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HARROGATE, Tenn. - The No. 1 Railsplitters overcame the absence of five rotation players and a spirited first-half effort from the Hiwassee Tigers of Madisonville, Tenn., to pick up a 109-69 win in the final nonconference tune-up of the season on Wednesday night, Feb. 14 at Tex Turner Arena. Lincoln Memorial (24-1) captured its 20th consecutive home win with the victory and extended its overall winning streak to 13 games. The Railsplitters' roster took a significant hit heading into the contest as starters Emanuel Terry and Cornelius Taylor as well as rotation players Kamaran Calhoun, Rhondi Hackett and TJ Harvin were ruled out due to sickness. To make matters worse, Hiwassee couldn't miss early, making seven of its first 10 three-point tries to keep the game close throughout most of the first half.

However, LMU eventually gained some steam by ending the first half on a 9-0 run before blowing things open in the second half and outscoring the Tigers 58-32. All told, the Railsplitters bludgeoned Hiwassee 67-32 over the final 22:15, shot 58 percent from the field and went 15-for-33 from three-point range.

Trevon Shaw led the Railsplitters with 23 points in 23 minutes off the bench. The reigning AstroTurf SAC Player of the Week went 5-for-10 from three-point range. Romeao Ferguson also reset his previous career high with 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting, while Dorian Pinson racked up 16 points, five boards and five assists. Josh Odem chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and four assists. LMU freshman sharpshooter Alex Dahling was one of the primary beneficiaries of earning some extending playing time, scoring a career-high 21 points on a 7-for-14 effort from three-point range. Dahling scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half to lead to the eventual blowout.

Meanwhile, for the third consecutive week, LMU men's basketball team held steady at No. 1 in both the NABC/Division II national poll and the D2SIDA top 25 media rankings, which were released earlier this week.

The Railsplitters, who play in NCAA Division II, are the midst of a number of impressive streaks, including a record 31-game SAC winning streak, a nation-leading 20-game road winning streak and a 13-game overall winning streak.

LMU returns to South Atlantic Conference play with the final road trip of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 17 when they trek to Hartsville, S.C. to face the Coker Cobras. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.

LMU Basketball Games Against Queens To Be Aired on ESPN3 as Part of Division II Basketball Showcase

LMU men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Queens at Tex Turner Arena on Saturday, February 24 will be streamed on WatchESPN and the ESPN app as part of the Division II Basketball Showcase, it was announced on Thursday, Feb. 15. Those games will serve as the regular-season finales for both the men's and women's basketball teams. The Lady Railsplitters will kick off the afternoon with a 2 p.m. tip-off against the Royals with the Railsplitters' nationally ranked showdown against Queens to follow at approximately 4 p.m.

Users with a WatchESPN affiliated TV or internet provider must authenticate to gain access to live ESPN networks, events and replays, including these games. Users accessing WatchESPN or the ESPN app via an on-campus or U.S. military network receive complimentary access to the content. ESPN3 is ESPN's live multiscreen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and streaming devices through the ESPN App. The network currently is available nationwide at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. It is also available at no cost to U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.

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