HARROGATE, Tenn. – Riding the nation's longest winnings streak, the Lincoln Memorial University men's basketball team goes for its 20th-straight victory Wednesday night when it hosts long-time local rival Carson-Newman inside B. Frank "Tex" Turner Arena for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. Presented by Coca-Cola and DeRoyal Industries, the midweek South Atlantic Conference matchup is the 211th meeting between the two school and 101st in Harrogate.
 
The Railsplitters (19-1, 12-0) take on the visiting Eagles (7-11, 4-8) attempting to stay perfect in league play, at home and in 2020.
 
How to Follow
Wednesday evening's tilt will be streamed live via SAC Live on Stretch Internet, while live statistics of the contest can be followed by visiting LMURailsplitters.com. The voice of the Railsplitters, Rusty Peace, will have the call of the game. As usual, in-game updates will be available on LMU Railsplitter athletics' official Twitter account, @LMURailsplitter.
 
Opening Tip
- At 19 games, LMU holds the longest winning streak in all of NCAA Division II men's basketball by five games. It is the most consecutive wins for the Railsplitters since earning 21-straight victories two years ago during the 2017-18 season and is five games from LMU's longest win streak in program history, a 24-game stretch during the Blue and Gray's run to the national title game in 2015-16.
- An overtime neutral-site setback to top-five ranked West Tex A&M (99-89) in the season opener at the fourth annual Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Saint Joseph, Missouri, on Nov. 1 was the Railsplitters' first and only loss this season.
- LMU's 12 consecutive conference wins are also the most of any team in the nation, while its 19 total victories are tied for the second-most among all Division II programs.
- Playing a 22-game league schedule in the 12-team SAC, the Railsplitters have defeated every team in the conference at least once and have topped Coker twice.
- With the release of the national polls Tuesday afternoon, LMU moved up one spot in both the National Association of basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 and the D2SIDA Media Poll to No. 2 in the nation. Prior to Tuesday, The Railsplitters had been ranked third in coaches poll for four consecutive weeks and third in the media poll for three-straight weeks. For the third consecutive week, LMU is receiving one first-place vote in the D2SIDA Media Poll.
- It marks the fourth-straight week the Railsplitters have been ranked in the top five of both national polls. The No. 2 ranking is the highest for LMU since completing the 2017-28 season as the top team in the land.
- For seventh consecutive weeks the Railsplitters are ranked among the top five teams in the country, marking the 48th week in program history.
- Fellow SAC member Queens University of Charlotte, who LMU will face Saturday in North Carolina, is the only other league member ranked or receiving votes in the two top-25 polls. The Royals (14-4, 9-3) are receiving 24 votes in the coaches poll and sit at No. 17 in the media poll.
- Since Nov. 25, the Railsplitters have been ranked at the top of the D2SIDA Southeast Region Poll and continue to lead the regional rankings after receiving all six first-place votes earlier this week.
- LMU owns six wins over teams who were either ranked or receiving votes in at least one of the two national polls when the Railsplitters defeated them. Three of those are top-25 victories with LMU ousting then 22nd-ranked Davenport (D2SIDA Media Poll) 98-48 on Nov. 2, then 12th-ranked Queens (NABC Top 25) 73-64 on Dec. 7 and then 22nd-ranked Catawba (NABC Top 25) 110-85 on Jan. 11.
- A remarkable seven different Railsplitters have scored at least 20 points in a game this season with four owning multiple 20-point outings. Sophomore guard Courvoisier McCauley and redshirt junior guard Devin Whitfield have both scored 20 points or more on 10 different occasions, while redshirt sophomore guard Cameron Henry has reached 20 points three times and senior point guard Anthony Brown has notched two 20-point performances through 20 games.
- Three different LMU players have turned in 30-point outings in 2019-20 with both McCauley and Whitfield scoring more than 30 twice and Henry claiming 30 points once.
- Four of the Railsplitters' five starters are averaging double-digit scoring led by McCauley's 20.1 points per game and followed by Whitfield (17.9 PPG), Henry (14.2 PPG) and Brown (11.9 PPG).
- LMU continues to lead all of Division II basketball in two key categories, field goal percentage defense (37.3%) and defensive rebounding (32.3 RPG), while ranking second in scoring margin (24.1) and fourth in total assists (394), assists per game (19.7) and shooting (52.3%).
- Holding a 107-103 edge in the all-time series with Carson-Newman, the Railsplitters have won 60 of the 100 games played between the two teams in Harrogate. LMU has not lost to the Eagles inside Tex Turner Arena since Feb. 4, 2015, and claimed a gritty 93-88 win in Jefferson City, Tennessee, earlier this season on Nov. 26. 
- Head coach Josh Schertz has gone 19-9 versus Carson-Newman.
 
Last Time vs. the Eagles
Carson-Newman gave the Railsplitters their biggest scare in conference play thus far as LMU had to overcome a 16-point first-half deficit in its road bout with the Eagles back in November. Entering the game having won their previous six contests by an average score of 36.2 points, the Railsplitters found themselves trailing by six at the break and were down by as many as 12 in the second half. In fact, LMU did not take its first lead of the game until about midway through the second half. However, the Railsplitters shot 61.5 percent (16-of-26) in the second half and outscored the hosts 53-42. Despite being outscored 40-38 in the paint and 17-2 in second-chance points due to an 18-3 disadvantage on the offensive glass, LMU got key contributions late from redshirt senior guard/forward Kamaran Calhoun, Whitfield and Henry to pull out the five-point road win. McCauley scored 19 second-half points on 3-for-5 three-point shooting and went 4-for-5 at the foul line.
 
Last Time Out
Beginning the second half of SAC play, the Railsplitters connected on 14 three pointers and got a career-high 30 points on 11-for-17 shooting from Henry to earn their 14th-straight win over Coker inside Tex Turner Arena this past Saturday. Routing the visiting Cobras 86-60, LMU notched its 13th 20-point triumph of the season. The Railsplitters led for all but a scoreless opening 50 seconds and were in front by as 30 in the second half. Henry hit five of his eight three-point attempts, grabbed eight rebounds, went 3-for-3 at the free-throw line, handed out three assists and had both a block and a steal.
 
Southeast Region Supremacy
Sitting atop the Division II Southeast Region, LMU has already defeated four regionally ranked teams. Facing both then 12th-ranked Queens and then 22nd-ranked Catawba in battles of SAC and Southeast Region leaders, not to mention now No. 8 regionally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne and USC Aiken who is tied for ninth in the region, the Railsplitters held their ground and came away with convincing victories. LMU took down the Royals on Dec. 7 by a 73-64 score, defeated the Bears by 20 (97-77) on Dec. 18, routed the Indians by 25 (110-85) on Jan. 11 and were 83-72 victors over the Pacers on Nov. 9 during the Railsplitters' SAC vs. Peach Belt Conference Challenge.
 
Distance from the Rest
Thirteen of LMU's 19 victories thus far this season have come in dominant fashion. Owning an astounding seven wins by at least 31 points and 13 by 20 or more, the Railsplitters have outscored their competition by 481 points through 20 games. On Dec. 15, LMU defeated visiting NAIA member Tennessee Wesleyan by 60 points (122-62) for its largest margin of victory since pummeling Mars Hill by 87 (156-69) in December of 2017. The Railsplitters have notched wins of 60, 50, 47, 40, 37, 32, 31, 26 (twice), 25, 22, 21 and 20 points this season. During its 19-game win streak, LMU has defeated its opponents by an impressive average of 25.8 points.
 
Among Statistical Leaders
In addition to their field-goal percentage defense, defensive rebounding, scoring margin, assists and shooting, the Railsplitters are among the elite teams in the nation in several other offensive and defensive statistical categories. LMU ranks sixth nationally in three-point field goal defense (29.3%), seventh in scoring (93.2 PPG) and is ninth in both three pointers made (224) and assist/turnover ratio (1.56) while the Railsplitters are 11th among all Division II basketball programs in three-point shooting (40.8%), 15th in total rebounds (795), 16th in three pointers made per game (11.2), 20th in free-throw shooting (78.2%) and 27th in total steals (168).
 
Bevo Francis Award Top 100 Watch List Members
On Jan. 15, McCauley and Anthony Brown were both named to the 2020 Bevo Francis Award Top 100 watch list as announced by Small College Basketball and the National Awards Committee. Presented annually, the Clarence "Bevo" Francis Award is given to the player who has the finest overall season within Small College Basketball (non-Division I). The two guards joined an illustrious list of former LMU players who have been named to the Bevo Francis Award watch list in recent years, including Jalen Steele (2016), Luquon Choice (2016 and 2017), Dorian Pinson (2017 and 2018), Trevon Shaw (2018), Emanuel Terry (2018) and Cornelius Taylor (2019). All-American Terry won the national player of the year award in 2018 after compiling a remarkable 126-14 career record donning the Blue and Gray. It marks the fifth-straight year the Railsplitters have had at least one player named to the Bevo Francis Award Top 100 watch list.
 
What Cam Can Do
Redshirt sophomore guard Cameron Henry has seemingly been on triple-double watch each of his last five outings, averaging 20 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.4 steals. Over his last five games, the 6-foot-6 versatile guard has shot 56.7 percent (17-of-30) from three-point land and 58.5 percent (38-of-65) overall from the field while recording a pair of double-doubles with four double-figure scoring and three double-digit rebounding performances. For the season, Henry has turned in a trio of 20-point games and reached double figures in points 14 different times with four double-doubles. He leads the team in rebounding (7.9 RPG) and ranks fourth in the SAC in that category, not to mention ranking 25th nationally and second in the league in defensive rebounds per game (7.0). The Chesterfield, Virginia (Lloyd C. Bird HS), native is 22nd in the nation and leads the conference in steals (42) while 24th in the country and second in the SAC in steals per game (2.2).
 
Head Coach Josh Schertz Wins No. 300
LMU's 76-64 win over UVA Wise on Wednesday, Jan. 8 was head coach Josh Schertz' 300th of his remarkable career. He needed just 365 games as a head coach to reach the career milestone. Coach Schertz now owns an astonishing 305-65 (.824) record in 12 seasons at the helm of the Railsplitter men's basketball program.
 
Decade of Excellence
Closing the books on one of the best decades of basketball among all NCAA levels, LMU achieved unheralded success from 2010 until the start of 2020. Below are some of the Railsplitters' biggest accomplishments.

• 254-50 (.836) overall record
• 148-13 (.919) record inside Tex Turner Arena
• 174-28 (.861) SAC record
• 11 SAC titles, including seven regular season championships (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) and four SAC Tournament titles (2011, 2014, 2016, 2018)
• Eight-straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2011-18)
• Two Elite Eight appearances (2016 and 2017)
• Two national semifinal appearances (2016 and 2017)
• One NCAA title game appearance (2016)
• Eight All-Americans (Emanuel Terry, 2018; Dorian Pinson, 2018; Chris Perry, 2017; Luquon Choice, 2017; Gerel Simmons, 2016; Lorenza Ross, 2015; Vincent Bailey, 2014; Desmond Johnson, 2011)
• 37 All-SAC selections with 18 first-team picks

 
Railsplitters at Home
Inside Tex Turner Arena, LMU has registered a .930 (146-11) winning percentage over the past 10 seasons. Entering the 2019-20 season, the Railsplitters ranked sixth nationally at home in all of college basketball since 2010-11 with a .925 (135-11) winning percentage. Only West Liberty (.953), Bellarmine (.949), Kansas (.947), Kentucky (.942) and Duke (.929) owned a higher home court winning percentage than LMU during that span. Since coach Schertz took over the reins of the program prior to the 2008-09 campaign, the Railsplitters have gone 169-16 (.914) in home contests.
 
Standard of Success
LMU has finished within the top two of the final SAC standings each of the last nine years, spent 95-straight weeks in the national rankings from December 2010 to December 2016 and completed the season as the top team in the country in two of the last four seasons. The Railsplitters are one of only four Division II programs to have posted 20 wins or more for 10 consecutive years. Only West Liberty (15), Bellarmine (11) and Indiana Pa. (11) can say the same. LMU has also reached the NCAA Tournament eight of the last nine seasons.
 
Coach Schertz Among the Elite
Since taking over the Railsplitter men's basketball program in March of 2008, head coach Josh Schertz has amassed a remarkable 305-65 (.824) record over 12 seasons. Entering the 2019-20 season, Schertz' career winning percentage (.817) was the fifth-highest of all head coaches in college basketball history at any NCAA level. Furthermore, Schertz ranks third among active head coaches with at least 10 years at the helm - Jim Crutchfield, Nova Southeastern (.845) and Mark Few, Gonzaga (.827) - and owns the second-highest winning percentage among Division II leaders.
 
Carson-Newman | 2019-20 Record: 7-11, 4-8 SAC

• The Eagles enter Wednesday having lost six of their last eight games. Their lone wins during that span have come at home against UVA Wise (78-69) and versus Tusculum (72-68). Carson-Newman has also defeated Coker (100-70) and Wingate (92-78) in SAC play at home.
• Yet to win a road game in 2019-20, the Eagles are 0-7 away from Jefferson City this season.
• Much like Tusculum, Carson-Newman is one of the top rebounding teams in the nation, averaging 43.4 rebounds per game for the fifth-most nationally and most in the SAC. The Eagles' 29.6 defensive rebounds per contest are the ninth-most in the country and second-most in the conference while their 13.9 offensive boards per outing rank 15th in the nation and second in the league. Carson-Newman owns the 29th-best rebounding margin (6.2) in the land and is ranked 21st nationally in total rebounds (782).
• Led by 10th-year head coach Chuck Benson, who recently collected his 300th career win also against UVA Wise, the Eagles feature a trio of double-digit scorers. Senior 6-foot-3 guard Tripp Davis is averaging a team-best 16.6 points per game followed by junior 6-foot-5 forward EJ Bush (13.5 PPG) and senior 6-foot-2 guard Reece Anderson (10.6 PPG). The senior guard duo of Anderson and Davis lead the team in assists with a combined 6.9 per game while Bush's team-best 8.2 rebounds per contest rank second in the 12-team SAC.

 
Looking Ahead
The Railsplitters hit the road for a pair of games beginning with receiving-votes Queens this weekend in Charlotte. Tip-off from inside the Levine Center is slated for 4 p.m. Saturday. Next Wednesday, Feb. 5, LMU travels to Hickory, North Carolina, for a showdown with Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
LMU L-Club
All LMU L-Club members receive basketball season tickets with premium seating available through silver and platinum memberships. Additional membership benefits include discounts at community partner locations, exclusive e-mail communications, VIP basketball parking and Tex Turner Arena hospitality room access. Become an LMU L-Club member today by visiting LMURailsplitters.com.  
 
On Social
Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms - @LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram, for complete coverage of Railsplitter basketball throughout the 2019-20 season.