HARROGATE, Tenn. -- Just days after a dramatic win over an unbeaten team, the Lady Railsplitters (2-2) renew an old rivalry and aim to knock off another unbeaten team on Saturday at 2 p.m., when they host the University of the Cumberlands Patriots (6-0) for the first time since 1997.
 
Lincoln Memorial and Cumberlands have played 26 total times, but Saturday marks the first meeting between the two programs since December 6, 1997, when the Lady Railsplitters captured a 69-57 win in Harrogate. The Lady Railsplitters own a 17-9 edge in the all-time series with wins in eight of the last nine.
 
Lincoln Memorial collected the program's first win over a ranked opponent since February, 2005(a 59-56 overtime win vs. Valdosta State) in Tuesday night's South Atlantic Conference opener, erasing a 10-point, second-half deficit to hand the 20th-ranked Carson-Newman Eagles a 56-54 loss.
 
The Lady Railsplitters trailed 54-52 before Josey Harding (Middletown, Ohio) grabbed an offensive rebound and converted the putback lay-up to draw the game even at 54 apiece with 22 seconds left. Harding was fouled on the play, but she missed the free throw, which would have given the Lady Railsplitters the lead. However, the ball deflected out of bounds off of a Carson-Newman player. On the ensuing play, Britney Guy (Locust Grove, Ga.) drove into the paint and lofted up a shot that was blocked by an Eagle defender. The blocked shot fell fortuitously right into the hands of Jasmine Kelly (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.), who banked in a short jumper from the left wing with 0.8 left on the clock to help the Lady Railsplitters hand the Eagles their first loss of the season.
 
Lincoln Memorial struggled offensively, shooting 39 percent overall with a 1-for-10 mark from three coupled with 24 turnovers, but put on the clamps defensively by holding the visiting Eagles to 27.4 percent shooting, which included a dismal 1-for-11 mark from three-point territory.
 
Harding and Megan Pittman (Liberty, Ky.) both recorded double-doubles for the second consecutive game, as Harding had 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Pittman produced a game-high 14 points and 14 boards. Guy finished with 10 points in 30 minutes off of the bench.
 
Through four games, the Lady Railsplitters are sporting one of the best defensive units in the South Atlantic Conference. They rank fourth in points per game allowed with 58.5, while also ranking fourth in field goal percentage defense by holding opponents to a mere 33.2 percent shooting. Teams are averaging just 25.4 percent shooting from the three against the stingy LMU defense.
 
The Lady Railsplitters will have their hands full once again when they welcome the University of the Cumberlands - an NAIA program out of Williamsburg, Ky. - to Tex Turner Arena on Saturday, as the Patriots have completely dominated their first six opponents this season.
 
Only one of the Patriots' first six games has been decided by single digits, a 50-49 win against Dillard, while the rest have been decided by at least 13 points. Cumberland toppled Midway, 71-47, in the season opener before thrashing Lindenwood-Belleville, 74-55. Their last three games have been even more dominant: a 61-48 win over Rio Grande, a 98-36 pummeling of Hiwassee and a 91-43 shellacking of Midway in the second regular-season meeting between the two squads.
 
The Patriots lead the entire NAIA Division II ranks in scoring defense by allowing just 46.3 points per game. They are also ranked sixth in the nation in turnover margin at plus eight and scoring margin at plus 27.8. Additionally, Cumberlands is shooting 45.8 percent from the field, ranking ninth in the nation in that category. Opponents are shooting just 32.4 percent from the field and 22.7 percent from three against the Patriots.
 
The Patriots are paced by Lydi Box, who has accounted for four double-doubles in four appearances this season. Coming off of a 15-point, 10-rebound performance against Midway, Box is averaging 20 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field. Cheyenne Madden is contributing 14.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, while Heather Jolley is chipping in 12.0 points and 3.0 boards per game in two appearances. Micarah Malone is averaging nearly a double-double per game with 10.8 points and 7.5 boards per.
 
Dating back to the start of the 2014-15 campaign, the Lady Railsplitters have been nearly unbeatable in Tex Turner Arena, winning 12 of the last 15 games played within the friendly confines. Lincoln Memorial hasn't lost in Harrogate since falling to Lenoir-Rhyne on February 14, 2015.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday. Live stat, video and audio links are available at www.LMURailsplitters.com, the comprehensive online home of Lincoln Memorial University athletics. Fans can also follow along with Voice of the Railsplitters Rusty Peace at WLMU 91.3 The Gap.

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