GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Double-doubles from
Megan Pittman (Liberty, Ky.) and
Josey Harding (Middletown, Ohio) and a third quarter run helped #5/8 Lincoln Memorial grab
the 83-71 win over Tusculum Wednesday evening at Pioneer Arena.
With the win, LMU continues their best start in program history as they improve to 16-0 overall and 11-0 in the South Atlantic Conference. They are currently ranked eighth in the latest WBCA/USA Today Division II Coaches' Poll and are fifth in the D2SIDA National Media Poll. They are also ranked first in the D2SIDA Southeast Region Poll.
Pittman led LMU with 20 points off of 7-13 shooting from the field, 2-2 from three point range and 4-4 from the free throw line. She scored 16 of her 20 points in the second half.
Shea Coker (Knoxville, Tenn.) had 19 points, 14 of those coming in the second half. Harding added in 15 points and Sydney Anderson (Cleveland, Tenn.) chipped in 11.
Tusculum's loss spoiled a career night for Kasey Johnson as she scored 28 points to lead all scorers. Benedicta Makakala chipped in 11 points for the Pioneers.
LMU had one of their most dominating rebounding efforts of the season, out-rebounding the Pioneers by a 55-20 margin. Harding led all players with 15 rebounds and Pittman had 12. No Tusculum player had more than four rebounds.
For the contest, Tusculum out-shot LMU 49.0%-to-37.7% from the field. The Lady Railsplitters held the advantage in three-point shooting 37.5%-23.1% and from the free throw line 80.6%-to-80.0%. LMU had 20 turnovers to 13 by the Pioneers.
LMU took an early 2-0 lead off a Coker jumper from the corner. Tusculum would tie it up at 2-2 before a Harding layup in the paint sparked a 6-1 run. Tusculum would cut it back to two points before a three pointer by Coker and a basket plus a free throw by Anderson put LMU back up by 8, 14-6, with 3:58 left. The Pioneers began to chip away at the lead, eventually tying it 15-15 on a basket by Makakala with six seconds remaining.
A three by Johnson put the Pioneers ahead 18-15 ten seconds into the second quarter. TC would build the lead to 22-17 before LMU went on an 8-0 run to take a 25-22 lead. A basket by Maelyn Head put the Pioneers back in the lead by one with 2:22 left in the stanza. Tusculum would extend the lead to 35-31 at the half.
Pittman came out and scored five quick points to start the third quarter. The teams then traded baskets for the next few minutes until another Pittman jumper put LMU ahead 42-41. Four points from Anderson would extend the lead to five points with 5:48 remaining. Tusculum would cut the lead to three on a couple of occasions but the Lady Railsplitters would take a 59-54 lead into the fourth quarter.
LMU began to heat up offensively in the fourth quarter and it showed in an 8-2 run to begin the final frame. The Lady Railsplitters would lead by as many as 19 points on two occasions as they held off the Pioneers down the stretch to claim the 83-71 victory.
Next up for LMU is the long trek to Hartsville, South Carolina to face Coker Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. and video, audio and live stats links are available on www.lmurailsplitters.com.
