BRISTOL, Tenn. – After battling from behind to tie the game in the second quarter, the Lincoln Memorial University women's basketball team outscored King 14-5 to close out the half and eventually hold on for the 74-61 win over King Tuesday evening.

With the win LMU improves to 3-2 on the season while the Tornado drop to 2-3.

Shea Coker led LMU with 15 points, while Karsen Sims and Rachel Griffith had 13 points apiece. Emily Griffith chipped in 10 points. Coker also led LMU on the board along with Addi Kirkpatrick, as they each grabbed six rebounds for the contest. Every LMU player who dressed for the contest saw action, with 12 of those players finding the scoring column.

As a team, LMU went 39.4 percent (26-66) from the field, 40.0 percent (6-15) from three-point range and 69.6 percent (16-23) from the free throw line. They out-rebounded King by a 47-34 margin, with 18 of those being offensive rebounds.

King was led by career nights from Ali Golden (19 points) and Taylor Freeman (18) in the loss. The Tornado shot 37.7 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from behind the arc and 44.8 percent from the charity stripe.

LMU scored first, only to see King torch the nets from three-point range and eventually pull out to the 14-6 lead. After trading baskets for the next few minutes, a Sims three-pointer cut the lead to 17-14 at the end of the quarter.

Ross Mathis opened the second quarter with a three-pointer to tie the game. The Lady Railsplitters then went out to a three point lead before King tied the game again. A Qua Hines layup then sparked a LMU run the rest of the period that saw the Lady Railsplitters roll out to a 35-26 lead at the half.

King would cut the lead to 37-29 early in the third quarter before LMU got hot again from the field, pulling out to the 48-33 lead mid-way through the stanza. Both teams went cold for the next few minutes before an Emily Griffith steal and layup sparked a 10-0 LMU run that extended the lead to 58-33 with less than three minutes remaining. The Tornado then went on a run of their own to cut the lead to 60-42 heading into the final quarter.

The Tornado cut the lead to 60-48 early in the period, which would be the closest they would come the rest of the game. LMU extended the lead back to 19 points, at which point Coach Krystal Evans cleared the bench. King would make a late run but the Lady Railsplitters would hold on for the 74-61 victory.

Quick Hits
LMU's +13 rebound margin marks the third time in five games this season the Lady Railsplitters have out-rebounded their opponents by 13 boards.

LMU improves to 24-3 all-time vs. King and 12-1 against the Tornado in Bristol.

Up Next
LMU will next take the court on Nov. 29 as they travel to Tusculum for a 6 p.m. contest. It will be the SAC opener for both schools.