HARROGATE, Tenn. -- On a night when the fourth-highest scoring outfit in the nation invaded Tex Turner Arena, it was the eighth-ranked Railsplitters' (10-0, 5-0) offense that thrived in a 100-81 victory over the previously unbeaten and 21st ranked Newberry Wolves (10-1, 4-1 SAC) on Monday in South Atlantic Conference men's hoops action.
 
The win was Lincoln Memorial's first over a ranked opponent since throttling then 12th ranked GRU Augusta (formerly Augusta State) 67-53 in Augusta, Ga. on December 19, 2012. The Railsplitters last contest against a ranked opponent in Harrogate, Tenn. ended in similar fashion, an 85-70 victory over No.11 Catawba way back on January 21, 2009.
 
The quartet of Luquon Choice (Laurens, S.C.), Tim Pierce (Albany, Ga.), Keenan Peterson (College Park, Ga.) and Gerel Simmons (Accokeek, Md.) combined for 78 of the Railsplitters' 100 points, as the home unit finished shooting 54.3 percent from the field (38-for-70) and 42.1 percent from three-point territory (8-for-19), reaching the 100-point threshold for the third time in five games.
 
Choice went 8-for-15 from the field and knocked down four three-pointers, while adding five rebounds, four assists and two blocks, to compile 21 points. Pierce also poured in 21 points while grabbing a career high eight rebounds. Peterson was a monster on the interior, bagging 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting to go alongside a career high and game-leading 17 rebounds. Simmons contributed 17 points, boasted by a 6-of-7 effort at the charity stripe. C.J. Wakeley (Alachua, Fla.) added to the Railsplitters' effort off the bench with seven points in 17 minutes, while Lorenza Ross (Savannah, Ga.) offset an off-shooting night with nine assists.
 
Newberry - who entered Monday's contest ranked fourth in the nation in scoring at 96 points per and second in three-pointers per game with just over 14 - was held well below those marks, scoring just 81 points on an 8-for-23 effort from outside of the three-point arc. All told, the Wolves wrapped up the evening shooting 39.1 percent (24-for-61).
 
The Wolves dictated the pace early in the opening half, grabbing an 8-3 advantage at the 17:14 mark on a Demarkus Smith layup. The Railsplitters pulled to within one at 10-9 on a bucket by Simmons, but a Xavier Hill trey pushed Newberry back in front by four. Two Matthew Spears free throws at 11:52 increased the Newberry cushion to 20-15, but a 7-2 LMU run knotted it up at 22-22 with 9:13 left in the stanza. A three-pointer by Brandon Taylor and a Hamish Burns layup put the Wolves in front 27-22, and they would retain a five-point edge on another bucket by Smith at 6:34.
 
From that moment on, the momentum shifted violently in the Railsplitters' favor. Over the next five minutes, the Railsplitters ripped off a 22-5 run, limiting the Wolves to only a single field goal over that stretch which turned a 31-26 deficit into a 48-36 lead by the 1:30 mark of the half. That flurry was highlighted by a solo 8-0 run for Luquon Choice. Two James Stepp free throws and a Gerald Evans three-ball helped Newberry salvage the remainder of the half. The Railsplitters took a 49-41 lead into the break.
 
Evans hit another three-pointer just a minute and half into the second frame to trim LMU's lead to 51-46, but Peterson and Choice sparked a 10-0 run with five points apiece over the next 2:33 of game time. That final run dealt a death blow to the Wolves' chances, as the Railsplitters were able to stave off every attempt the visitors made to regain some momentum. A mini 6-0 run cut the score to 65-57 with 13:29 left, but a Curtis McMillion (Fayetteville, N.C.) layup and a Pierce jumper pushed the Railsplitters' lead back into double figures. Another Evans jumper made it 72-61 with 10:40 to play, but the Railsplitters scored seven of the next nine points to take a commanding 79-63 lead with 8:28 remaining.
 
The Wolves pulled to within 12 just one more time, as another Evans three and a Mitch Riggs free throw made it 81-69 with 7:33 to play. LMU answered once again, though, ripping off a 14-4 run to put the game out of reach.
 
The Railsplitters dominated the interior, outrebounding the Wolves 48-33 while logging a 56-30 advantage on points in the paint. Newberry entered Monday's contest ranked third in the nation with 21.8 assists per contest, but it was Lincoln Memorial who showed the more unselfish play, assisting on 21 of their 38 field goals. The Wolves finished with seven assists. LMU's bench outscored Newberry's second unit 52-38.
 
Gerald Evans paced the Wolves and led all players with 23 points. Evans went 8-for-12 from the floor and 5-of-8 from three-point range. Mitch Riggs and Demarkus Smith were the only other Newberry players to reach double figures, as that duo posted 11 points apiece.
 
With their 10th consecutive win to close out the 2014 home schedule, the Railsplitters logged the program's fifth win streak of 10 or more games in the Josh Schertz era.
 
The Railsplitters return to action on Sunday, December 21, traveling to Wise, Va. for a nonconference tilt against the UVA-Wise Cavaliers. Tip-off in that contest is slated for 3 p.m.