HARROGATE, Tenn. -- A rivalry will be renewed as the calendar flips to December when the Lady Railsplitters (4-2) welcome the Bluefield State Blues (3-3) to Tex Turner Arena on Monday for a nonconference tilt. Tip-off in the second leg of Lincoln Memorial's five game homestand is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Harrogate, Tenn.
The Lady Railsplitters and Blues have 16 prior meetings, all of which were held over a 13-year stretch from the 1991-92 season until the 2004-05 campaign. Lincoln Memorial owns an 11-5 advantage in the series, bolstered by a four game winning streak. The Lady Railsplitters have defeated the Blues by an average margin of 23 points in those last four encounters.
The trio of
Katrina Ottesen (Chandler, Ariz.),
Megan Pittman (Liberty, Ky.) and
Stephanie Smith (La Vergne, Tenn.) carried the Lady Railsplitters to an 85-72 win over Lees-McRae on Saturday, combining for 66 points and 29 rebounds. The efforts of those three helped overcome another messy offensive outing by the Lady Railsplitters, who shot 51.6 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from deep but turned over the rock a season-high 26 times. LMU held just a slim 72-70 lead in that contest with 5:40 left before closing on a 13-2 run.
Turnovers have been the Lady Railsplitters' bugaboo all season, as they are next to last in the South Atlantic Conference with 21.2 blunders per contest. The only time the Lady Railsplitters did not turn the ball over 20-plus times, they poured in 100 points for the first time in four seasons in a 100-90 victory over Mars Hill. In spite of their trouble maintaining possession, the Lady Railsplitters are ranked second in the SAC in points per game (75.3) while leading the league in field goals made (28.3) and attempted (66.7) per appearance.
Bluefield State arrives in Harrogate following a heartbreaking 77-70 overtime loss to Campbellsville on Saturday in Bluefield, W.V. The Blues were an efficient 46.7 percent from the field in that contest.
Shakima Wiggins leads Bluefield State with 19 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting, while Charity Harris is pouring in 13 points and 5.7 boards per appearance. Harris also leads the Blues in assists with 44 through the team's first six games. Tenika Jackson is contributing 12.8 points in 22.3 minutes per game on 52.9 percent shooting, while Tasia Nolan has accounted for 11.2 points and a team-leading 8.5 rebounds per contest.
The Blues are averaging 74.5 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting, and they are limiting their opponents to just a 39.7 percent clip. Like the Lady Railsplitters, Bluefield State has also struggled in the turnover department, giving away possession an average of 21.8 times per game.
The battle on the boards will be a central storyline in Monday's contest, as the Blues' roster features six players listed at 5-11 or taller. Bluefield State has pulled down 42.2 boards per game, outrebounding its opponents by just under three boards each outing. The Lady Railsplitters, meanwhile, lead all of the NCAA Division II in rebounding margin according to the most recent statistical ranking. Lincoln Memorial has dismantled its six opponents by an average of 25 boards per contest.
The Lady Railsplitters currently boast the top two rebounders in the South Atlantic Conference as Pittman is pulling down 11.5 rebounds per game and Smith is corralling 10.5. Smith is fresh off of an 18 rebound performance in Saturday's win over Lees-McRae, which is tied for the 10th most in a single game in program history.
The Lady Railsplitters and Blues get underway at 7 p.m. Monday in Tex Turner Arena. Live stats and a free, HD video broadcast, compliments of the LMU Sports Network, will be available at
www.LMURailsplitters.com. Fans can also listen along to action with Voice of the Railsplitters Rusty Peace at WLMU 91.3 The Gap.
Live Stats
Video
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