HARROGATE, Tenn. -- The 12th-ranked Railsplitters (14-2, 10-0 SAC) will aim for their 16th-straight win over Tusculum (7-8, 3-7 SAC) when the Pioneers invade Tex Turner Arena on Thursday night for the 167th all-time meeting between the two in-state rivals. That South Atlantic Conference clash, which is being broadcast live on MyVLT (Ch. 14 for Vyve and Ch. 18 for Sunset Digital subscribers), is scheduled for an 8 p.m. tip-off.
 
Lincoln Memorial has utterly dominated the series against Tusculum, which is the second-longest running rivalry in program history behind only Carson-Newman, winning 124 of the 166 games since the two teams first met back in 1930. The Railsplitters have won the last 15 meetings between the two teams since last losing to the Pioneers in February, 2009. Head coach Josh Schertz is a combined 16-1 against Tusculum in his tenure at Lincoln Memorial.
 
The Railsplitters improved to 10-0 in South Atlantic Conference play on Saturday with an 82-64 victory at Catawba. Lincoln Memorial closed the first half on an 18-6 run and held the Indians to 38 percent shooting to open league play with 10 straight wins for the second consecutive season and for the third time under Schertz. Gerel Simmons (Accokeek, Md.) and Luquon Choice (Laurens, S.C.) scored 21 points apiece to fuel the victory, and Choice became the 26th player in program history to tally his 1000th career point in the process.
 
First-half dominance continues to be a theme for the Railsplitters, who are outscoring their opponents by a combined sum of 768-524 in the first half this season. Lengthy first-half runs in particular have been a key to success, as Lincoln Memorial used an 18-0 flurry at the tail end of the first half to pace last Wednesday's win over Anderson.
 
Tusculum started the 2015-16 campaign by winning six of its first eight games, which included a 99-94 triumph over King, who is responsible for one of LMU's two losses. But the Pioneers have since dropped six of their last seven games during a stretch in which they have faced five of the SAC's top six teams, with league-leading Lincoln Memorial now standing in front of them.
 
Tusculum fell to 3-7 in SAC play on Saturday with a 91-71 loss at the hands of 13th-ranked Queens in Charlotte, N.C.
 
The Pioneers have been plagued by a defense that is relinquishing an average of 85 points per game on 46.8 percent shooting, as Tusculum ranks 10th in the SAC in both opponents' field-goal percentage and scoring defense. Despite having six players listed at 6-7 or taller, the Pioneers have almost nothing in the form of rim protection, ranking 294th out of 303 Division II teams in blocks per game with 1.3.
 
Tusculum scores a respectable 83.3 points per game, but is shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from three-point range as a unit, ranking ninth in the league in both of those categories. The Pioneers can be an imposing force on the offensive glass, though, where they are grabbing 13.5 offensive boards per game.
 
On paper, the Railsplitters could be in line for a huge offensive performance. LMU enters Thursday's contest ranked second in the nation in scoring offense with 96.2 points per game and fourth in field-goal percentage with a 51.4 percent mark. The Railsplitters typically eliminate second-chance opportunities, too, ranking fourth in the nation in defensive rebounds per game with 31.7.
 
The Pioneers are paced offensively by the inside-out duo of senior guard Darius Carter and junior center Chase Mounce. Carter - hailing from Cascade, Va. - is putting up 17.4 points and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the field. Mounce, meanwhile, is a double-double waiting to happen, as the 6-10 product of Elkin, N.C. is piling up 12.9 points and 6.9 rebounds per game on a 50.3 percent clip. Guards Javon Price and Zach Davis are also contributing double figures for Tusculum, as Price is scoring 11.5 points per game on 35.6 percent shooting, while Davis is adding 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
 
The Railsplitters have won 11 straight over Tusculum at Tex Turner Arena, including last season's 78-61 victory. In that contest, Lincoln Memorial held the Pioneers to 31.9 percent shooting while posting a 50.7 percent clip. Choice, Tim Pierce (Albany, Ga.) and Curtis McMillion (Fayetteville, N.C.) scored nine points apiece.
 
In the last three home games against Tusculum, the Railsplitters average margin of victory is 27 points.
 
Tip-off between Lincoln Memorial and Tusculum is set for 8 p.m. on Thursday. Live stat, video and audio links are available at www.LMURailsplitters. Fans across East Tennessee can also tune in live at MyVLT, or listen along with Voice of the Railsplitters Rusty Peace at WLMU 91.3 The Gap.
 
Quick Hits
Choice has tallied at least 19 points in four straight games, including his 26-point outburst against Anderson last Wednesday...Mounce and Matt Shown led the Pioneers in last season's meeting at Tex Turner Arena. Mounce posted 18 points and eight rebounds, while Shown produced 11 points and 12 boards...The Pioneers tied for last in the SAC standings last season with a 6-16 league record...Choice and Jalen Steele (Knoxville, Tenn.) are tied for the SAC-lead in three-pointers made this season with 49 apiece. Simmons is 11th in that category with 33...The Pioneers allow opponents to shoot 36.1 percent from three
 
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