Second half shooting slump dooms C-N at Wingate
December 20, 2025

Second half shooting slump dooms C-N at Wingate

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Wingate (6-4, 2-3 South Atlantic Conference) used an 11-0 second half run while Carson-Newman (7-3, 3-2 SAC) went cold to collect a 79-70 win over the Eagles Saturday afternoon at Cuddy Arena. 

VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Wingate (6-4, 2-3 South Atlantic Conference) used an 11-0 second half run while Carson-Newman (7-3, 3-2 SAC) went cold to collect a 79-70 win over the Eagles Saturday afternoon at Cuddy Arena. 

C-N shot 32.0 percent from the field (8-of-25) after halftime, and went 1-for-12 from the field over a 10-minute stretch while Wingate seized control of a game that had featured 11 ties and 15 lead changes. 

"Credit to Wingate," head coach Chuck Benson said. "That was our 10th game.  In our first nine games, our team had created a level of confidence for me in their ability to defend and rebound.  Today, I thought our defensive execution was weak.  We had too many individuals who were not present enough.  In a game against a team as hungry as Wingate, you have to be present for 40 minutes.  We lost the plot and Wingate capitalized on our mistakes, losing players.  For whatever reason, guys were too inconsistent today and it cost us." 

Carson-Newman led 54-49 with 13:55 to go following a Matt Bilbrey (Crossville, Tenn.) three and a Jack Browder (Kingsport, Tenn.) free throw.  Three straight threes by Isaiah Vick, Alex Godley and Corbin Pack erased that lead and gave Wingate a 60-54 advantage two minutes later that it would not relinquish. 

The Bulldogs cooled off significantly after that, and wouldn't score for the next four minutes, but C-N would only score three points in that stretch. 

Wingate outrebounded C-N 38-32.  The Bulldogs had 13 offensive rebounds and doubled up C-N 15-7 in second chance points. 

Coupled with Wingate's rebounding was a 12-of-28 effort from beyond the arc for the Bulldogs. 

Wingate had five players in double-digits, led by Pack's 18.  He was 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-7 from deep.  Jordan Miller added in 15.  He knocked down 3-of-8 triples. 

Isaiah Vick and Kendall Campbell both had 12-point days.  Vick had a double-double with 10 boards.  Alex Godley rounded out the quintet with 10. 

Browder guided Carson-Newman with a 30th career double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds.  Browder moved past Mark Mason and into the top-10 all-time in scoring. He tallied his 1,600th career point in defeat. 

Browder scored 20 in a seventh-straight game. He matches Charles Clark for the longest streak of 20-point nights in the modern era of Carson-Newman basketball. 

Bilbrey scored 19 points, going 7-of-13 from the field and 3-of-7 from deep. 

Keliese Frye (Newport, Ky.) rounded out the trio of Eagle double-digit scorers. He had 10, going a career-best 6-of-8 at the stripe. 

Carson-Newman went 23-of-30 at the free throw line. 

The win snapped a two-game losing streak for Wingate.  

Carson-Newman returns to the floor on New Year's Eve against Tennessee Wesleyan.  Tipoff with the Bulldogs is set for 2 p.m. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 1:45 with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mix 105.5 (WSEV-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/floMbb. Fans can also watch a feed on press row on YouTube. 

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