Lady Eagles welcome Pioneers to Holt Fieldhouse
February 5, 2013

Lady Eagles welcome Pioneers to Holt Fieldhouse

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles basketball team (12-5, 6-4 South Atlantic Conference) will welcome their in-state rivals the Tusculum Pioneers (11-7, 5-5 South Atlantic Conference) to Holt Fieldhouse on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. Carson-Newman is coming off a pair of road victories, beating Brevard by 18 points last Wednesday and a 49-46 victory over Wingate last Saturday.

Carson-Newman Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Carson-Newman Lady Eagles basketball team (12-5, 6-4 South Atlantic Conference) will welcome their in-state rivals the Tusculum Pioneers (11-7, 5-5 South Atlantic Conference) to Holt Fieldhouse on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m.

Carson-Newman is coming off a pair of road victories, beating Brevard by 18 points last Wednesday and a 49-46 victory over Wingate last Saturday.

"We're very excited to come back home and start this three-game homestand," said Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey. "We're getting Tusculum in here, it's a rivalry game so we're trying to get a lot of people in the stands. I hope everyone will show up for what will be a very good game."

Against Wingate, Carson-Newman was led in scoring by two players with 10 points: Courdne Miles (Burlington, N.C.) and Takyah Gilmore (Alcoa, Tenn.). Gilmore scored eight of her 10 points in the first half, providing a spark off the bench for the Lady Eagles.

Junior Shyra Clark (Cleveland, Tenn.) continues to lead the Lady Eagles in scoring by averaging 12.1 points per game, including averaging 13 points per game in the first 10 conference games.

The Lady Eagles have enjoyed success playing at home this season, going 6-1 in seven games played at Holt Fieldhouse. Carson-Newman's lone home loss was in its last game at Mossy Creek, falling to Catawba 66-58 on Saturday Jan. 26. Carson-Newman will continue the homestand against Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday and Mars Hill next Wednesday.

Tusculum beat Carson-Newman 55-51 in the first meeting on Jan. 9. The Lady Eagles led the Pioneers by 12 points at halftime, yet Carson-Newman was outscored 34-18 in the second half. Carson-Newman junior Shyra Clark (Cleveland, Tenn.) posted a then-career-high 17 points in the four-point loss. Tusculum was led in scoring with three players in double figures: Kendal Baxter (14), Briana Barksdale (12), and Blakely Burleson (10). Carson-Newman committed a season-high 26 turnovers in the loss, with six of the turnovers on Clark.

The Pioneers enter Wednesday's contest in sixth place in the conference standings at 5-5, one game back of Carson-Newman who is tied for fourth with Catawba at 6-4. The Pioneers have lost two of their last three games, yet posted a 61-60 win over Brevard at home last Saturday. Tusculum continues to be led in scoring by Baxter, who is averaging 11.5 points per game.

The Lady Eagles lead the overall series against Tusculum 23-13. While the Pioneers have won four of the last five meetings, Carson-Newman has won 14 out of 16 meetings played in Jefferson City.

Coverage of the game is available on the Coca-Cola Eagle Sports Network, beginning with the Farm Bureau Countdown to Tipoff at 5:45 p.m. and the broadcast is also available on www.cneagles.com.

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