Last of SAC unbeatens collide in Harrogate
January 6, 2023

Last of SAC unbeatens collide in Harrogate

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (10-4, 4-0 South Atlantic Conference) and No. 6/5 Lincoln Memorial (14-1, 5-0 SAC) are the only two teams in the SAC without a league loss. 

C-N Game Notes 

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (10-4, 4-0 South Atlantic Conference) and No. 6/5 Lincoln Memorial (14-1, 5-0 SAC) are the only two teams in the SAC without a league loss. 

That number will be cut in half after the teams square off for the 216th time Saturday at 4 p.m. inside LMU's Tex Turner Arena.

Carson-Newman has six wins against top-10 teams under head coach Chuck Benson. Two of those have come against Lincoln Memorial in Harrogate (2012 and 2015 when the 'Splitters were ranked third and first, respectively). The Eagles picked up a 78-66 win over LMU in the semifinals of the SAC championships last year when the Railsplitters were ranked seventh.

Bryant Thomas is the ultimate shot-stopper. Carson-Newman's single-game, single-season and career record-holder for blocks now sits on 161.  He has the fourth most blocked shots among active players in NCAA Division II.  Thomas leads the league this season with 2.5 rejections per game and is top 10 in the country in blocks per game in that regard. 

Luke Brenegan is officially on 1,000-point watch.  The senior guard sits on 972 points, 28 away from a grand. That's within his career high of 34. Brenegan should become the 40th man in Carson-Newman men's basketball history with 1,000 career points. 

Chuck Benson has been responsible for coaching a quarter of that list (nine). Included are Antoine Davis (1,526 - 12th), Ish Sanders (1,922 - 6th), Carson Brooks (1,248 - 29th), Sawyer Williams (1,559 - 11th), Charles Clark (2,339 - 3rd), Mason Bates (1,106 - 33rd), Malik Abraham (1,088 - 34th), Tripp Davis (1,039 - 36th) and EJ Bush (1,006 - 39th).

Carson-Newman's last 1,000-point scorer, EJ Bush, hit his tally in a game against Lincoln Memorial.

Lincoln Memorial carries a number of streaks into the contest.  LMU's run of 13 straight wins overall is tied with Nova Southeastern for the longest active streak in NCAA Division II. It sits behind only Collge of Charleston's 14-game streak for the longest active streak among NCAA Division I, II and III.

At 52 straight home wins, Lincloln Memorial also owns Division II's longest active home winning streak.  The Railsplitters haven't lost in Harrogate since the SAC quarterfinals to Wingate on March 6, 2019, 80-78.  That streak trails the ODAC's Randolph Macon (54 game in Division III) and Gonzaga's 75-game spurt among institutions in all divisions. 

Lincoln Memorial has scored at least 80 in all but two games this season (a 61-54 win over Georgia College and a 72-67 dub over Tusculum). LMU has scored at least 80 in six straight as the SAC's highest scoring team. 

The Railsplitters have won seven straight against Carson-Newman in Tex Turner Arena. The Eagles haven't tasted victory in Harrogate since Feb 4, 2015 when Charles Clark exploded for 36 points to down the then top-ranked Railsplitters 87-72.

Tipoff between the Eagles and LMU is set for 4 pm. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts 15 minutes prior to tip with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.

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