Strong Second Half Propels No. 10 LMU Past Lions

HARROGATE, Tenn. – A strong second half surge propelled No. 10 Lincoln Memorial to an 88-60 win over Mars Hill in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action Wednesday night at Tex Turner Arena. The game saw nine ties and six lead changes. The Lions fell to 3-13 overall and 1-10 in the SAC. The Railsplitters improved to 14-1 on the season and 10-1 in the league.

Devonte Williams and Carter Wright led MHU with 12 points apiece. Will White came off the bench to add 10 points. Thomas Anderson led the Lions on the boards with nine. Cold shooting and rebounding led to the loss. MHU connected on only 30.8% of their shots (20-65) in the contest while the Railsplitters won the battle of the boards, 50-34.

Chance Jones led LMU with a game high 30 points hitting five 3-pointers. Vincent Bailey recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Railsplitters hit 52.4% (33-63) of their shots from the floor in the win.

Mars Hill played extremely well in the first frame. Balanced scoring and solid defense led to MHU going into the locker room at the break tied with the Railsplitters at 27-all. Ten of the Lions' 27 first-half points came off their bench.

Unfortunately the second half belonged to the Railsplitters. A 13-2 run to open the second half gave LMU a 40-29 lead with 16:47 left in the game after Curtis Webb converted an old-fashioned 3-point play. The Lions would not recover from that scoring spurt.

LMU extended their lead to as many as 28 points (68-40) with 8:14 on the clock after Jones hit a jumper. A couple of free throws by Jake Handshoe trimmed the Lions' deficit to 19 points but that was as close as MHU would get down the stretch. The Railsplitters went on to win 88-60 behind solid shooting and rebounding.

Mars Hill will play at SAC rival Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.