Eagles up ante with 2013-2014 schedule

After facing off against a nonconference schedule with NAIA and NCCAA schools in 2012-13, Carson-Newman’s men’s basketball program will duke it out with a regionally challenging schedule in 2013-14.

Instead of playing Hiwassee and Milligan, C-N will face off against Elite Eight participant Barton and NCAA tournament qualifier Limestone.  Trevecca Nazarene and Lees-McRae round out a truncated nonconference schedule to make way for the extended 22-game conference season.

“It’ll be challenging for no other reason than we start conference play right off the bat in Novemeber,” Benson said. “If there was one identifying mark on our schedule this year, all 26 games are against high quality Division II competition.  We’ve tried to beef up our schedule a bit with an eye toward the NCAA tournament.”

The Eagles open up with the Carson-Newman Classic – facing off against TNU and Barton in the opening weekend of the season Nov. 15 and 16.

“Barton and Limestone are both quality opponents,” Benson said. “We hope they challenge us.  But we have to do what we’re supposed to do night in and night out.  If we do that, we’ll be able to give ourselves a chance.”

The page turns quickly to conference play with a home game against rival Tusculum on Nov. 20.

Carson-Newman bounces in and out of conference play for much of December with conference contests against Catawba and Lenoir-Rhyne and nonconference showdowns with Lees-McRae and Limestone, both of which are at Holt Fieldhouse.  \

“We were fortunate to put the schedule together the way we did with all four nonconference games at home,” Benson said. “Knock on wood, it’ll hopefully work out in our favor.”

Conference play resumes in the New Year with a road contest at Wingate, Jan. 4.

“We’ve got to challenge our guys to change our mindset to get ready for conference play that starts in November and December,” Benson said. “Everything is beyond critical.  We’ve got veterans who hopefully will be able to respond to that.”

The Eagles finish the year by playing five of six at home before back-to-back contests away from Holt Fieldhouse to conclude the season.

Feb. 5, the Eagles face Lincoln Memorial for the first time before a home game against L-R.  That sandwiches a road over the mountain to Brevard before three straight home games against Wingate, Anderson and Queens.

The Eagles close at LMU and Newberry.