Eagles eager to start season against Peachbelt duo
November 14, 2014

Eagles eager to start season against Peachbelt duo

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The start of the 2014-15 campaign brings the USC Aiken Pacers and the Lander Bearcats to Holt Fieldhouse to face off against the Carson-Newman Lady Eagles in the South Atlantic Conference/Peachbelt Conference Challenge Saturday and Sunday.

VIDEO: Mike Mincey Interview

Carson-Newman Women's Basketball Game Notes

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The start of the 2014-15 campaign brings the USC Aiken Pacers and the Lander Bearcats to Holt Fieldhouse to face off against the Carson-Newman Lady Eagles in the South Atlantic Conference/Peachbelt Conference Challenge Saturday and Sunday.

Carson-Newman finished the 2013-14 season with a 9-8 mark in the friendly confines and averaged a significant amount of points more at home than on the road. In home contests, the Lady Eagles averaged 74.8 points per game with a 41.4 percent field goal percentage compared to 66 on the road and a 36.7 percent field goal clip.

"It's nice to be able to come home and start our season with games that count here in Holt Fieldhouse," head coach Mike Mincey said. "Typically we play a little better in Holt. Last year we had some unfortunate losses at home that we shouldn't have had, but hopefully we can get off to a good start this year."

The season lidlifter brings USC Aiken to Holt Fieldhouse for a 7 p.m. tip Saturday night. It will mark the eighth time that the two sides have met with the Lady Eagles holding a 4-3 lead in the series.

The last time the two schools faced off was November 13, 2010 when the Pacers took a 62-36 win as Carson-Newman went 12-for-46 from the floor and just 1-of-5 from three-point territory.

In 2013-14, the Pacers finished with an 11-18 record while scoring 62.9 points per game, 12th out of 14 teams in the Peachbelt.

USC Aiken was picked sixth in the Peachbelt preseason coaches poll receiving one first place vote and returns its top two scorers in Mackenzie Reese and Mariah Durian. Reese averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 assists and 6.4 rebounds per contest a season ago while Durian poured in 10.6 points and 3.8 rebounds while knocking down 47 three-pointers.

"Both are really good teams," Mincey said. "I think their record from last year is no indicator from how good they actually are. I think they gave up a few games, kind of like we did. Aiken returns just about everybody and a huge bulk of their scoring. They lost by 14 at the College of Charleston and hit 15 three's."

Lander finished the 2013-14 season with a 12-17 record and finished dead last in the Peachbelt in field goal percentage by converting just 37.5 percent of shots a season ago.

The Bearcats were tabbed seventh in the preseason coaches poll, but received three first-place votes which were the second-most in the conference. Two of the top three scorers from a season ago return. Guard T'hesha Reynolds' 12.9 points and team-high 43 made three's and forward Portia McCray's 11.3 points and 6.1 rebounds expect to lead the way for Lander.

"Lander has always been a tough challenge for us," Mincey said. "They are really quick and athletic. They have some new kids on their roster that Kevin [Pederson] is really excited about so both games are going to be super challenging for us."

Both contests will be available with a high definition video stream at cneagles.com/live and on the Eagle Sports Network's flagship station WPFT-FM 106.3 15 minutes prior to the scheduled tip with "The AEC Countdown to Tip-off".

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