LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 6 Lincoln Memorial men's basketball team got out to a big early lead and never looked back in its season-opening 108-80 win over Valdosta State.

The Railsplitters set multiple Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic records in the dominating win, including the most field goals (41), rebounds (56) and assists (31) in a single game while tying the record for most points scored.
 
Down 5-2 in the opening minute, the Railsplitters roared back with a 32-7 run spanning less than nine minutes to take a 34-12 lead.
 
After going into halftime up 52-32, Lincoln Memorial began the second half on a 7-0 scoring run and would lead by at least 20 points the rest of the game.
 
Senior guard Chase Rankin came one rebound shy of a triple-double with 14 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds, while Martez Brown (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Jordan Walters (15 points, 12 rebounds) also had double-doubles for the Railsplitters.
 
Senior forward Jordan Guest led Lincoln Memorial in scoring with 17 points while adding eight rebounds. Also contributing to the balanced offensive attack, where six players put up double figures points, were Quay Kennedy (15 points) and Me'Kell Burries (13 points).
 
The Railsplitters shot an efficient 53.2 percent from the field while outrebounding the Blazers 56 to 32.
 
The game was the first of two at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic on the campus of Florida Southern for Lincoln Memorial, as it will play No. 24 Alabama Huntsville on Sunday at 11 a.m. in George W. Jenkins Fieldhouse.