ROCK HILL, S.C. — Jack Browder recorded a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead fourth-seeded Carson-Newman to a 68-60 win over No. 5 seed Tusculum in a quarterfinal game of the 2024 South Atlantic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship. The tournament is being held at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.
The Eagles (22-7) advance to Thursday’s semifinal against top-seed Lincoln Memorial at 5 p.m. while the Pioneers have their season end with a 14-13 overall record.
With the score tied 29-29 at halftime, Carson-Newman used a 10-0 run to start the final period including eight straight by Browder as the Eagles avenge last month’s home loss to Tusculum.
The Pioneers were held to 35 percent shooting for the game including 11-of-33 in the second half (33%).
Tusculum’s Connor Jordan led his club with 12 points, Josiah Morris finished with 11 markers, while Jacob Hobbs and KJ Crump poured in 10 markers each. Kobe Funderburk added nine points in the loss.
C-N got 16 points from John Zhao and a dozen from Nick Brenegan, while Trey Hubbard finished with nine points, three assists and three steals.
Neither team shot well in the first half, each shooting below 38 percent in the opening 20 minutes.
After Carson-Newman’s 10-0 run to start the second half, Tusculum posted five straight points including a dunk by Hobbs as the Pioneers trailed 39-34 with 14:26 left in the period.
The teams exchanged buckets before a 7-0 run by Carson-Newman as the Eagles led by double-digits again at 48-36 with 12 minutes to go.
With C-N ahead 50-38 at the 9:51 mark, Tusculum scored seven straight including baskets by Funderburk and Crump and a Morris three-pointer to make it a 50-45 ballgame.
The Eagles swelled the lead back to double-digits with an 8-0 run which was highlighted by a Zhao triple as Carson-Newman led 58-45 with 5:56 remaining.
Carson-Newman increased its advantage to as much as 14 including Ren Dyer’s layup with 4:40 left to go up 62-48. The Pioneers tallied seven in a row and got a Crump layup as TU trailed 62-55 with 1:46 remaining.
Carson-Newman made six of its last eight free throws while Tusculum got five points from Jordan as the Eagles recorded the SAC postseason win.
Defensively, the Pioneers finished the game with seven blocked shots including three by Akeem Oduspie. Tusculum ended the year with 116 blocks which are the fourth-most in a TU single-season.
