WISE, Va. -- The 12th-ranked Railsplitters (3-2) aim to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 2008 on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Wise, Va. to face the Virginia-Wise Cavaliers (1-4) at 4 p.m. inside of the David J. Prior Convocation Center.
 
Lincoln Memorial enters Saturday's contest looking to snap a two-game skid after falling 111-109 in overtime at Carson-Newman in the South Atlantic Conference opener on Tuesday night. In that contest that the Eagles won on a last-second jumper from Malik Abraham, Lincoln Memorial shot 58.3 percent from the field and went 8-for-12 from three-point range, but Carson-Newman kept pace by making 49.4 percent of its shots while going 7-for-13 from three and 26-for-30 at the charity stripe.
 
That loss was significant for a number of reasons as it ended Lincoln Memorial's 29-game regular-season SAC winning streak as well as a 24-game SAC road winning streak. It also represented the first time the Railsplitters have suffered back-to-back losses since February 2012.
 
The Railsplitters will now look to avoid falling in three straight games for the first time since head coach Josh Schertz's first season (2008-09). Lincoln Memorial lost four consecutive games that season from November 29-December 13. Coincidentally, Virginia-Wise was the last loss during that four-game losing skid.
 
Rebounding continues to be a problem for the Railsplitters as Carson-Newman outrebounded Lincoln Memorial 39-36 and grabbed 13 offensive boards, which helped the Eagles muster seven more shot attempts in the game. Carson-Newman especially dominated the glass in the second half with a 20-8 rebounding edge. The Railsplitters are currently ranked ninth in the SAC in rebounds per game and eighth in rebounding margin.
 
Redshirt-senior Luquon Choice (Laurens, S.C.) had another solid game in the loss at Carson-Newman, tallying 25 points on a 5-for-6 effort from three-point range. Choice has now erupted for at least 20 points in three of his five appearances this season and has converted 20 of his 36 three-point tries.
 
With Choice leading the charge, the Railsplitters have been outstanding on the offensive end so far this season, averaging 90 points per game on 52.2 percent shooting and a 43.7 percent mark from deep. Lincoln Memorial is currently ranked fourth in the SAC in scoring, second in field-goal percentage and second in three-point shooting.
 
However, the Railsplitters will be looking to rebound from a poor defensive effort against Carson-Newman. The 111 points that the Eagles scored were the most by an LMU opponent since Lenoir-Rhyne scored 122 in December 2015, but that game famously went to four overtimes. That last time an opponent scored that many points in a game that didn't go to multiple overtimes was February 2013, a 113-98 loss to Newberry.
 
Virginia-Wise is another solid offensive unit that has the potential to put up points in bunches. The Cavaliers are averaging 84.8 points per game on 46.5 percent shooting. That has been in spite of a horrific stretch of three-point shooting as Virginia-Wise is 28-for-104 from deep this season for a 26.9 percent clip.
 
Virginia-Wise pulled out a season-opening win over Elizabeth City State in overtime but the Cavaliers have loss four straight since then. Two of those four losses were nail biters, though, as Virginia-Wise lost 96-91 in overtime at Carson-Newman and most recently suffered a 78-76 home loss to West Virginia State.
 
In that loss at Carson-Newman, the Cavaliers led by 12 points with seven minutes left in regulation, but the Eagles closed on a 22-10 run to force overtime. Virginia-Wise pulled ahead by five points early in the OT before Carson-Newman rallied late for the five-point win.
 
The loss to West Virginia State was almost equally as painful for the Cavaliers, who were tied at 76-76 with 30 seconds left before committing a foul in the closing seconds that allowed WVSU to convert two free throws and win the game.
 
The Cavaliers' strong offensive unit has been undermined by a paper-thin defense that is serving up 90.4 points per game on 48.4 percent shooting. Opponents are also averaging seven made three-pointers per game against Virginia-Wise on a 36.5 percent clip.
 
The formidable duo of Dimitri Sousa and Fairmont State transfer Taiwo Badmus are doing the bulk of the scoring for the Cavaliers. Sousa has put up 22.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game on 52.9 percent shooting while also leading the team with 11 three-pointers. Badmus has averaged a double-double with 19.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game on 51.6 percent shooting. Those two guys were outstanding against Carson-Newman, combining for 62 points. Sousa had 35 and Badmus racked up 27 points with 13 rebounds.
 
Chance Sheffey and Michal Seals are adding a shade over 12 points per game apiece for the Cavaliers.
 
The Railsplitters are 20-9 all-time against Virginia-Wise with three straight lopsided wins in the series. Lincoln Memorial crushed the Cavaliers 114-69 in last season's meeting in Tex Turner Arena. In their last trip to Wise in 2014, the Railsplitters romped the Cavs 107-55.
 
Lincoln Memorial is 4-2 against Virginia-Wise during the Josh Schertz era. Both of those losses came in Wise, Va. in 2008 and 2012.
 
Tip-off between Lincoln Memorial and Virginia-Wise is scheduled for 4 p.m. inside of the David J. Prior Convocation Center. Live stats, audio and video links are available at www.LMURailsplitters.com.
 
Five things to watch against Virginia-Wise
1. The Cavaliers are not a good rebounding team as opponents have outrebounded them 42.4-35.6 this season. In a loss to Charleston, UVA-Wise was outrebounded by 18, while Virginia Union notched a 45-32 rebounding edge.
2. In last season's 45-point win over Virginia-Wise, the Railsplitters shot 56.6 percent and held the Cavaliers to a dreadful 23-for-74 mark (31.1 percent). Sousa was limited to just eight points in that contest while Choice had 16 points and Hunter Spaw (Bean Station, Tenn.) chipped in 14 in 12 minutes off the bench.
3. Emanuel Terry (Enterprise, Ala.) notched his third double-double of the season in Tuesday's loss at Carson-Newman by piling up a season-high 16 points and grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds. He is currently ranked fourth in the SAC in rebounding with 9.0 per game.
4. The Railsplitters have put in sub-par defensive efforts in back-to-back games. Against Alabama-Huntsville, Lincoln Memorial allowed 55 percent shooting while the Eagles hit 49.4 percent of their shots. It's the first time LMU has given up at least 49 percent shooting in back-to-back games since March 2008.
5. Dorian Pinson (Greenville, S.C.) is averaging a near triple-double for the Railsplitters this season with 10.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He had 22 points, seven assists and five boards against Carson-Newman.