ANDERSON, S.C. -- A slow start and a sluggish offensive performance undid the Lady Railsplitters (3-2, 2-1 SAC) in a 74-69 loss to the Anderson Trojans (3-0, 2-0 SAC) in South Atlantic Conference women's hoops action on Tuesday night in Anderson, S.C.
 
After surpassing 39 percent shooting in each of its first three contests, Lincoln Memorial failed to do so for the second straight game, finishing with a 34.8 percent clip. The Lady Railsplitters knocked down just 23 of their 66 total attempts, while a 19-for-29 effort (65.5 percent) at the charity stripe also hampered their attack. The Lady Railsplitters committed 20 turnovers, with 13 miscues in the first half alone, which were converted into 16 points by the home standing Trojans.
 
Stephanie Smith (La Vergne, Tenn.) collected a game-high 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting to lead the Lady Railsplitters, and the 6-5 center added seven rebounds to her stat ledger in 22 minutes of action. Kiara Rawls (Killeen, Texas) posted 10 points, six assists and two steals, while Megan Pittman (Liberty, Ky.) notched her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 boards. Katrina Ottesen (Chandler, Ariz.) contributed nine points on 3-of-8 shooting, and Kortnay Cox (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) tallied nine points and 11 boards in 28 minutes of burn.
 
The Lady Railsplitters logged a 51-28 advantage on the glass, and 22 of those 51 boards were of the offensive variety. Lincoln Memorial turned those opportunities into 25 second-chance points. Despite that and Smith's overwhelming inside presence, the Lady Railsplitters were outscored 32-22 in the paint.
 
An Ottesen free throw gave the Lady Railsplitters a 5-4 lead just 1:43 into the game, but a bucket by Jennifer Monroe and a three-point play by Jasmine Franklin propelled the Trojans into the lead at 9-5 with 17:29 remaining in the half. With the Lady Railsplitters trailing 11-9 later in the half, the Trojans ripped off a 9-2 flurry, capped by a Nakia Young free throw, to assume a 20-11 edge with 13:15 left in the frame. Two Rawls free throws and three quick points by Aisjah Lee (Louisville, Ky.) pulled the Lady Railsplitters back to within four at 20-16, but Anderson stepped into the driver's seat with a 9-1 run over the next four minutes. An Ashley Pritchett (Decatur, Ga.) jumper cut the Trojans' lead to 29-21 with 6:35 left in the half, however, another layup by Franklin helped Anderson match its largest lead of the contest at 34-22 just two minutes later. The Lady Railsplitters were able to pull to within seven at the half.
 
The Lady Railsplitters finished just 7-for-27 from the field in the first half. Lincoln Memorial experienced a nearly six-minute stretch (12:13-6:35) without a bucket.
 
Even with those shaky offensive numbers, the Lady Railsplitters were nearly able to rally all the way back in the second half.
 
Anderson kept the Lady Railsplitters at bay early in the second stanza, as a Monroe jumper made it 48-37 in the Trojans' favor with 15:13 left. From there, Stephanie Smith started and finished a 10-2 LMU run - knocking in a layup at the front end and finishing off a three-point play at the tail end - to pull the Lady Railsplitters to within three at 50-47 with 12:58 left. The Trojans eventually pushed their lead back to 57-50 on a Franklin free throw with 9:34 remaining, but the Lady Railsplitters made one last push, making it a 59-58 game with a jumper by Pittman at the 7:17 mark.  Lincoln Memorial was never able to take over the lead, though, as Anderson answered with an 11-2 run over the next 2:11. That final flurry gave the Trojans a 70-60 cushion with just 5:06 left to play.
 
The deficit never shrunk to less than five down the stretch, which would be the final margin of victory for the Trojans.
 
Five different Trojans recorded double figures in the contest. Jennifer Monroe and Jasmine Franklin led that ensemble with 13 points apiece, while Alexis Dillard and Lesley Woods pitched in 11 points each. Sierra Simpson added 10 points while leading the Trojans in rebounds (7) and assists (5). Anderson finished with a 31-for-63 mark from the field (49.2 percent).
 
The loss was LMU's second straight to Anderson, who ended the Lady Railsplitters' 2013-14 campaign in the quarterfinals of the SAC Championship in Harrogate.
 
The Lady Railsplitters kick off a five-game home stand on Saturday, November 29, hosting the Lees-McRae Bobcats in nonconference action at Tex Turner Arena. That contest is scheduled to tip at 6 p.m.