HARROGATE, Tenn. -- The Lady Railsplitters (3-2) look to bury the memory of back-to-back lackluster offensive performances when they welcome the Lee-McRae Bobcats (2-3) to Tex Turner Arena on Saturday, November 29 for the first of five consecutive games in Harrogate, Tenn. Lincoln Memorial and Lees-McRae are scheduled to tip off that nonconference tilt at 2 p.m.
The Lady Railsplitters own a 7-3 advantage over the Bobcats in the head-to-head series, which dates back to the 1992-93 campaign, but Lees-McRae claims a victory in the most recent meeting between the two squads. The Bobcats knocked off Lincoln Memorial 70-65 in Banner Elk, N.C. way back on November 19, 2008. It was a much different story the last time the two programs met in Harrogate, Tenn. as the Lady Railsplitters throttled LMC 70-45.
Since that 100-point explosion in the South Atlantic Conference opener against Mars Hill on November 19, the Lady Railsplitters' offensive attack has cooled substantially. The Lady Railsplitters are just 41-for-124 (33 percent) from the field in their last two contests, as they were held to 52 points in a win at Queens while mustering 69 points in a five-point loss at Anderson on Tuesday. Those struggles have been multiplied by a poor showing at the free throw line, where Lincoln Memorial is shooting 58.5 percent for the season. In that 100-90 win over Mars Hill, the Lady Railsplitters coughed up the rock just 13 times. They have turned it over 21 times apiece in their last two appearances.
Stephanie Smith (La Vergne, Tenn.) leads the Lady Railsplitters with 15.2 points and nine rebounds per game on 49.3 percent shooting. The 6-5 center has recorded double figures in all five games this season with a pair of double-doubles. The Lady Railsplitters hope to get
Kiara Rawls (Killeen, Texas) back on track as she is just 3-for-19 from the field in her last two appearances. Still, Rawls is second for Lincoln Memorial with 13.8 points and 5.6 assists per game.
Aisjah Lee (Louisville, Ky.) is contributing 10 points per game in 21.6 minutes per outing, while
Megan Pittman (Liberty, Ky.) is adding 9.2 points and a SAC-leading 12 rebounds per game.
Lees-McRae arrives in Harrogate following back-to-back losses to Young Harris and Belmont Abbey. In Tuesday's 69-56 loss to the Crusaders, Lees-McRae was limited to just 32.4 percent shooting and an 8-for-22 effort from long range. The Bobcats turned the ball over 24 times which Belmont Abbey converted into 29 points. Those numbers are not anomalous for the Bobcats, who are shooting the rock at a 38.5 percent rate for the season while averaging 21.4 turnovers per contest. Lees-McRae has, however, proven itself on the defensive end, where its opponents are scoring just 63.8 points per game on 37.9 percent shooting.
The trio of Niroska Perez, Kabrina Truesdale and Alex Anderson lead Lees-McRae. Perez is pouring in 11.8 points per game, while Truesdale is adding 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. Anderson, meanwhile, is posting 10.4 points and 5.8 boards per game on 50 percent shooting. Kerri Belcher is contributing 8.6 per appearance to back that group.
Saturday's bout kicks off a stretch of five consecutive games for the Lady Railsplitters within the friendly confines of Tex Turner Arena, which is capped off with another nonconference contest against King on December 17.
Tip-off between the Lady Railsplitters and Bobcats is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. in Harrogate, Tenn. Live stats and a video broadcast will be available at www.LMURailsplitters.com, while fans are invited to listen along with Voice of the Railsplitters Rusty Peace on WLMU 91.3 The Gap. Pre-game coverage begins at 1:45.
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