CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Behind an absolutely suffocating defensive performance, the fourth-ranked Railsplitters (24-2, 20-0 SAC) defeated the sixth-ranked Queens Royals (23-3, 17-3 SAC) 92-66 in wire-to-wire fashion to clinch their fourth consecutive South Atlantic Conference regular season championship on Saturday at Curry Arena in Charlotte, N.C. The victory pushed Lincoln Memorial's winning streak to 14 and moved the Railsplitters one step closer to running the table in conference play.
 
Queens entered Saturday's contest ranked sixth in the nation and second in the region while riding a nine-game winning streak and a 13-game home winning streak dating back to last season, but the Railsplitters took command of the Southeast Region by stonewalling the Royals' offense, which came into the game ranked second in the country in field-goal percentage with a 52.4 percent mark. Lincoln Memorial completely locked down Queens, holding them to a season-low 28.6 percent shooting (16-for-56) including a dreadful 4-for-26 clip (15.4 percent) from three-point range. It marked the first time the Royals have been held below 30 percent shooting since they joined the SAC before the 2013-14 season. 
 
With the win, the Railsplitters secured their fourth consecutive South Atlantic Conference regular season title and fifth in the past six seasons. In the 26-year history of the SAC, no team had ever even won three straight regular season league championships until Lincoln Memorial accomplished that feat last season.
 
Four of LMU's five starters finished in double figures, led by Gerel Simmons' (Accokeek, Md.) game-high 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting paired with five rebounds. Jalen Steele (Knoxville, Tenn.) logged 16 points, five rebounds and a pair of steals, while Luquon Choice (Laurens, S.C.) put up 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. Dorian Pinson (Greenville, S.C.) posted 10 points, five rebounds and five assists. Curtis McMillion (Fayetteville, N.C.) contributed eight points and six boards in 17 minutes off of the bench.
 
The Railsplitters finished shooting 53.8 percent (35-for-65) from the field, 37.5 percent (9-for-24) from the three and 72.2 percent (13-for-18) from the charity stripe.
 
Queens didn't make its first basket until the 15:55 mark of the first half, as the Railsplitters opened the game on a 20-3 run, which was both started and finished by Emanuel Terry (Enterprise, Ala.). Terry led off the game with a dunk before capping that big early run with a layup through contact with 13:36 left.
 
The Railsplitters' lead hit 20 points at 26-6 at the 11:34 mark on a bucket by Simmons and it would hover in that vicinity until a three-pointer by Rob Lewis cut the deficit to 35-19 with 5:49 to play in the half. However, Choice and Tim Pierce (Albany, Ga.) buried three-pointers to push the Railsplitters ahead 45-24 with a minute left. Pinson notched the final bucket for either team in the half to send Lincoln Memorial into the break with a commanding 47-24 lead.
 
The Railsplitters converted 20 of their 35 shot attempts in the half for a 57 percent mark while holding Queens to a dismal 7-for-30 effort and a 1-for-14 mark from three over that same span.
 
Simmons scored the first five points of the second half to drive the Railsplitters' lead to 52-24 with 18:51 still to play. Queens would never trail by less than 20 points the remainder of the way, while a three-pointer from Steele at the 7:37 mark made it a 30-point game at 75-45. Lincoln Memorial's lead would crest at the four-minute mark when Steele cashed in a layup to make it 88-54.
 
The 26-point loss was the worst for the Royals since they suffered a 101-69 setback at the hands of Lincoln Memorial in last season's meeting at Tex Turner Arena on December 17.
 
Sean Morgan led the Royals with 14 points and five rebounds, while Jared Hendryx produced 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting in 17 minutes off of the bench. The Railsplitters held Queens' leading scorer Rob Lewis, who averages 19 points per game, to eight points on 2-of-14 shooting.
 
The win moved Lincoln Memorial to 41-1 in SAC play over the past two seasons, while the Railsplitters also nabbed their 23rd straight conference road victory.
 
Quick Hits
The Railsplitters are now 9-1 all-time against Queens, as they defeated the Royals for the seventh straight time...Lincoln Memorial demolished the Royals on the backboards 47-33, scoring 16 second-chance points off of 11 offensive rebounds...Queens hangs its hat on interior play, but it was the Railsplitters that dominated the inside in this one, outscoring the Royals 40-16 in the paint...LMU committed 15 turnovers, their most since turning it over 18 times against Lenoir-Rhyne on January 30...Simmons scored at least 20 points for the seventh time in the past nine games
 
Next Up
Lincoln Memorial begins the final week of the regular season with a trip to Anderson, S.C. on Wednesday to face the Anderson Trojans at 8 p.m. The Trojans are out of the playoff hunt at 5-15 in SAC play but are coming off of an upset win over Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday.