Ranked No. 12 in the latest WCBA Coaches' Poll, Carson-Newman can take a big step towards the regular season South Atlantic Conference crown with a win at UVA Wise Wednesday. The Eagles enter the game as the conference's leader with a 10-1 league mark with Tusculum and UVA Wise each having a pair of defeats. Mike Mincey's club is led by SAC Player of the Year candidate Braelyn Wykle. The guard leads the league and ranks fourth nationally at 23.4 points per game. The 5-foot-5 sophomore is the reigning SAC Freshman of the Year and has scored 20 or more points in nine contests this season. Wykle's 23.4 points per game has sparked an Eagles offense that ranks ninth nationally and second only to UVA Wise in the SAC in scoring at 82.6 points per game. The team also has the league's best shooter, at least percentage wise, Furman transfer Lindsay Taylor is connecting on 63.6 percent of her shot attempts. Taylor along with teammates Skylar Boshears and Wykle make up the top three in terms of field goal percentage leaders in the SAC. A year ago, Carson-Newman swept the season series over UVA Wise. The Eagles won 83-70 in Wise by forcing 25 turnovers and a 20-point scoring outburst by Wykle.

UVA Wise saw its 10-game winning streak snapped at Anderson Saturday, but there is no time to sulk for Jamie Cluesman's crew. The Cavaliers can jump back in the SAC regular season race and boost their NCAA Tournament hopes with a victory over No. 12 Carson-Newman Wednesday. UVA Wise is a perfect 7-0 at the Prior Center this season and has outscored opponents by 20 points per game at home. Senior forward Kalee Johnson has led the way at the Prior Center; thus far, Johnson is averaging 18.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field in home games. As a team, the Cavs are shooting 46.2 percent while limiting opponents to 36.6 percent. Rebounding has been a key to UVA Wise's success all season. While being undefeated at home, the Cavs are also undefeated when winning the battle of the boards. In home contests, Cluesman's team is winning the rebounding battle by seven a contest; on the road, UVA Wise loses the rebounding battle by nearly 13 per game. Prior to Saturday's loss at Anderson, the Cavs had handed out double digit assists in each game this season. The Trojans limited the club to a season-low nine assists, but UVA Wise still ranks second nationally at 19.8 per game.