For the second time in three weeks, Lincoln Memorial University senior forward Chris Perry has been selected as the AstroTurf South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week, it was announced by the league office on Monday, Jan. 30.
Perry, a 6-8, 250-pound transfer from the University of South Florida, turned in a pair of dominant performances last week to help the 24th-ranked Railsplitters (16-4, 11-3 SAC) extend their winning streak to six games. In the process, Perry earned his second SAC Player of the Week nod of the past three weeks.

The Bartow, Fla. native (pictured, No. 1) kicked off his week by matching a career-high mark with 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting in Lincoln Memorial's 108-76 win over the Carson-Newman Eagles at Tex Turner Arena on Wednesday night. Perry also added five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks in the landslide victory, which avenged an overtime loss at Carson-Newman from back on November 22.
Perry followed that up with another 28-point outburst at Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday, finishing with a nearly perfect 12-for-13 mark from the field, including his first career made three-pointer. He also chipped in 11 rebounds to notch his third double-double of the season while adding two assists and a block. Since the calendar flipped to 2017, Perry has been performing on a higher level than just about any other big man in the country. In the Railsplitters' eight games in 2017, Perry is averaging 23.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while shooting 75.4 percent from the free-throw line and an absurd 73.5 percent from the field. He has scored at least 20 points six times with three 28-point showings. For the season as a whole, Perry is producing 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game on a SAC-leading 69.8 percent shooting. He leads the SAC in points per 40 minutes with 31.0 and is ranked sixth in rebounding and second in total points with 368. Perry and the Railsplitters are back in action on Wednesday night, when they travel to Brevard, N.C. to face the Brevard Tornados at 8 p.m. inside of Boshamer Gymnasium.
PITTMAN CHOSEN SAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Lincoln Memorial University senior Megan Pittman has been named the AstroTurf South Atlantic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week ending Jan. 29, officials announced Monday, Jan. 30. This is the second time in three weeks and the third time this season that Pittman has earned the honor. Pittman (pictured, No. 22) averaged a double-double for the week as the Lady Railsplitters picked up wins over arch-rival Carson-Newman on Wednesday and Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday to remain undefeated on the season. The Liberty, Ky., native averaged 21.0 points a game and 11.0 rebounds a game in addition to having two assists, two blocks and four steals. She went 13-of-29 from the field, 2-of-7 from three-point range and 14-of-17 from the free throw line. In LMU's 72-65 win over Carson-Newman, Pittman had 23 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes of play. At Lenoir-Rhyne she hit 54.5 percent of her shots and went 6-of-7 from the free throw line, scoring 19 points and pulling down 12 rebounds in LMU's 77-57 win. The double-double was her 10th of the season and the 26th of her career. She is currently ranked third in the SAC in all rebounding categories and also ranks second in made free throws, fourth in points, fifth in three point percentage and points per game, sixth in blocks, seventh in free throw percentage and ninth in made field goals. Pittman is ranked nationally in 13 different categories, highlighted by a No. 21 ranking in offensive rebounds per game and a No. 41 ranking in total rebounds.
She is also making her mark in the LMU record books as she currently has 933 career points, ranking her 24th in program history. She is also ranked third in free throw percentage and fourth in rebounds. Her 26 double-doubles are the second best in program history. Currently the team is off to their best start in program history with a 19-0 overall record and a 14-0 record in the SAC. The 14-0 start in SAC play is the best start of any SAC women's basketball team in conference history. They are ranked sixth in the most recent WBCA/USA Today NCAA Division II Coaches' Poll and fifth in the Division II SIDA National Media Poll. The team will go for win No. 20 on Wednesday when they travel to Brevard for a 6 p.m. meeting with the Tornados. LMU's last 20-win season was in 2003-04, when they went 21-8.
Photos by Jamie H. Vaught