HARROGATE, Tenn. – The LMU women's basketball team are hoping to make it five wins in a row as they host longtime local and South Atlantic Conference rival Tusculum Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. in the Tex Turner Arena.

This will be the first meeting this season between the teams and marks the halfway point of the SAC schedule for LMU. Both teams appear in the latest D2SIDA Southeast Region Poll, with Tusculum ranked sixth and LMU receiving votes.

LMU is currently 10-6 on the season and 6-3 in SAC play following their 73-62 win over Lenoir-Rhyne Saturday afternoon. A late first quarter run gave the Lady Railsplitters some breathing room and they pulled ahead in the second half and never allowed the Bears to get closer than nine points down the stretch.

Rachel Griffith led the team with a career-high 23 points and also had five rebounds and three assists while going 8-11 from the field, 2-4 from three-point range and a perfect 5-5 from the free throw line. Sydney Newsome had probably her best all-around outing in the Blue and Gray as she tied her career high in points (16) and assists (5) while also flirting with a double-double as she had eight rebounds. Rachel's twin sister Emily Griffith added in 14 points and five assists. Maggie Jachimczuk had a solid day on the boards as she pulled down 14 rebounds, tying her own season high she had on Jan. 7 against UVa-Wise.

The loss spoiled a brilliant performance from L-R's Kendall Toineeta, who had 25 points, including a 10-12 night at the free throw line, and five assists. Kennedy Weigt chipped in 17 points, including four three-pointers, and Madi Suddreth added in 10 points. Madeline Hardy led L-R on the boards with 12 rebounds.

Following this game, LMU will make their longest SAC trip of the season when they travel to Coker for a Saturday matchup with the Cobras.
 
SERIES HISTORY
· LMU leads the series 43-29. This is the second-longest series for LMU, behind Carson-Newman, and apart from 1992-96 the two have played every season since 1977-78. LMU is 25-11 vs. the Pioneers in Harrogate and 15-7 in the Turner Arena.

· The Pioneers had a pretty dominant women's basketball team back in the 1920s, but for whatever reason they never played LMU during that stretch. The Tusculum teams of that era did have one effect on LMU as Hugh Trent Ramsey, who coached LMU from 1929-42 and is in the LMU Athletes' Hall of Fame, was a 1923 graduate of Tusculum and a standout on their men's basketball team.

· The last time the two schools met was on Jan. 24, 2018 in Harrogate. The Lady Railsplitters used a 12-0 run in the third quarter to break open the game and held off a late Pioneer rally to claim the 80-71 win.

Rachel Griffith led LMU with 18 points, Shea Coker chipped in 14 points and six rebounds. Ross Mathis also had six rebounds and five assists to go along with eight points while Emily Griffith dished out six assists.

Sydney Wilson led Tusculum with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Yolizma Cupidan had 15 points and Kasey Johnson chipped in 14 points. The Pioneers shot 35.3 percent from the field, 32.0 percent from behind the arc and 75 percent from the charity stripe.
 
 
SCOUTING TUSCULUM
· The Pioneers are currently 12-4 overall and 5-4 in SAC play. They are currently tied with Newberry (who they defeated on Monday) for fifth place in the SAC standing, one game behind LMU.

· Three players are averaging more than 10 points a game for Tusculum. Mia Long is averaging 13.7 points a game, while Sydney Wilson averages 12.2 and Callie Patterson has an 11.0 points a game average. Kendrea Duke isn't far behind with an average of 9.8 points a game.

· Duke leads TU in rebounding as she averages 6.3 rebounds a game, while Long leads the team in both assists (2.8) and steals (4.6). Long's 4.6 steals average leads both the SAC and the NCAA.

· As a team, Tusculum are outscoring their opponents 71.5 to 57.1 points a game, but are being out-rebounded by a -4.4 margin.

· The Pioneers lead the SAC in points per game allowed, three-point attempts a game and steals per game. They are second in turnovers per game.

· Head Coach Devan Carter is in his fourth year as head coach at Tusculum. He currently has a 47-47 record.
 
SCOUTING LMU
· Head Coach Krystal Evans is in her fifth season at LMU. She has an 87-49 overall record.
 
· LMU is seeing double as both Emily Griffith and her twin sister Rachel currently lead the team in scoring, with Emily edging out Rachel 16.1 points a game to 14.6. In conference games they flip spots as Rachel is averaging 17.8 points to Emily's 16.6. Sydney Newsome has 8.3, while Dasia Maxwell has 7.6 and Sydney Duggins is averaging 7.3 points a game.
 
· Rebounding is a team effort this season as Maggie Jachimczuk leads the team in rebounds with 5.8 a game, while Newsome has a 5.6 per game average. Shermeria Quarles and Emily Griffith are close behind with 4.6, while Addi Kirkpatrick has a 4.1 rebounds a game average.  
 
· Emily Griffith leads the team with 3.8 assists a game, followed closely by Rachel with 3.3, while both of the Griffiths are averaging 1.9 steals a game. 
 
· LMU has four of the top 14 three-point shooters in the SAC, as Sydney Duggins (45.5) and Lindsay Proffitt (43.6) are first and second in the conference, respectively. Rachel Griffith is 11th and Dasia Maxwell ranks 14th.
 
· As a team, LMU is averaging 76.1 points a game while holding opponents to 73.1. They are out-rebounding opponents by a margin of +6.4 a game.
 
· LMU leads the SAC in three-point percentage, made free throws a game and offensive rebounds per game. They are second in points per game, field goal attempts, and total rebounds per game. They rank third in points and made field goals per game; and rank fourth in rebound margin and assists per game. They also rank ninth nationally in rebounds per game.

 
RECORD WATCH
· POINTS –Emily Griffith currently has an even 800 points, placing her in 32nd place, and trails Amberly O'Dell (2008-12) by 13 points. Rachel Griffith isn't far behind at 38th with 718 points.
 
· FIELD GOALS – Emily Griffith is 30th with 303 while Rachel Griffith is 43rd. Dasia Maxwell is in 74th place.
 
· THREE-POINTERS – Rachel Griffith ranks 13th in made three pointers with 80 and trails Katrina Ottesen (2013-15) by nine. Sydney Duggins ranks 25th, while Dasia Maxwell is in 32nd place. Emily Griffith is in 49th place.
 
· FREE THROWS – Emily Griffith is in 28th place with 175 free throws. She needs six to tie Chasity Williams (2002-06). Rachel Griffith is in 37th place with 158.
 
· REBOUNDS – Emily Griffith ranks 58th with 251 rebounds. She needs one to tie Latoya Johnson (2005-07) for 57th place. Dasia Maxwell is 77th, Rachel Griffith is in 86th place and Cameryn DuBose is close behind at 96th. 

· ASSISTS – Emily Griffith is in 21st place with 199 assists. She needs 18 to tie former teammate Ross Mathis (2014-18) and Liz McQueen (1980-84) for 19th. Rachel Griffith is 28th with 165. Dasia Maxwell is in 76th place.

· BLOCKS – Emily Griffith ranks 29th with 30 career blocks, one block (and one spot) ahead of teammate and fellow senior Dasia Maxwell. Emily is one block behind 28th place Amy Carlyle (1989-91) and two behind Amanda Jackson (1997-01). Cameryn DuBose is in 48th place and Rachel Griffith is 58th.
 
· STEALS – Emily Griffith has 132 career steals, placing her at 17th. She needs six to tie Hillary Ross (2000-04). Rachel Griffith is in 28th place with 112.