C-N opens NCAA tournament at top-seeded, eighth-ranked Columbus State
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (21-11) opens up its venture in the NCAA tournament Saturday at 5 p.m. against top-seeded and eighth-ranked Columbus State (26-4) at the Lumpkin Center.
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JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman (21-11) opens up its venture in the NCAA tournament Saturday at 5 p.m. against top-seeded and eighth-ranked Columbus State (26-4) at the Lumpkin Center.
For the fifth time under head coach Chuck Benson and the seventh time in school history, Carson-Newman's men's basketball program is bound for the NCAA tournament. The Eagles enter the field as the eight seed, their first time as an eight seed. This marks the third time in school history that C-N has earned an at-large bid to the tournament, instead of gaining access as the SAC tournament champion.
Carson-Newman makes its first appearance in the NCAA tournament since 2021. The Eagles lost to Tusculum 65-63 in overtime in the opening round of that year's event. Carson-Newman is 1-6 all-time in NCAA tournament games. The Eagles are 33-20 in postseason play dating back to Carson-Newman's prolific NAIA tournament days. The Eagles are looking for their first
This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the Eagles and Cougars, but the first in NCAA tournament play and the first visit to the Lumpkin Center since a Dec. 31, 2002 loss to the Cougars 82-81. Columbus State's three wins in the series have come by a combined five points, while the Eagles' two wins are by a combined 54 points.
Columbus State returns to the national tournament for the 14th time in program history and the first time since the 2021-22 season. Head Coach Robert Moore and his team finished atop of the Peach Belt Conference regular-season standings to win the title outright.
Jarrett Adderton and Head Coach Robert Moore highlighted with individual honors while the Cougars produced two First-Team All-PBC selections as well as a Third-Team All-PBC nod.
Adderton took the court by storm this season and elevated himself to become the top player in the league and a First-Team All-PBC selection, averaging 20.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per contest. He produced three games of 30-plus points, setting the league's second-highest single-game scoring performance with 36 against USC Beaufort. Adderton has become the first Cougar to hold the honor since Yandel Brown in 2004-05.
John Zhao, Nick Brenegan and Jack Browder are see-sawing around the all-time leading scoring list. Zhao has 1,412 career points Brenegan 1,350 and Browder 1,356. Zhao is oficially in the top 20 all-time in school history in scoring. Zhao needs three points to move him into a tie for 19th with George Cox (1,415). Jay Cuny and Ray Evans are 26 points away (1,438) in a tie for 17th. Brenegan and Browder trail Mike Morton (1,368) for 21st all-time. Brenegan could reach him with 18 points, Browder with 12.
Nick Brenegan is the fourth player in school history with multiple 80-three seasons. John Zhao joined him as the fifth player in school history with that distinction, knocking down his 80th against Coker in the regular season finale. With 90 threes, Brenegan is second in the SAC, a figure that is 18th nationally. Brenegan (108) and Ish Sanders (99) are the only two players in program history with more than 90 threes in a season. Brenegan is the only player to do it twice. Zhao has made 85 threes this year - the sixth-most in a single-season. His next will tie him with Calvin Owen, while three threes will give him 88, even with Malik Abraham's junior and senior campaigns for fourth all-time.
John Zhao is the ninth member of Carson-Newman's 200-three club. Nick Brenegan joined the club earlier this season. Brenegan has 285, good for second all-time in school history and fifth in league history. It is unlikely that he catches the program's all-time leader Ish Sanders, and his 340 career threes. Brenegan needs two more threes to catch Newberry's James Stepp for fourth in league history. With 236 career threes, Zhao passed assistant coach Luke Brenegan and is officially fifth all-time in threes made. He needs 23 triples to draw level with Charles Clark and Malik Abraham for third all-time in school history. Zhao is 13th all-time in SAC history for career threes made. He needs three more to match Queens Todd Withers for 12th on the all-time list.
Tipoff between the Eagles and Cougars is slated for 5 p.m. Saturday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 4:45 p.m. with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff online at cneagles.com/live. Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) will pickup the game in progress following C-N women's basketball's second round game if they win their opening round game Friday against Anderson.
Team Stats
#8/8 Columbus State
| Game Statistics | Carson-Newman | #8/8 Columbus State |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (25-66) | (28-63) |
| Field Goal % | 37.9% | 44.4% |
| Rebounds | 40 | 37 |
| Assists | 11 | 18 |
| Turnovers | 10 | 10 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 7 | 14 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 7 | 5 |
| Pts in the Paint | 38 | 26 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 6 | 9 |
| Bench Pts | 12 | 22 |
