The Lincoln Memorial men's basketball team will return home to face Georgia College and State University on Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Tex Turner Arena.
 
The Railsplitters (5-1) held on for an 87-86 win at North Georgia on Saturday, as Chase Rankin's personal 6-0 run in the last five minutes and jumper with 25 seconds left propelled the visitors to victory.
 
Lincoln Memorial comes in at No. 11 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Poll released on Nov. 22, which is the highest ranking for a team with a loss. The team received 218 points.
 
RAILSPLITTER STRIKES

• Lincoln Memorial leads the SAC in average assists (22.5) and 3-pointers made (11.5) per game and field goal percentage (56.8) so far in the young season. Across NCAA Division II nationally, the team's field goal percentage ranks third, assists per game and scoring offense (97.0 points per game) rank sixth coming into this week's action.
• Chase Rankin leads Division II in total assists (41). The graduate guard is second in the conference in assists per game at 6.8, which is good for 10^th nationally.
• Martez Brown's three double-doubles leads the league and is second across Division II, while his 54 total rebounds also pace the conference and rank second in the country.
• Along with being ranked No. 6 in the NABC Preseason Poll, the Railsplitters were picked to win the SAC with 143 points including 11 first place votes.
• Redshirt sophomore guard Me'Kell Burries, senior forward Jordan Guest and Rankin were all selected to the preseason All-SAC First Team.

SCOUTING GEORGIA COLLEGE: The Bobcats enter the week at 3-2 after an overtime win on Saturday over Emmanuel followed by an 81-67 loss to Newberry on Sunday at the Clayton State Classic. Georgia College ranks third in the Peach Belt in both 3-point makes (10.0) and attempts (27.8) per game so far, while its defense allows only 68.4 points per game (third in the conference. The Bobcats are 10^th in their league scoring only 68.0 points per game, however.
 
Redshirt senior forward Christian Koneman's 37 rebounds are third in the conference and No. 36 in Division II, while redshirt junior guard Richard Crawford III has made the third-most 3-pointers (12) in the Peach Belt this season.
 
SAC Men's Basketball Standings (as of Nov. 22)
 
Mountain Division                Overall           Conference
Lincoln Memorial                  5-1                   0-0
UVA Wise                               4-0                   0-0
Tusculum                                2-0                   0-0
Carson-Newman                     2-1                   0-0
Emory & Henry                       2-1                   0-0
Mars Hill                                 2-2                   0-0
Limestone                               1-2                   0-0
 
Piedmont Division                Overall           Conference
Catawba                                  4-1                   0-0
Coker                                      4-1                   0-0
Lenoir-Rhyne                          3-0                   0-0
Wingate                                  2-1                   0-0
Newberry                                3-2                   0-0
Anderson                                1-3                   0-0
 
Up Next
The Railsplitters bookend Thanksgiving weekend and open SAC play by hosting Mars Hill on Saturday at 4 p.m.