JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Wolves Men's Basketball team outlasted the Carson-Newman Eagles 70-67 Wednesday night to pick up their first win of the 2020-21 season. TJ Brown led all scorers with 25 points, while Malakhi Stremlow scored a career-high nine points for Newberry.

After the Eagles flew out to an early 12-6 lead, Newberry embarked on a 17-3 run over the middle part of the first half to take what would end up being a 23-15 lead with 9:49 to go in the half. Brown scored five of the points, giving him 11 points at the halfway mark. The Eagles started digging themselves out of the hole, going on a 7-5 run over the next two minutes of play to cut the Wolves lead to 28-27.

Tai Giger then hit his second three of the game to push the Wolves to a 31-27 lead. Brown then drilled one about 45 seconds later to restore a sizable Newberry lead, but once again Carson-Newman fought back, scoring six unanswered points to bring them to within one at the final media timeout of the half. The Eagles would bring the score to within one, but Jalen Johnson made a tip-in to give the Wolves a three point lead. The Eagles got the last laugh in the half, draining a three with 1:22 to go to tie the game, where it would remain when the horn sounded. Brown closed the half leading all scorers with 16 points while shooting 4-7 from behind the arc.

The score remained close throughout the second half, with neither team getting a lead larger than 6 points. Newberry went ahead with 9:22 to go in the half when Marcus Ford hit a pair of free throws, then extended their lead a couple minutes later when Brown hit a jumper to make it a 54-50 lead for the Wolves.

After exchanging buckets, Newberry started to pull away when QuanDaveon McCollum hit a jumper from inside the paint to put the Wolves up three. He hit a layup and drew the foul, hitting the ensuing free throw to put Newberry up 6 with 4:58 to go. The Eagles rallied, eventually tying the game with 2:09 to go, but from there the Wolves held tough, scoring four unanswered points to take a 67-63 lead, which the Eagles trimmed to two points with 1:12 left on the clock.

Coming out of a Newberry timeout, Robin Bedford drew a foul that sent him to the line. After hitting one of the two free throws to put the Wolves up three, the Eagles hit a putback jumper to trim it to a one-point lead. Brown was quickly fouled and proceeded to hit both free throws, giving him 25 points on the night and forcing Carson-Newman to take a timeout.

Coming out of the timeout the Eagles had a look at a three that would have tied the game, but McCollum was able to get over and block the last-second heave to give the Wolves their first win of the season.

Inside the Box Score

• TJ Brown finished the game with 25 points, just one shy of his career high which was set on Jan. 29, 2020 against Catawba.
• This was the third straight win for Newberry over Carson-Newman. The Wolves have also won two in a row over the Eagles in Jefferson City.
• Malakhi Stremlow had a career night, scoring nine points and pulling five rebounds for the Wolves. The freshman from Traverse City, Mich. is averaging seven points per game this season for the Wolves, with four rebounds per game.

Up Next

The Wolves will face D1 opponent Western Carolina on Thursday night in an exhibition before making their Eleazer Arena debut Saturday afternoon against Tusculum.