys and our staff. We don't want to ball up in a corner and ignore them."

All Carson-Newman basketball games are broadcast on the Eagle Sports Network. Coverage begins 15 minutes prior to tipoff with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on The Mountain 106.3 (WPPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.

DATE	OPPONENT	STATUS
Nov. 21, 2020	at Coker *	4:00 PM
Nov. 24, 2020	at Wingate *	4:00 PM
Nov. 28, 2020	Anderson (S.C.) *	4:00 PM
Dec. 02, 2020	Newberry *	7:30 PM
Dec. 05, 2020	at Mars Hill *	4:00 PM
Dec. 12, 2020	Limestone *	4:00 PM
Jan. 06, 2021	at Tusculum *	7:30 PM
Jan. 09, 2021	at Anderson (S.C.) *	4:00 PM
Jan. 13, 2021	Catawba *	7:30 PM
Jan. 16, 2021	Lenoir-Rhyne *	4:00 PM
Jan. 20, 2021	Bluefield St.	6:00 PM
Jan. 23, 2021	Wingate *	4:00 PM
Jan. 27, 2021	at Lincoln Memorial *	7:30 PM
Jan. 30, 2021	at Newberry *	4:00 PM
Feb. 06, 2021	Queens (N.C.) *	4:00 PM
Feb. 10, 2021	at Virginia-Wise *	7:30 PM
Feb. 13, 2021	at Catawba *	4:00 PM
Feb. 17, 2021	Mars Hill *	7:30 PM
Feb. 20, 2021	at Limestone *	4:00 PM
Feb. 24, 2021	Lincoln Memorial *	7:30 PM
Feb. 27, 2021	Coker *	4:00 PM