Smoky Mountain Today

Carson-Newman (10-3) and Belmont Abbey (7-5) carry two of the longest active road and home winning streaks in the country into Tuesday's non-conference tilt at the Wheeler Center.

Carson-Newman hasn't lost a true road game since since Feb. 5, 2022 when it lost at Queens 74-50. Belmont Abbey hasn't lost at home since Jan. 19, 2022 in a 118-113 shootout with Lees-McRae. That was one of just two losses at home through the entire 2022 calendar year for the Crusaders.

With its seven-game road winning streak, Carson-Newman carries the fourth-longest active road winning streak into the contest while Belmont Abbey owns the nation's 13th-longest active run and the third-longest in the Southeast Region behind Lincoln Memorial's nation's-best 53-game streak and Augusta's 27-game run.

Carson-Newman is trying for an eighth-consecutive road victory. Carson-Newman has won more than five straight true road games just twice this century. Between the Eagles run to the Sweet 16 in 2002 and the start of the 2002-03 season, Carson-Newman won eight in-a-row away from Holt. A win against the Crusaders would match that streak.

Belmont Abbey has not lost at home. The Crusaders have won all five games inside the Wheeler Center this season and own an 11-game home winning streak. 

Carson-Newman senior center 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 956 points, 44 away from a grand. That's within the single-game school and SAC scoring record, but a touch above Brenegan's 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 is playing Belmont Abbey for the first time since Nov. 22, 2011 - Chuck Benson's second-year as head coach. The Crusaders rolled to a 93-62 win in the Wheeler Center behind 52.4 percent shooting and 30 points from Tyshawn Good and 24 from Jay Council. The Crusaders started that game on a 16-0 run and never looked back.

The Crusaders are 2-0 all-time against Benson, and 3-2 overall against C-N in a series that dates back to 1983. 

Tipoff between the Eagles and Crusaders is set for 4 p.m. Tuesday. Coverage on the Eagle Sports Network begins at 3:45 p.m. with the AEC Countdown to Tipoff on Mountain Talk 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.

Original source can be found here