HARROGATE, Tenn. -- Vying for the fourth win streak of 12 games or longer in the Josh Schertz era, the fifth-ranked Railsplitters (11-0, 5-0 SAC) return to the court after a 12-day break for the holidays with a trip to Hickory, N.C. to square off against the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (3-6, 1-4 SAC) in South Atlantic Conference hoops action on Saturday, January 3. Tip-off between Lincoln Memorial and Lenoir-Rhyne is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Shuford Gym.
 
In characteristically dominant fashion, the Railsplitters staked their claim as one of only eight teams at the DII level to wrap up the 2014 portion of the schedule with an unblemished record. Of the eight remaining unbeatens, only Colorado-Colorado Springs can boast more wins than the Railsplitters. LMU's current 11-game winning streak is the fifth flurry of that length since Josh Schertz took over the program prior to the 2008-09 campaign. It is just the third longest streak to start a season over that span as the 2010-11 squad started 22-0, while the 2011-12 team opened at 15-0.
 
Lincoln Memorial is taking back to the court for the first time since a 107-55 win over the Virginia-Wise Cavaliers on December 21 in Wise, Va. In what was their third consecutive game surpassing the 100-point threshold and fourth such game this season, the Railsplitters shot 61.2 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from the three. Luquon Choice (Laurens, S.C.) led the Railsplitters with 20 points and six three-pointers, while Curtis McMillion (Fayetteville, N.C.) collected 16 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench. Emanuel Terry (Birmingham, Ala.) notched the first double-double of his career with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Lenoir-Rhyne is returning to the hardwood after an even longer layoff, as the Bears' last appearance was way back on December 10, a heartbreaking 76-80 loss at Carson-Newman. Three days prior to that, the Bears fell victim to the winless Brevard Tornados 56-59. Lenoir-Rhyne has won just three games this season, but only two of its six losses have been decided by more than eight points.
 
Saturday afternoon's tilt features two teams with completely contrasting styles. The Bears are relatively efficient, shooting 45 percent from the field, 43.8 percent from three and 73.3 percent from the free throw line, but they limit possessions with slow and methodical offensive pacing. Lenoir-Rhyne is averaging just 52 shot attempts per game, the second-fewest in the SAC this season. The Bears are scoring nearly 67 points per game, and more than a third of that production has been accrued from long range. L-R is hitting eight three-pointers per game. Rebounding has been an issue for the undersized Bears all season, especially offensive rebounding, as they rank last in the league in offensive boards per game (7.6) and second-to-last in rebounding margin (-3.7).
 
The Railsplitters, meanwhile, are among the nation's elite in offensive efficiency and production, while also standing as one of the premier defensive and rebounding teams in the country. Lincoln Memorial leads the nation in field-goal percentage defense (36.1 percent) and rebounding margin (plus 16.9), while ranking fifth at the DII level in three-point field goal defense at 27.3 percent. Only two of LMU's 11 opponents this season have hit eight three-pointers in a game, and no opponent has shot better than 41 percent from the field. On the offensive end, the Railsplitters are ranked 11th in field-goal percentage and 25th in scoring offensive, averaging just over 86 points per game on 52 percent shooting.
 
Junior guards Will Perry and Rob Noyes carry the Lenoir-Rhyne attack. Perry is averaging 19 points while knocking down 3.2 three-pointers per game. Noyes is pitching in 11.4 points, eight rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Freshman Justice Morgan is contributing 8.6 points per game in nine appearances and seven starts.
 
The Railsplitters own a 10-8 advantage against Lenoir-Rhyne in the all-time series, a mark boosted by a current eight game winning streak over the Bears. Lincoln Memorial has not lost to the Bears since the 2009-10 campaign, a 73-75 loss in Hickory on February 13. LMU crushed L-R 84-60 in Harrogate last season, but escaped with a narrow 66-61 in Shuford Gym on Feburary 15.
 
The action gets underway at 4 p.m. in Hickory, N.C. A free video broadcast will be available via www.LRBears.com, while fans can listen along with Voice of the Railsplitters Rusty Peace at WLMU 91.3 the Gap.

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