Saturday, January 17, 2004

CARSON-NEWMAN’S DABBS & LUCAS LEAD EAGLES TO 82-61 WIN OVER PRESBYTERIAN

CLINTON, S.C. — Carson-Newman’s senior forward Todd Lucas (Eustis, Fla.) and junior guard Braun Dabbs (Greeneville, Tenn.) combined for 42 points to lead the Eagles to a 82-61 win over Presbyterian College in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Ross E. Templeton Center.

Lucas and Dabbs helped lead the Eagles to their second league victory in three games as Carson-Newman shot 56.3% from the field including eight-of-11 from beyond the arc for the game. Lucas added 10 rebounds while Dabbs fueled a key Eagles second half run by hitting three straight three-point field goals and shot a perfect six-for-six from beyond the arc for the game.

Carson-Newman take an early lead over the Blue Hose and would push the lead to  double figures at 37-24 with 2:48 remaining in the half on a jumper by Dabbs. PC would trim the lead to nine points at 39-30 on a pair of free throws from freshman guard Melvin Smith (Roanoke, Va.) as the game entered halftime.

In the second half, PC would chip away at the lead and cut the deficit to eight points at 45-37 with 15:36 remaining. The Eagles responded by hitting five three-point field goals in seven possessions including four from Dabbs over a span of three minutes to push the lead to 63-42 at the 8:44 mark. Carson-Newman held the lead for the rest of the game to win 82-61.

For the Blue Hose, sophomore center Johann Collins (Raleigh, N.C.) led the way with nine points and five rebounds while freshman guard Sean Dixon (Marietta, Ga.) and freshman center Grant Herren (Oviedo, Fla.) added eight points apiece.

Carson-Newman improves to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in the SAC while Presbyterian falls to 10-6 overall and 1-2 in league play.