BRISTOL, Tenn. -- The fifth-ranked Railsplitters commence the 2015-16 season this weekend when they head to Bristol, Tenn. to face King and Lees-McRae in the South Atlantic Conference vs. Conference Carolinas Challenge. Lincoln Memorial squares off against the Tornado in the season opener on Friday at 7:30 p.m. before quickly turning around to face the Bobcats at noon on Saturday, with both of those contests set to be hosted inside the Student Complex Center on the King University Campus.
 
Entering the eighth season under the assured direction of head coach Josh Schertz, lofty expectations have once again been placed on the Railsplitters, who were noted in the top 10 in four different national preseason polls. Lincoln Memorial opens the season ranked fifth in the NABC/Division II Coaches poll, fourth in the Division II Media rankings, fourth in the Sporting News and seventh in the Division II Bulletin. The Railsplitters were also selected to win their fourth consecutive South Atlantic Conference title in a vote amongst the league's coaches.
 
The smorgasbord of preseason recognition comes in the wake of one of the most decorated seasons in program and SAC history, as the Railsplitters turned in a 30-3 overall record in 2014-15 to break the SAC's single-season marks for wins and winning percentage while matching the 1976-77 team for the most wins in program history. LMU also became the first team in SAC history to win three straight regular season titles and host the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.
 
{2015-16 Men's Basketball season preview series}
 
But, as Schertz has said on many occasions, that season is now a thing of the past and the 2015-16 team has to write its own story and define its own legacy. And the first chapter of that book will be etched on Friday night when the Railsplitters face a tough season-opening test against a familiar foe - the King Tornado.
 
King went 24-6 last season and was in line to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament until North Greenville made a surprising postseason run to capture the Conference Carolinas tournament championship and steal the league's automatic bid.
 
The up-tempo Tornado offense poses a number of substantial problems for opposing defenses. King led the nation in three-point field goal attempts last season with 980 while ranking second in made three-pointers per game with 12.3, second in total three-pointers made with 370, sixth in scoring margin, outscoring their opponents by an average of 15.9 points per game, and 23rd in scoring offense with 82.9 points per appearance. King's offensive attack inherently relies on massive production from behind the three-point arc, but Lincoln Memorial has developed a reputation for suffocating three-point shooting teams. The Railsplitters led the nation last season in three-point field goal defense, holding their opponents to an ugly 27 percent mark from deep.
 
The Tornados return six of their top seven scorers from last season's squad, but graduated leading scorer Logan Lyle, who poured in 16.7 points per game, grabbed 4.3 boards per appearance and shot 40.3 percent from deep. A solid veteran core featuring three seniors and two juniors that averaged more than seven points per game last season will be cooperatively filling the void left by Lyle.
 
Juniors C.J. Good and Hunter LeVeau averaged 9.9 points apiece and combined to hit more than five three-pointers per game last season. Mikquell Jackson and Drew Standifer contributed 8.4 and 8.2 points per game, respectively, while Standifer also collected 4.3 rebounds per appearance. Senior James Scales connected on 48.7 percent of his shot attempts last season and chipped in 7.5 points per game.
 
The Railsplitters should have a significant advantage on the glass. King was outrebounded by nearly a board and a half per game last season, ranking 202nd out of 294 NCAA Division II teams in rebounding margin. Lincoln Memorial was fourth in the nation in that category with a plus-9.9 disparity on the glass.
 
The Railsplitters are 13-1 all-time against King thanks to a current 10-game winning streak that dates back to December 15, 2009. The largest margin of victory for Lincoln Memorial over that span was a 19-point triumph in 2010, but the last seven meetings have been decided by single digits.
 
King took the Railsplitters down to the wire in last season's meeting on November 15 at Tex Turner Arena. The Tornado led by four at the half and remained in front for most of the second half until a late 9-0 spurt gave Lincoln Memorial the lead for good in route to a 70-63 victory. Luquon Choice (Laurens, S.C.) poured in 25 points on 6-of-9 shooting from three while Paul Woodson (Cincinnati, Ohio) posted five points and 12 boards. Scales had 13 points for the Tornado.
 
The Railsplitters' only loss to King occurred in Bristol on November 18, 2006. Lincoln Memorial is 4-0 on King's home court since then.
 
After Friday night's main event, the Railsplitters make a quick turnaround to face Lees-McRae in a Saturday matinee.
 
The Bobcats went 15-13 last season and finished sixth in the Conference Carolinas with a 10-10 league mark.
 
Lees-McRae ranked 26th in the country in scoring offense with 82.3 points per game, but was among the worst defensive teams in the nation, ranking 267th in field goal percentage defense by relinquishing 47.5 percent shooting and 252nd in scoring defense by allowing 78.9 points per game.
 
The Bobcats' high-powered offense was dealt a significant blow, too, with the departure of the team's top three scorers from last season in Jacquise Moore (14.4 points/game), Sean Deniton (12.6 per) and Raul Tutton (10.8 per). Senior guard Kendall Isler is Lees-McRae's leading returner scorer as he pitched in 9.4 points per game on 40.2 percent shooting in 2014-15. The Bobcats also added Division I transfer Austin Anderson in the offseason, as the 6-6 guard opted to play his senior season in Banner Elk after starting 25 games for the Presbyterian Blue Hose last season, averaging seven points, three boards and three assists per game over that span.  Donte Falls - a 6-6 junior forward - is also back for the Bobcats after accounting for 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season.
 
The Railsplitters have won all six meetings against Lees-McRae and have never won by fewer than 17 points. Lincoln Memorial opened the 2014-15 campaign with a 96-72 evisceration of the Bobcats at Tex Turner Arena, shooting 56.7 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from three. Four different players hit double figures in that contest, led by Tim Pierce's 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Curtis McMillion (Fayetteville, N.C.) notched 19 points and four boards in 21 minutes while Choice drained five three-pointers in a 17-point outburst. Lincoln Memorial led by only five points at the half, but outscored the Bobcats by 19 (53-34) in the second stanza.
 
Lincoln Memorial has never lost one of its first two games of the season in the seven previous seasons under Josh Schertz. The Railsplitters have won their last three season openers by an average margin of 27.3 points.
 
Live stats and video will be available for both of this weekend's game while fans can also follow the games via audio feed with Voice of the Railsplitters Rusty Peace at 91.3 FM. Those links can be accessed at www.LMURailsplitters.com.

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Friday vs. King at 7:30 - Live stats | Video | Audio 
Saturday vs. Lees-McRae at Noon - Live stats | Video | Audio